1995 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN light

Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right wheels have dropped off the edge of
a road onto the shoulder while you’re driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the pavement, recovery
should be fairly easy. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in
the way, steer
so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You
can turn the steering wheel up to 1/4 turn until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge.
Then turn your steering wheel to go straight down the
roadway.
I I. Edge of Road
Surface
2. Slow Down
3. Left Approx.
Quarter Turn
4. Recover
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a two-lane highway waits
for just the right moment, accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then
goes back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle
on a two-lane highway is a
potentially dangerous move, since the passing vehicle occupies the 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:
“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 time.
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.
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Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass while you’re
awaiting an opportunity. For
one thing, following too closely reduces
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 dropping 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 opportunity.
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 the
right lane. (Remember that if your right outside mirror is convex, the
vehicle
you just passed may seem to be farther away from you than it
really is.)
Try not to pass more
than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads.
Reconsider before passing
the next vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle
too rapidly. Even though the
brake lights are not flashing, it may be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the following driver to get
ahead of
you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right.
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens when the three
control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t have enough
friction where
the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying
to steer and constantly seek an
escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable care suited
to existing conditions, and by
not “overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always possible.
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When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles, your wheels can
leave the ground.
If this happens, even with one or two wheels, you can’t
control 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 speed 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
certainly
true for off-road driving. At the very time you need special
alertness and driving skills, your reflexes, perceptions and judgment 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.
Approaching a Hill
When you approach a hill, you need to decide if it’s one of those hills that’s
just too steep to climb, descend, or cross. Steepness can be hard to judge.
On a very small hill, for example, there may be a smooth, constant incline
with only
a small change in elevation where you can easily see all the way
to the top. On a large hill, the incline may get steeper as you near the top,
but you may not see this because the crest of the hill is hidden by bushes,
grass, or shrubs.
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Here are some other things to consider as you approach a hill.
Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get sharply steeper in places?
0 Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the surface cause tire
slipping?
Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you won’t have to make
turning maneuvers?
trees, logs or ruts)?
Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your path (boulders,
What’s beyond the hill? Is there a cliff, an embankment, a drop-off, a
fence? Get out and walk the hill if you don’t know. It’s the smart way
to find out.
Is the hill simply too rough? Steep hills often have ruts, gullies, troughs
and exposed rocks because they are more susceptible to the effects
of
erosion.
Driving Uphi//
Once you decide you can safely drive up the hill, you need to take some
special steps.
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0 Use a low gear and get a firm grip on the steering wheel.
Get a smooth start up the hill and try
to maintain your speed. Don’t use
more power than you need, because you don’t want your wheels to start
spinning
or sliding.
Try to drive straight up the hill if at
all possible. If the path twists and
turns,
you might want to find another route.
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Ease up on your speed as you approach the top of the hill.
Attach a flag to the vehicle to make
you more visible to approaching
traffic
on trails or hills.
Sound the horn as
you approach the top of the hill to let opposing
traffic know you’re there.
Use your headlights even during the day. They make you more visible
to oncoming traffic.
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Driving In Mud, Sand, Snow, Or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow or sand, your wheels won’t get good traction.
You can’t accelerate as quickly, turning is more difficult, and you’ll need
longer braking distances.
It’s best to
use a low gear when you’re in mud - the deeper the mud, the
lower the gear.
In really deep mud, the idea is to keep your vehicle moving
so you don’t get stuck.
When you drive on sand, you’ll sense a change in wheel traction. But it will
depend upon how loosely packed the sand is. On loosely packed sand (as on
beaches or sand dunes) your tires will tend to sink into the sand.
This has an
effect on steering, accelerating, and braking.
You may want to reduce the air
pressure in your tires slightly when driving
on sand. This will improve
traction.
Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction. On these surfaces,
it’s very easy to lose control. On wet ice, for example, the traction is
so poor
that you will have difficulty accelerating. And if you do get moving, poor
steering and difficult braking can cause
you to slide out of control.
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Driving ln Water
Light rain causes no special off-road driving problems. But heavy rain can
mean flash flooding, and flood waters demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water
is before you drive through it. If it’s deep
enough to cover your wheel hubs, axles,
or exhaust pipe, don’t try it - you
probably won’t get through. Also, water that deep can damage your axle and
other vehicle parts.
If the water isn’t
too deep, then drive through it slowly. At fast speeds, water
splashes
on your ignition system and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also
occur
if you get your tailpipe under water. And, as long as your tailpipe is
under water, you’ll never be able
to start your engine. When you go through
water, remember that when your brakes get wet, it may take you longer to
stop.
If
you have a diesel engine, see “Driving Through Water (Diesel Engines)”
in the Index for more information on driving through water.
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After Off-Road Driving
Remove any biush or debris that has collected on the underbody, chassis or
under the hood. These accumulations
can be a fire hazard.
After operation
in mud or sand, have the brake linings cleaned and checked.
These substances
can cause glazing and uneven braking. Check the body
structure, steering, suspension, wheels, tires, and
exhaust system for
damage. Also, check the fuel lines and cooling system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due to off-road use. Refer
to the Maintenance Schedule
for additional information.
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.
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Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlamps
behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and
keep more
space between you and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlamps can light
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.
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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
headlamps, 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 headlamps), 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 headlamps 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 headlamps 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.
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
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