1993 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE Owners Manual

Your Driving and the Road
I
Driving in the Rain
Rain and wet roads can mean driving
trouble. On a wet road you can’t stop,
accelerate or turn as well because your
tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as on
dry roads. And,
if your tires don’t have
much tread
left, you’ll get even less
traction.
It’s always wise to go slower and be
cautious
if rain starts to fall while you
are driving. The surface may get wet
suddenly when your reflexes are tuned
for driving on dry pavement.
The heavier the rain, the harder
it is to
see. Even
if your windshield wiper
blades are
in good shape, a heavy rain
can make
it harder to see road signs and
traffic signals, pavement markings, the
edge of the road, and even people
168
walking. Road spray can often be worse
for vision than rain, especially
if it
comes from a dirty road.
So it is wise to keep your wiping
equipment
in good shape and keep your
windshield washer
tank filled. Replace
your windshield wiper inserts when they
show signs of streaking or missing areas
on the windshield, or when strips of
rubber start
to separate from the inserts. Driving too fast through large water
puddles
or even going through some car
washes can cause problems, too. The
water may affect your brakes. Try to
avoid puddles.
But if you can’t, try to
slow down before you hit them.
I
u I I(
Wet brakes can cause
l accidents. They won’t work
w in a quick stop and may cause
pulling to one side. You could lose
control
of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle
of water or a car wash,
apply your brake pedal lightly
until
your brakes work normally.
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Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your headlights-not just your
parking lights-to help make you more
visible to others.
Look for hard-to-see vehicles coming
from behind. You may want to use
your headlights even in daytime if it’s
raining hard.
Besides slowing down, allow some
extra following distance. And be
especially careful when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more
clear room ahead, and be prepared to
have your view restricted by road
spray.
If the road spray is so heavy you
are actually blinded, drop back. Don’t
pass until conditions improve. Going
more slowly is better than having an
accident.
Use your defogger if it helps.
Have good tires with proper tread
depth. (See the
Index under Tires.)
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much
water can build up under your tires that
they can actually ride on the water. This
can happen if the road is wet enough
and you’re going fast enough. When
your vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little
or no contact with the road.
You might not be aware
of hydroplaning.
You could drive along for some time
without realizing your tires aren’t in
constant contact with the road. You
could find out the hard way:
when you
have to slow, turn, move out to pass-or
if you get hit by a gust
of wind. You could
suddenly find yourself out of control. Hydroplaning doesn’t happen
often. But
it can if your tires haven’t much tread
or
if the pressure in one or more is low. It
can happen if a lot
of water is standing
on the road.
If you can see reflections
from trees, telephone poles, or other
vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the
water’s surface, there could be
hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher
speeds. There just isn’t a hard and fast
rule about hydroplaning. The best
advice is to slow down when it
is
raining, and be careful.
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Your Driving and the Road
Driving in Fog, Mist and Haze
Fog can occur with high humidity or
heavy frost. It can be
so mild that you
can see through it for several hundred
feet (meters). Or it might be
so thick
that you can see only a
few feet (meters)
ahead. It may come suddenly to an
otherwise clear road. And
it can be a
major hazard.
When you drive into a fog patch, your
visibility will be reduced quickly. The
biggest dangers are striking the vehicle
ahead or being struck by the one
behind. Try to “read” the fog density
down the road. If the vehicle ahead
starts to become less clear or, at night, if
the taillights are harder to see, the fog is
probably thickening. Slow down to give
traffic behind you a chance to slow
down.
170 mm.
Everybody then has a better chance to
avoid hitting the vehicle ahead.
A patch of dense fog may extend only
for a few feet (meters) or for miles
(kilometers); you can’t really tell while
you’re
in it. You can only treat the
situation
with extreme care.
One common fog condition-sometimes
called mist or ground fog-can happen
in weather that seems perfect, especially
at night or in the early morning
in valley
and low, marshy areas. You can be
suddenly enveloped
in thick, wet haze
that may even coat your windshield. You
can often spot these fog patches or mist
layers with your headlights. But sometimes they can be waiting for you
as you come over a
hill or dip into a
shallow valley.
Start your windshield
wipers and washer to help clear
accumulated road dirt. Slow down
carefully.
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.
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. Run your
windshield wipers 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
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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 warning flashers, 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
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
pay attention
to traffic signals.
Here are ways
to increase your safety in
city driving:
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 Driving.)
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.
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.
clear of intersections when you see or
hear emergency vehicles.
Obey all posted speed limits. But
Pull to the right (with care) and stop
171
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Your Driving and the Road
Fmeway Driving
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 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 freeway.
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. Try to merge into
the gap at close to the prevailing speed.
Switch
on your turn signal, check your
rearview mirrors as you move along,
and glance 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 unless 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 freeway, treat
the right lane as the slower-speed
through lane, the middle lane as the higher-speed through lane, and the left lane as the passing lane.
Before changing lanes, check your
rearview
mirrors. Then use your 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.
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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 your
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
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 curved, sometimes
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 mph (65 km/h)
might seem like only
20 mph (32 Wh).
Obviously, this could lead to serious
trouble on a ramp designed for
20 mph
(32 km/h)!
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Your Driving and the Road
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 same 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.
174
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well Here are some things you can check
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 Pontiac dealerships all across
North America. They’ll be ready and
willing to help if you need it. before
a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the
reservoir full? Are all windows clean
inside and outside?
shape?
Have you checked all levels?
lenses clean?
safe, trouble-free trip.
Is the tread
good enough for long-distance
driving? Are the tires all inflated to
the recommended pressure?
weather outlook along your route?
Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:
Lights: Are they all working? Are the
Tires: They are vitally important to a
Weather Forecasts: What’s the
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3n the Road
Mess you are the only driver, it is
;ood to share the driving task with
Ithers. Limit turns behind the wheel to
ibout 100 miles
(160 km) or two hours
it a sitting. Then, either change drivers
x stop for some refreshment like coffee,
:ea or
soft drinks and some limbering
lp. But do stop and move around. Eat
lightly along the way. Heavier meals
:end to make some people sleepy.
3n two-lane highways or undivided
multilane highways that do not have
;ontrolled access, you’ll want to watch for some situations not usually found on
freeways. Examples are: stop signs and
signals, shopping centers with direct
access to the highway, no passing zones
and school zones, vehicles turning left
and right off the road, pedestrians,
cyclists, parked vehicles, and even
animals.
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as
“highway hypnosis”? Or is it just plain
falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack
of awareness, o
whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch
of road with the same scenery, along
with the hum of the tires on the road,
the drone of the engine, and the rush of
the wind against the vehicle that can
make you sleepy. Don’t
let it happen to
you! If it does, your vehicle can leave
the road in
less than a second, and you
could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway
hypnosis? First, be aware that it can
happen.
Then here are some tips:
Mike sure your vehicle is well
ventilated, with a comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road
ahead and to the sides. Check your
rearview mirrors frequently and your
instruments from time to time. This
can help you avoid a fixed stare.
Wear good sunglasses in bright light.
Glare can cause drowsiness. But don’t
wear sunglasses at night. They will
drastically reduce your overall vision
at the very time you need all the
seeing power
you have.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into
a rest, service, or parking area and
take a nap, get some exercise, or both.
For safety, treat drowsiness on the
highway as an emergency.
As in any driving situation, keep pace
with traffic and allow adequate
following distances.
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