Lancia Lybra Owner's Handbook Manual page 168

DRIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS
– When driving downhill use the en-
gine braking effect by engaging a low
gear so as not to overheat the brakes.
– Under no circumstances should
you drive downhill with the engine off
or with the gear in neutral, let alone
with the ignition key out.
– Drive at a moderate speed without
cutting corners.
– Remember that overtaking while
going uphill is slower and therefore
requires more free road. If you are be-
ing overtaken while driving uphill,
make it easier for the other vehicle to
pass.
DRIVING ON SNOW AND ICE
Here are some tips for driving in
these conditions:
– Keep your speed down.
– Use chains if the roads are covered
in snow, see "Snow chains" in this
chapter.
– Prevalently use the engine brake
and avoid sudden braking.
– When braking in a car not fitted
with ABS, reduce the possibility of the
wheels locking by varying the pres-
sure you exert on the brake pedal.
– Do not accelerate suddenly and
avoid swerving.
– In the winter, even apparently dry
roads may have icy patches. Be care-
ful therefore when driving over
stretches that do not get much expo-
sure to the sun or are lined with trees
or rocks where ice might not have
melted.
– Keep a good distance from the ve-
hicles in front.
DRIVING WITH ABS
The ABS is a braking system that es-
sentially offers two advantages:
1) It prevents wheel lock and conse-
quent skidding in emergency stops,
particularly when the road does not
offer much grip.
2) It makes it possible to brake and
steer at the same time so you can
avoid unexpected obstacles and direct
the car where you want while brak-
ing.
To get the most out of ABS:
– During emergency stops or when
grip conditions are poor, you will feel
a slight pulsation on the brake pedal.
This is the sign that the ABS is work-
ing. Do not release the brake pedal
but continue to press so as not to in-
terrupt the braking action.
– The ABS prevents the wheels from
locking, but it does not increase ac-
tual grip conditions between tyre and
road. Therefore, even if your car is fit-
ted with ABS, keep a safe distance
from the car in front of you and keep
your speed down when driving into
bends.
– ABS serves to increase your con-
trol over the car, not to enable you to
go faster.
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