ESP CHEVROLET S10 1993 2.G User Guide

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine So here are some tips for passing:
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“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 t\
ime.
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 lin\
e on your side
of the lane or a double solid line, even
if the road seems empty of
approaching traffic.
If you suspect that the driver of the vehicle you want to pass isn’t aware
of your presence, tap the horn a couple of times before passing. \
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 droppin\
g 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 tu\
rn. But
take care that someone isn’t trying to pass you as you pul\
l out to pass
the slow vehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder and ch\
eck 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 further 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even tho\
ugh 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 driv\
er 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 whe\
n the three
control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t ha\
ve 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 conditi\
ons, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always possib\
le.
The three types
of skids correspond to your vehicle’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 and an acceleration skid are best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal. If your vehicle starts to slide (as when you turn
a corner on a wet, snow- or ice-covered road), ease your foo\
t
off the
accelerator pedal as soon as you feel the tires start to slide. Quickly steer
the way you want the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle will straighten out.
As it does, straighten the front wheels.
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 limit\
ed.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your bes\
t to avoid
sudden steering, acceleration, or braking (including engine brak\
ing by shifting
to a lower gear). Any sudden move 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
J I I
A Cargo on the load floor piled higher than the seatbacks can be
b thrown forward during a sudden stop. You or your passengers
..* could be injured. Keep cargo below the top of the seatbacks.
E==: ---I: Unsecured cargo on the load floor can be tossed about when :&&
@;!%:y:L - _. driving over rough terrain. You or your passengers can be struck
igFFSi e%x ..5=$i:< by flying objects. Secure the cargo properly.
i:...~~ r* ..&-
- .-<--x :2* .,.% ! .- a%%> &--. .
L?- .&1. .. ~ c. = ~-
9-2; .-.$y<- -- Heavy loads on the roof raise the vehicle’s center of gravity,
making it more likely to roll over. You can be seriously or fatally
injured
if the vehicle rolls over. Put heavy loads inside the cargo
area, not on the roof. Keep cargo in the cargo area as far
forward and low as possible.
You’ll find other important information in this manual. See “Vehicle Loading”
and “Tires” in the Index.
Traveling to Remote Areas
It makes sense to plan your trip, especially when going to a remote area.
Know the terrain and plan your route. You are much less likely to get bad
surprises. Get accurate maps of trails and terrain. Try to learn of any blocked
or closed roads.
It’s also a good idea to travel with at least one other v\
ehicle. If something
happens to one of them, the other can help quickly.
Does your vehicle have a winch? If
so, be sure to read the winch
instructions. In a remote area, a winch can be handy
if you get stuck. But
you’ll want to know how to use
it properly.
Getting Familiar with Off-Road Driving
It’s a good idea to practice in an area that’s safe and close to home before
you go into the wilderness. Off-road driving does require some \
new and
different driving skills. Here’s what we mean.
Tune your senses to different kinds of signals. Your eyes, for example, need
to constantly sweep the terrain for unexpected obstacles. Your ears need to
listen for unusual tire or engine sounds. With your arms, hand\
s, feet, and
body you’ll need to respond
to vibrations and vehicle bounce.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Controlling your vehicle is the key to successful off-road driving. One of the
best ways to control your vehicle is to control your speed. Here are some
things to keep in mind. At higher speeds:
you approach things faster and you have less time to scan the terrain
for obstacles.
you have less time to react.
you have more vehicle bounce when you drive over obstacles.
you’ll need more distance for braking, especially since you’\
re on an
unpaved surface.
I CAUTION
A When you’re driving off road, bouncing and quick changes in direc-
1 tion can easily throw you out of position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. So, whether you’re driving on or off the road,
you and your passengers should wear safety belts.
Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over many different kinds of terrain. You need
to be familiar with the terrain and its many different features. \
Here are some
things
to consider.
Surface Conditions
Off-roading can take you over hard-packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand,
mud, snow or ice. Each of these surfaces affects the steering, acceleration,
and braking of your truck in different ways. Depending upon the kind of
surface you are on, you may experience slipping, sliding, wheel spinning,
delayed acceleration, poor traction, and longer braking distances\
.
Surface Obstacles
Unseen or hidden obstacles can be hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut, or
bump can startle you
if you’re not prepared for them. Often these obstacles
are hidden by grass, bushes, snow or even the rise and fall of the terrain
itself. Here are some things to consider:
Is the path ahead clear?
Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead?
Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? (There’s more discussion of
Will you have to stop suddenly or change direction quickly?
these subjects
later.)
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
When you drive over obstacles or rough terrain, keep a firm g\
rip on the
steering wheel. Ruts, troughs, or other surface features can je\
rk the wheel
out
of your hands if you’re not prepared.
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 contro\
l
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.
A
Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any road. And t\
his is
certainly true for off-road driving.
At the very time you need special
alertness and driving skills, your reflexes, perceptions and jud\
gment
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.)
I
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.
r
A
Many hills are simply too steep for any vehicle. If you drive\
up them,
you will stall.
If you drive down them, you can’t control your speed. If
you drive across them, you will roll over. You could be serio\
usly
injured
or killed. If you have any doubt about the steepness, don’t
drive the hill.
I
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, co\
nstant incline
4-26

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and keep
more space between you and other vehicles. It’s hard to tell how fast
the vehicle ahead is going just by looking at its taillights.
@ Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlights 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.
Night Wsion
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 inv\
isible that should remain visible-such as parked cars, obstacles, pedestrians, or even trains
blocking railway crossings. You may want
to put on your sunglasses after you
have pulled into a brightly-lighted service or refreshment area. Eyes shielded
from that glare may adjust more quickly to darkness back on the road. But
be sure
to remove your sunglasses before you leave the service area.
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 li\
ttle. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching lights.
If there is a line of opposing
traffic, make occasional glances over the line of headlights to make certain
that one of the vehicles isn’t starting to move into your lane. Once you are
past the bright lights, give your eyes time to readjust before\
resuming speed.
High Beams
If the vehicle approaching you has its high beams on, signal by flicking yours
to high and then back to low beam. This is the usual signal to lower the
headlight beams.
If the other driver still doesn’t lower the beams, resist the
temptation to put your high beams on. This only makes
two half-blinded
drivers.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving in &ye Rain
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AM455004
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road y\
ou 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. Road spray can often be worse for vision than rain,
especially
if it comes from a dirty road.
So it is wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape and keep your
windshield washer tank filled. Replace your windshield wiper ins\
erts when they show signs of streaking or missing areas on the windshield, or when strips of
rubber start to separate from the inserts.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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, and be careful.
?>me Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your headlights-not just your parking lights-to help ma\
ke you
Look for hard-to-see vehicles coming from behind. You may want to use
more visible to others.
your headlights even in daytime
if it’s raining hard.
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.
If the road spray is so heavy you are actually blinded, drop back.
Don’t
pass until conditions improve. Going more slowly is better than
having an accident.
Use your defogger if it helps.
0 Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See “Tires” in the Index.)
Driving in Fog, Mist and Haze
Fog can occur with high humidity or heavy frost. It can be so mild that you
can see through it for several hundred feet (meters). Or it might be
so thick
that you can see only a few feet (meters) ahead.
It may come suddenly to
an otherwise clear road. And it can be a major hazard.
When you drive into a fog patch, your visibility will be redu\
ced quickly. The biggest dangers are striking the vehicle ahead or being struck \
by the one
behind. Try to “read” the fog density down the road.
If the vehicle ahead
starts
to become less clear or, at night, if the taillights are harder to see, the
fog is probably thickening. Slow down
to give traffic behind you a chance to
slow down. Everybody then has a better chance to avoid hitting\
the vehicle
ahead.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I. Your Driving and the Road
I-
AM459005
A patch of dense fog may extend only for a few feet (meters) or fo\
r miles
(kilometers); you can't really tell while you're in it. You can only treat the
situation with extreme care.
One common fog condition-sometimes called mist or ground fog-can
happen in weather that seems perfect, especially at night or in the early
morning in valley and low, marshy areas. You can be suddenly enveloped in
thick, wet haze that may even coat your windshield. You can o\
ften spot these
fog patches or mist layers with your headlights. But sometimes \
they can be
waiting for you as you come over a hill or dip into a shallow valley. Start
your windshield wipers and washer, to help clear accumulated ro\
ad dirt. Slow down carefully.
Tips on Driving in Fog
If you get caught in fog, turn your headlights on low beam, even in daytime.
You'll see-and be seen-better. Use your fog lights
if your vehicle has them.
Don't use your high beams. The light will bounce
off the water droplets that
make up fog and reflect back at you.
Use your defogger. In high humidity, even a light buildup of moisture on the
inside of the glass will cut down on your already limited visibility. Ru\
n your
windshield wipers and washer occasionally. Moisture can build up\
on the
outside glass, and what seems to be fog may actually be moisture on the
outside of your windshield.
..
_. , .
I t
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Treat dense fog as an emergency. Try to find a place to pull\
off the road. Of course you want
to respect another’s property, but you might need to put
something between you and moving vehicles-space, trees, telephone\
poles,
a private driveway, anything that removes you from other traffi\
c.
If visibility is near zero and you must stop but are unsure whether you are
away from the road, turn your lights on, start your hazard wa\
rning flasher, and sound your horn at intervals
or when you hear approaching traffic.
Pass other vehicles in fog only
if you can see far enough ahead to pass
safely. Even then, be prepared to delay your pass
if you suspect the fog is
worse up ahead.
If other vehicles try to pass you, make it easy for them.
City Driving
AN460003
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:
Know the best way to get to where you are going. Try not to drive
around trying
to pick out a familiar street or landmark. Get a city map
and plan your trip into an unknown part of the city just as you would for
a cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most large cities.\
You’ll
save time and energy. (See the next section, “Freeway Drivi\
ng.”)
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