Getting Familiar With Off-Road Driving; Driving Off-Road - Cadillac Escalade ESV Owner's Manual

$10araEscalade.fm Page 274 Wednesday, October 14, 2009 9:52 AM
Starting and Operating Instructions
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 unex-
pected obstacles. Your ears
need to listen for unusual tire
or engine sounds. With your
arms, hands, feet and body,
you'll need to respond to
vibrations and vehicle bounce.
. . . 274

Driving Off-Road

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.
CAUTION
When you're driving off-road,
bouncing and quick changes in
direction 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.
When you drive over obstacles or
rough terrain, keep a firm grip on
the steering wheel. Ruts, troughs
or other surface features can jerk
the wheel out of your hands if
you're not prepared.