CADILLAC DEVILLE 1994 7.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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:
0 “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.
0 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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine - 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.
0 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.
0 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 your right outside mirror is
convex. The vehicle you just passed may seem to
be farther away from
you than it really is.)
0 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.
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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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
The three types of skids correspond to your Cadillac’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.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off the accelerator
pedal.
If you have the traction control system, remember: It helps avoid only the
acceleration skid.
If you do not have traction control, then an acceleration skid is also best
handled by easing your foot off the accelerator 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 when 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.
c-

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 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.
DRn/lNG ATNIGHT
ia
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.
0 Don’t drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlights
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and keep more
behind
you.
space
between you and other vehicles.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlights can light
up only
so much road ahead.
0 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 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine - DmNG IN THE RAlN
---- I
__ 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.
It’s wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape and keep your
windshield washer tank filled. Replace your windshield wiper inserts
when strips of rubber start to separate from the inserts.
_~_ when they show signs of streaking or missing areas on the windshield, or
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine p_ 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.
n
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 parking lights -- to
help make you more visible to others.
0 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.
0 Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See “Tires” in the Index.)
195

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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:
0 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 trip.
0 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine FREEWAYDRIVTNG
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.
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