1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme tires

Sometimes, as when you’re driving on
snow or.ice, it’s easy to ask more of
those ecmtrol systems than the tires and
ro:ad can Wovidg. That means you can
lose control of your vehicle.
I Braking
Br&ng:action involves perception
time
and .reaction time.
First, you have to dedde~ to push on the

Your Driving and the Road
Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when
you need to. With anti-lock, you can
steer and brake at the same time. In
many emergencies, steering can help
you more than even the very best
braking.
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You can steer around the obstacle while
braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps
receiving updates on wheel speed and
controls braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change
the time you need to get your foot up to
the brake pedal.
If you get too close to
the vehicle in front of you, you won’t
have time to apply your brakes
if that
vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to stop,
even though you have anti-lock brakes.
To Use Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the
brake pedal down and let anti-lock
work for you.
You may feel the system
working, or you may notice some noise,
but this
is normal.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist
because the engine stops or the system
is not functioning, you can steer but it
will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a
reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control”
accidents mentioned on the news
happen on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each
of
us is subject to the same laws of physics
when driving on curves. The traction of
the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its
path when you turn the front wheels. If
there’s
no traction, inertia will keep the
vehicle going in the same direction. If
you’ve ever tried to steer a vehicle on
wet ice, you’ll understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve
depends on the condition of your tires
and the road surface, the angle at which
the curve is banked, and your speed.
While you’re in a curve, speed is the one
factor you can control.
Suppose you’re steering through a
sharp curve. Then you suddenly
accelerate. Both control systems
-
steering and acceleration - have to do
their work where the tires meet the
road. Adding the sudden acceleration
can demand too much of those places.
You can lose control.
What should you do
if this ever
happens? Ease
up on the accelerator
pedal, steer the vehicle the way you
want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that
you should adjust your speed. Of
course, the posted speeds are based on
good weather and road conditions.

Your Driving and the Road
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steering, acceleration, or braking
(including engine bralting by shifting to
a lower gear). Any sudden changes
could cause the tires to slide. You may
not realize the surface is slippery until
your vehicle is skidding. Learn to
recognize warning clues
- such as
enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make a “mirrored surface”
- and slow down when you have any
doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock braking system (ABS) helps avoid only the
braking skid.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than
day driving. One reason is that some
drivers are likely to be impaired
- by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to
reduce the glare from headlights
behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may
need to slow down and keep more
space between you and other vehicles.
speed roads. Your headlights can light
Slow down, especially on higher up
only
so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a
safe place and rest.
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.
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
i

headlights), slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching
lights.
Keep your windshield and all the glass
on your vehicle clean
- inside and out.
Glare at night is made much worse by
dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the
glass can build up a film caused by dust.
Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and
flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils-
of your eyes contract
repeatedly.
Remember that your headlights light
up
far less of a roadway when you are in a
turn
or curve. Keep your eyes moving;
that way, it’s easier to pick
out dimly
lighted objects.
Just as your headlights
should be checked regularly for proper
aim,
so should your eyes be examined
regularly. Some drivers suffer from
night blindness -the inability to see
in
dim light - and aren’t even aware of it. It’s 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 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
walking.
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I Your Driving and the Road
136
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.
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.
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.
Some .Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your low-beam headlights -
not just your parlcing lights - to help
make you more visible to others.
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.
Have good tires with proper tread
depth. (See
Tires in the Index.)

Your Driving and the Road
The exit sp leed is usu.alll J 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.
4 Before Leaving on a Long
Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well
rested.
If you must start when you’re
not
fr&- 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 Oldsmobile 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:
a
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the
reservoir full? Are all windows clean
inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have
Lights: Are they all working? Are the
shape?
you checked all levels?
lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally impartant to a
safe, trouble-free trip.
Is the tread
good enough far 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?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the
I 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, or
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:
Make 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 and your
instruments frequently.
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.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is
different from driving in flat or rolling
terrain.
If you drive regularly in steep country,
or
if you’re planning to visit there, here
are some tips that can make your trips
safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape.
Check all fluid levels and also the
brakes, tires, cooling system and
transaxle. These parts can work hard
on mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most
important thing to lmow is this: let
your engine do some
of the slowing
down. Shift to
a lower gear when you
go down a steep or long hill.
Ihow how to go uphill. You may
want to shift down to a lower gear.
The lower gears kelp cool
your engine
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Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the- time, those places where
your tires meet the road probably have
good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice
between your tires and the road, you
can have a very slippery situation.
You’ll have a lot less traction or “grip”
and will need to be very careful.
What’s the worst time for this? “Wet
ice.” Very cold snow or ice can be slick
and hard to drive on. But wet ice can be
even more trouble because it may offer
the least traction
of all. You can get
“wet ice” when it’s about freezing
(32°F; O’C) and freezing rain begins to fall. Try
to avoid driving
on wet ice until
salt and sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition
- smooth ice,
packed, blowing or loose snow
- drive
with caution. Accelerate gently. Try not
to break the fragile traction. If you
accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will
spin and polish the surface under the
tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your
ability to make a hard stop on a slippery
road. Even though you have the anti-
lock braking system, you’ll want to
begin stopping sooner than you would
on dry pavement. See
Anti-Lock Brakes
in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road
might be fine until you hit a spot
that’s covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may
appear in shaded areas where the sun
can’t reach: around clumps
of trees,
behind buildings, or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of
a curve or an
overpass may remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear.
If you see
a patch
of ice ahead of you, brake
before you are
on it. Try not to brake
while you’re actually on the ice, and
avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
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