City Driving
I
Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
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Know the best way to get to where you are going.
Get a city map and
plan your trip into an unknown
part of the city just as
you would for a cross-country
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities. You’ll save time and energy. (See the
next part, “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 ruqping the red light.
trip.
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.
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Freeway 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. 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. Try to merge into the gap at close to
the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check
your mirrors and glance over your shoulder ‘as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
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.
Before changing lanes, check your 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.
Once you are moving
on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
1 ..
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. If you
miss your exit do not, under
any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to the
next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
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Foliawing Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden
turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer,
you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you
can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hoid the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the lek To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
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Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a
different turn signal flasher and extra wiring. The green
arrows on your instrument panel will flash whenever
you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other drivers
you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade.
If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
If you are towing a trailer and you have an automatic
transmission with Overdrive, you may prefer
to driving
in THIRD
(D) instead of OVERDRIVE (or, as you need
to, a lower gear). Or, if you have
a manual transmission
with FIFTH (or SIXTH) gear and you are towing a
trailer, it’s better not to use FIFTH (or
SIXTH) gear.
Just drive in FOURTH (drive in FIFTH if you have a
six-speed manual transmission) or, as you need to, a
lower gear.
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Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that
can occur on the road.
Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They also let police know you have
a problem. Your front and
rear turn signal lights will flash on and off.
Press the button in to make
your front and rear turn
signal lights flash
on and
off.
Your hazard warning flashers work no matter what
position your key
is in, and even if the key isn’t in.
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To turn off the flashers, pull
out on the collar.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn
signals won’t work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at
the side of the road about
300 feet (100 m) behind your
vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle
and some jumper cables to start your
Pontiac. But please follow the steps below to do it safely.
NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty.
Qying to start your Pontiac by pushing or
pulling it could damage your vehicle, even if you
have,a manual transmission. And if you have an
automatic transmission, it
won’t start that way.
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Replacement Bulbs
Ashtray* ............................. 194
Automatic Transmission Indicator
.......... 73
Backup .............................. 1156
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp
........... 92 1
161
Dome
................................. 906
Door Courtesy
.......................... 74
Fog
.................................. 885
Front Parking and Turn Signal
........... 3057
Headlamp .......................... H-6545
Cluster ...............................
Console .............................. 194
GloveBox ............................ 194
Heater and A/C Control ................... 37
Indicator Lights ....................... PC74
Interior Door Handle
..................... 74
License ............................... 144
Reading
............................ 212-2
Rear Courtesy
......................... 562
Sidemarker
............................ 194
Tailonly
............................. 194
TaiVStopEurn ........................ 2057
Turn Signal-hdicators ................... 161
Thd~ ................................ 562
*Manual transmission only .
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.
Second Gear (2) Position ...................... 2-25
Third Gear (3) Position
........................ 2-25 Shifting .................................... 2-23
Axle, Rear 6-29
....................................
...................................... Battery 6-40
Replacement. Remote Lock Control ............... 2-8
Warnings
................................ 5.2. 5.4
Low Maintenance ............................ 6-40
BBBAutoLine
................................. 8-3
Blizzard
...................................... 4-27
Boot Cover, Installing ........................... 2-82
Brake
............................................
Adjustment ................................. 6-39
Fluid, Adding
............................... 6-38
Master Cylinder
............................. 6-36
System Parts, Replacing ....................... 6-39
System Warning Light
........................ 2-69
Transmission Shift Interlock
.................... 2-36
System Warning Light
........................ 2-69
Brakes, Anti-Lock
............................... 4-6
Braking
........................................ 4-5
Braking, In Emergencies
......................... 4- 1 1
Break-In, New Vehicle
.......................... 2-14
Parking .................................... 2-32
PedalTravel
................................ 6-39
Trailer ..................................... 4-35
Wear ...................................... 6-38
Brakes, Trailer 4-35
.................................
Bulb Replacement .............................. 6-7 1
Center High Mounted Stop Lamp ................ 6-42
Front Turn Signal Lamps
...................... 6-43
Rear Sidemarker Lamps ....................... 6-45
Headlamps ................................. 6-40
RearLamps
................................. 6-44
Canadian Roadside Assistance .................... 8-7
Capacities and Specifications
...................... 6-72
Cassette Tape Errors .............................. 3-8
Cassette Tape Player
............................. 3-5
Cassette Tape Player Care
........................ 3-15
CDPlayer ..................................... 3-10
CD Player Anti-Theft Feature
..................... 3-12
Center Console
................................. 2-60
Certificatioflire Label .......................... 4-30
Chains, Safety
................................. 4-35
Changing a Flat Tire ............................. 5-30
Check Gauges Light
............................. 2-79
Checking Your Restraint Systems
.................. 1-40
Automatic Transmission ....................... 6-22
Brake Huid
................................. 6-37
Carbon Monoxide ......................... 4.28. 4.34
Cargocover
................................... 6-62
Center High Mounted Stop Lamp Bulb
Replacement ................................. 6-42
Chains, Tire ................................... 6-55
Checking
.............................. Engine Coolant 6-31
9-2
..... .......... . ..... - ... -8- L.
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