Off-Road Recovery - Pontiac 1994 Grand Am Owner's Manual

Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right
wheels have dropped'off the edge of a
road onto the shoulder while you're
driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightlJ
below the pavement, recovery should be
fairly easy. Ease off the accelerator and
then, if there is nothing in the way, steer
so that your vehicle straddles the edge of
the pavement. You can turn the steering
wheel up to 1/4 turn until the right front
tire contacts the pavement edge. Then
turn your steering wheel to go straight
down the roadway.
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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, dhen 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:
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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 time.
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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.
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
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