Comfort Controls & Audio Systems
AmSt
The AmSt button is just below the PWR button. Push this when you tune to
an AM station that broadcasts in stereo. Your
STEREO light will come on
when you’re receiving AM stereo.
If you push AmSt and there is no more
noise,
it means the station is weak. You’ll hear the station better if you don’t
use
AmSt. Just push the AmSt button again to cancel stereo.
NOTE: Your Delco system may be able to receive C-QUAM@ stereo
broadcasts. Many AM stations around the country use C-QUAM@ to produce
stereo, though some do not. C-QUAM@ is a registered trademark
of Motorola
Inc. If your Delco system can get C-QUAM@ signals, your
STEREO light will
come on when you are receiving stereo.
Cassette Deck with Graphic Equalizer
K2311
Press the PWR button on the radio to turn the unit on. The radio will play
until a cassette is pushed into the cassette entry door (the \
tape side goes in
first.) The cassette deck is built to work best with tapes that are
30 to 45
minutes long on each side. Tapes longer than that are so thin that they may
not work well in this player.
Once the tape is playing, use the
VOL, BAL and FADE controls on the
radio. The arrows indicate which side
of the tape is being played.
Equalizer
Boost the bass, emphasize a voice in a song, brighten the treble-your
equalizer enables you to adjust five separate sound frequencies \
to your
individual taste.
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Pavement Markings
NO PASSING ZONE
AM40201 6
Pavement markings add to traffic signs and signals. They give information to
drivers without taking attention from the roadway. A solid yellow line on your
side
of the road or lane means “don’t cross.”
Your Own Signals
Drivers signal to others, too. It’s not only more polite, it’s safer to let other
drivers know what you are doing. And in some places the law requires driver
signals.
Turn and lane change signals: Always signal when you plan to turn or
change lanes.
If necessary, you can use hand signals out the window: Left arm \
straight out
for a left turn, down for
slow or about-to-stop, and up for a right turn.
Slowing down: If time allows, tap the brake pedal once or twice in advance
of slowing or stopping. This warns the driver behind you.
Disabled: Your four-way flashers signal that your vehicle is disabled or is a
hazard. See “Hazard Warning Flasher” in the Index.
Traffic Officer
The traffic police officer is also a source of important informaaon. The officer’s
signals govern, no matter what the traffic lights or other sig\
ns say.
The next part discusses some of the road conditions you may e\
ncounter.
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Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane highway is a
potentially dangerous move, since the passing vehicle occupies t\
he same lane
as oncoming traffic for several seconds.
A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can suddenly put the
passing driver face to face with the worst of all traffic accidents-the head-on
collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
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“Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides, and to crossroads for
situations that might affect your passing patterns.
If you have any doubt
whatsoever about making a successful pass, wait for a better t\
ime.
Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and lines. If you \
can see a
sign up ahead that might indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your
pass.
A broken center line usually indicates it’s all right to pass
(providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross a solid line on your side
of the lane or a double solid line, even
if the road seems empty of
approaching traffic.
If you suspect that the driver of the vehicle you want to pass isn’t aware
of your presence, tap the horn a couple of times before passing.
Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass while you’re
awaiting an opportunity. For one thing, following too closely r\
educes your
area of vision, especially
if you’re following a larger vehicle. Also, you
won’t have adequate space
if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops.
Keep back a reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up, start
to accelerate
but stay in the right lane and don’t get too close. Time your move
so
you will be increasing speed as the time comes to move into the other
lane.
If the way is clear to pass, you will have a “running start” that
more than makes up for the distance you would lose by droppin\
g back.
And
if something happens to cause you to cancel your pass, you need
only slow down and drop back again and wait for another oppor\
tunity.
If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait your turn. But
take care that someone isn’t trying to pass you as you pull out to pass
the slow vehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder and check the
blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and start your \
left lane
change signal before moving out of the right lane
to pass. When you
are far enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal and move \
back into
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Your Driving and the Road
Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? (There’s more \
discussion of
Will you have to stop suddenly or change direction quickly? these subjects later.)
When you drive over obstacles
or rough terrain, keep a firm grip on the
steering wheel. Ruts, troughs, or other surface features can jerk the wheel
out of your hands
if you’re not prepared.
When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles, your whe\
els can leave
the ground.
If this happens, even with one or two wheels, you can’t contro\
l
the vehicle as well
or at all.
Because you will be on an unpaved surface, it’s especially \
important
to avoid
sudden acceleration, sudden turns,
or sudden braking.
In a way, off-road driving requires a different kind of alertness from driving on
paved roads and highways. There are no road signs, posted spee\
d limits
or
signal lights. You have to use your own good judgment about what is safe
and what isn’t.
* Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any road. And this is I
1 certainly true for off-road driving. At the very time you need special
alertness and driving skills, your reflexes, perceptions and jud\
gment
can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You could have
a serious-or even fatal-accident
if you drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking. (See “Drunken Driving”
in the
Index.)
Driving On Off-Road Hills
Off-road driving often takes you up, down, or across a hill. Driving safely on
hills requires good judgment and an understanding of what your vehicle can
and can’t do. There are some hills that simply can’t be \
driven, no matter how
well built the vehicle.
A, Many hills are simply too steep for any vehicle. If you drive up them,
- IOU will stall. If you drive down them, you can’t control your speed. If
you drive across them, you will roll over. You could be seriously
injured or killed.
If you have any doubt about the steepness, don’t
drive the hill.
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Your Driving and the Road
Tips on Driving in Fog
If you get caught in fog, turn your headlights on low beam, \
even in daytime.
You’ll see-and be seen-better. Use your fog lights
if your vehicle has them.
Don’t use your high beams. The light will bounce
off the water droplets that
make up fog and reflect back at you.
Use your defogger. In high humidity, even a light buildup of moisture on the
inside of the glass will cut down on your already limited visibility. Ru\
n your
windshield wiper and washer occasionally. Moisture can build up on the
outside glass, and what seems to be
fog may actually be moisture on the
outside of your windshield.
Treat dense fog as an emergency.
Try to find a place to pull off the road. Of
course you want to respect another’s property, but you might need to put
something between you and moving vehicles-space, trees, telephone\
poles,
a private driveway, anything that removes you from other traffic.
If visibility is near zero and you must stop but are unsure whether you are
away from the road, turn your lights on, start your hazard wa\
rning flasher,
and sound your horn at intervals or when you hear approaching \
traffic.
Pass other vehicles in fog only
if you can see far enough ahead to pass
safely. Even then, be prepared to delay your pass
if you suspect the fog is
worse up ahead. If other vehicles try to pass you, make it easy for them.
City Driving
AM460003
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the amount of traffic on them.
You’ll want to watch out for what the other drivers are doing, and keep clos\
e
track
of traffic signals.
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Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
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Know the best way to get to where you are going. Try not to drive
around trying to pick out a familiar street or landmark. Get a city map
and plan your trip into an unknown part of the city just as you would for
a cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most large cities. You’ll
save time and energy. (See the next section, “Freeway Drivi\
ng.”)
Treat a green light as a warning signal.
A traffic light is there because
the corner is busy enough to need it. When a light turns green, and just
before you start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection or may be running the red light.
Obey all posted speed limits. But remember that they are for ideal road,
weather and visibility conditions. You may need to drive below the
posted limit in bad weather or when visibility is especially poor.
Pull to the right (with care) and stop clear of intersections when you see
or hear emergency vehicles.
Freeway Driving
AM461004
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways, expressways,
turnpikes, or superhighways) are the safest of all roads. But \
they have their
own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep up with \
traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same
speed most of the other drivers are
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Your Driving and the Road
driving. Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the left
lane on a freeway as a passing lane.
Entering the Freeway
At the entrance there is usually a ramp that leads to the freewa\
y. If you have
a clear view of the freeway as you drive along the entrance ramp, you
should begin to check traffic.
Try to determine where you expect to blend
with the flow.
If traffic is light, you may have no problem. But if it is heavy,
find a gap as you move along the entering lane and time your approach. T\
ry
to merge into the gap at close to the prevailing speed. Switc\
h on your turn signal, check your rearview mirrors as you move along, and gla\
nce over your
shoulder as often as necessary.
Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Driving on the Freeway
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the posted \
limit or to the
prevailing rate if it’s slower. Stay in the right lane unle\
ss you want to pass.
If
you are on a two-lane freeway, treat the right lane as the slow lane and the
left lane as the passing lane. If you are on a three-lane fr\
eeway, treat the
right lane as the slower-speed through lane, the middle lane a\
s the
higher-speed through lane, and the left lane as the passing la\
ne.
Before changing lanes, check your rearview mirrors. Then use yo\
ur turn
signal. Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over
your shoulder to
make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your “blind” \
spot.
If you are moving from an outside to a center lane on a freeway having
more than two lanes, make sure another vehicle isn’t about \
to move into the
same spot. Look at the vehicles
two lanes over and watch for telltale signs:
turn signals flashing, an increase in speed, or moving toward \
the edge of the lane. Be prepared to delay your move.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you allow a \
reasonable
following distance. Expect to move slightly slower at night.
Leaving the Freeway
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper lane \
well in
advance. Dashing across lanes at the last minute is dangerous. \
If you miss
your exit do not, under any circumstances, stop and back up. \
Drive on to the next exit.
At each exit point is a deceleration lane. Ideally it should be long enough for
you to enter
it at freeway speed (after signaling, of course) and then do yo\
ur
braking before moving onto the exit ramp. Unfortunately, not all deceleration
lanes are long enough-some are too short for all the braking. \
Decide when
to start braking.
If you must brake on the through lane, and if there is traffic
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close behind you, you can allow a little extra time and flash\
your brake lights (in addition to your turn signal) as extra warning that you are about to slow
down and exit.
The exit ramp can be curvea, somerlmes quite sharply. The exit\
speed is
usually posted. Reduce your speed according to your speedometer,\
not to
your sense of motion. After driving for any distance at higher\
speeds, you
may tend to think you are going slower than you actually are.\
For example,
40 rnph (65 km/h) might seem like only 20 mph (30 km/h). Obviously, this
could lead to serious trouble
on a ramp designed for 20 mph (30 kmlh)!
Driving a Long Distance
Although most long trips today are made on freeways, there are\
still many
made on regular highways.
Long-distance driving on freeways and regular highways is the s\
ame in some
ways. The trip has to be planned and the vehicle prepared, you drive at\
higher-than-city speeds, and there are longer turns behind the \
wheel. You’ll
enjoy your trip more
if you and your vehicle are in good shape. Here are
some tips for a successful long trip.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you must start when you’re
not fresh-such as after a day’s work-don’t plan to make too many miles
that first part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and \
shoes you can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it serviced and maintained,
it’s ready to go.
If it needs service, have it done before starting out. Of
course, you’ll find experienced and able service experts in \
your vehicle’s
dealerships all across North America. They’ll be ready and willing to help \
if
you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are all windows clean
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked all levels?
Lights: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe, trouble-free trip. Is the tread
good enough for long distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure? inside and outside?
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