Your Driving and the Road
140
Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the
daytime. But as we get older these
differences increase.
A 50-year-old
driver may require at least twice as
much light to see the same thing at
night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also
affect your night vision. For example, if
you spend the day in bright sunshine
you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your
eyes will have less trouble adjusting to
night.
But if you’re driving, don’t wear
sunglasses at night. They may cut down
on glare from headlights, but they
also
make a lot of things invisible that
should remain visible-such as parked
cars, obstacles, pedestrians, or even
trains blocking railway crossings. You
may want to put
on your sunglasses
after you have pulled into a brightly- lighted service
or refreshment area.
Eyes shielded
from that glare may
adjust more quickly to darkness back
on the road. But be sure to remove your
sunglasses before you leave the service
area.
You
can be temporarily blinded by
approaching lights. It
can take a second
or two, or even several seconds, for
your eyes to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from
a driver who doesn’t lower the high
beams, or a vehicle with misaimed
headlights), slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching
lights. If there is a line of opposing
traffic, make occasional glances over the
line of headlights
to make certain that
one of the vehicles isn’t starting to
move into your lane. Once you are past
the bright lights, give your eyes time to
readjust before resuming speed.
High Beams
If the vehicle approaching you has its
high beams
on, signal by flicking yours
to high and then back to low beam. This
is the usual signal to lower the
headlight beams. If the other driver still
doesn’t lower the beams, resist the
temptation to put your high beams
on.
This only makes two half-blinded
drivers.
On a freeway, use your high beams only
in remote areas where you won’t impair
approaching drivers. In some places,
like cities, using high beams is illegal.
When you follow another vehicle on a
freeway or highway, use low beams.
True, most vehicles now have day-night
mirrors that enable the driver to reduce
glare. But outside mirrors are not of this
type and high beams from behind can
bother the driver ahead.
Probkms on the Road
Jump Starting (CONT.)
190
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the
jumper cables can reach, but be sure
the vehicles aren’t touching each
other. If they are,
it could cause a
ground connection you don’t want.
You wouldn’t be able to start
your
Oldsmobile, and the bad grounding
could damage the electrical systems.
You could be injured
if the
vehicles roll. Set the parking
brake firmly on each vehicle. Put
an
automatic transaxle in P (Park) or
a manual transaxle in
N (Neutral).
3. Turn off the ignition on both
vehicles. Turn
off all lights that aren’t
needed, and radios. This will avoid
sparks and help save both batteries.
And it could save your radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the
batteries.
I
~~~~
I 2 /i An even electric when the f- engine is not
I running and can injure you. Keep
hands, clothing and tools away
I from any underhood electric fan.
Find the positive
(+) and negative (-)
terminals on each battery. Your
Oldsmobile has a remote positive
(+)
jump starting terrninal. The terminal is
on the same side
of the engine
compartment as your battery.
You should always use the remote
positive
(+) terminal instead of the
positive
(+) terminal on your battery.
To uncover the remote positive
(+)
terminal, lift the red plastic cap.
Problems on the Road
192
Jump Starting (CONT.)
7. Don’t let the other end touch metal.
Connect it to the positive
(+)
terminal of the good battery.
Use a remote positive
(+) terminal if
the vehicle has one.
8. Now connect the black negative
(-) cable to the good battery’s
negative
(-) terminal.
Don’t let the other end touch anything
until the next step. The other end of the
negative cable
doesn’t go to the dead
battery. It goes to a heavy unpainted
metal part on the engine
of the vehicle
with the dead battery.
9. Attach the cable at least 18 inches
(45 cm) away from the dead battery,
but not near engine parts that move.
The electrical connection is just as
good there, but the chance
of sparks
getting back to the battery is much
less.
IO. Now start the vehicle with the good
battery and run the engine for a
while.
11. Try to start the vehicle with the
dead battery.
If it won’t start after a few tries, it
probably needs service.
12. Remove the cables in reverse order
to prevent electrical shorting. Take
care that they don’t touch each
other or
any metal.
