Page 92 of 340
Rearview Mirror Reading Lamps DomeLamp ' '
These lamps go, on when you open the doors. When the
doors are closed,
turn the lamps on and off with the
switches.
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Rear Reading Lamps Mirrors
Adjust all the mirrors so you can. see clearly when you
are sitting in a comfortable driving position.
Inside Daymight Rearview Mirror
These lamps are ne,a each passenger door. They will go
on when you open the doors. When the doors are closed,
push the button to turn the lamp on and
off.
To reduce glare from lamps behind you, move the lever
to the night position.
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1 Manual Outside ,Mirrors
Adjust the right mirror by hand. To adjust the left
mirror, move the
knob in the direction you want to move
the mirror.
Power Outside Mirrors (Option)
The electric mirror control
is on the driver's doqr. Turn
the control
to the left to.
adjust the left
mirror or to
the'right to adjust the right
mirror. Then move the control in the dnection you
.want
to move the-mirror. ;
After you adjust the pirrors, turn the control to the
center position .to turn it
off.
Convex 0utside.Mirror
'Your passenger's side .mirror is convex.
A convex mirror's surface is curved so you can see more
from the driver's seat.
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Page 97 of 340
. ...
Accessory Outlet
II If your vehicle has a center console, you have a 12-volt
outlet. It is .on the passenger side, near the floor. Open
the cover to use the outlet.
Sun Visors
To block out glare, you can swing down the visors. You
can
also move them from side to side.
Visor Vanity Mirrors
NOTICE:
Adding some electrical'! equipment to your vehicle
can damage it
or keep other things from working
as they should. This wouliin't be covered by your
warranty. Check with your retailer before adding
electrical equipment and never use anything
requiring more than
20 amps.
Open the cover to expose the vanity mirror. If your
vehicle has the optional lighted vanity mirrors, the
lamps come on when you open the cover.
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Page 150 of 340

0
0
.. ..
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoklder, 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
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 tihe 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 tu turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
cmease 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 es-c-gpe route or area
.~f 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
possibk.
The three types of skids correspondjo your
Oldsmobile’s three control systems. In the braking skid
your wheels aren’t rolling.
In the steering or cornering
skid, too much speed or steering in
a curve causes tires
to slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration
skid too much throttle causes the driving wheels to,spin.
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Page 151 of 340

A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot
off the acce1,erator pedal.
If your. vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the ’’
accelerator pedal and’ quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,.your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if
it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced vvhen water, snow, ice,
gravel,
or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will ,be longer and
vehicle‘ control more limited.
While driving-on
a surface with reduced traction, try .
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may
pot 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 brake system
(ABS) helps
avoid,only the braking skid.
Driving at Night
I ~
Night driving is rnore’dangerous than day driying. 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.
0 Drive defensively. -
’ Don’t drink and drive.
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Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
. glare from headlamps behind you.
,e 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
beadlpps 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
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.
Bat 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. rest.
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. Glee 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, ips 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
3- the inability to see in dim light -- and aren’t
even aware of it.
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Driving with a Trailer Following Distance
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount
of experience. Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle .ahead as- you - .
Before setting out for the open road, you'll want to get would when driving your veh\
icle without a trailer. This$,
to know your rig. AcquQint yourself with the feel of can help you avoid situations that require heavy br-it
and sudden turns.
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that ,the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer
and not nearly as . Passing
responsive as your vehicle is by itself. You'll need more passing distance up ahead when
Before you start, check the.trailer hitch and platform you're' towing a trailer. And, because you're a good deal
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector, longer, \
you'll need to go much farther beyond the
lights, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has passed vehicle before you can return to your \
lane.
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
the brakes are working. This lets you check ,your Hold the bottom
of the steering wheel with one hand.
electrical connection at the same time. Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move that hand
During your
trip, check occasionally to' be sure that the to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
load is secure, and that the lights and any trailer brakes hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
are still working. possible. have someone guide you.
.. . ~.
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure Backing Up
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