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ACTIVE DRIVING
DRIVING DOWNHILL
Success in driving downhill depends on how familiar and skilled
you are with using your vehicle's brakes. Use care to balance
braking force and downhill speed so you don't lose control and flip
your vehicle over. Use this method for riding downhill.
1. Select a low gear; stay out of neutral.
2. Lightly apply the brakes and use very little throttle (accelerator
pedal).
SIDEHILLING / TRAVERSING HILLS
Sidehilling requires advanced off-road vehicle driving skills, as the
terrain can be difficult and unpredictable. Whether your skills are
advanced or not, try to avoid this kind of driving.
If you're in a situation where you absolutely have to drive sidehill
with your vehicle, use this driving method:
1. Keep your vehicle's speed low and consistent
2. Steer as if you are driving into the hill
3. If your vehicle feels like it may tip over, rotate the steering wheel
downhill. If that is not possible because of the terrain or other
conditions, or if it just does not work, stop and get off the vehicle.
Set the parking brake and exit your vehicle on the uphill side.
SWERVING
Swerving is an emergency maneuver required to avoid an ob-
stacle, but is similar in action to a turn. Swerving differs from a turn
as it involves slight acceleration during the turn.
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Use extreme caution accelerating as your swerve so you can
maintain better control of your vehicle. If you are in a situation
where you feel you must swerve your vehicle, use this driving
method:
1. Ease off the accelerator as you approach the obstacle
2. Rotate the steering wheel, and at the same time accelerate
once you reach the apex of your projected turn
3. Avoid using the brakes until the obstacle avoidance swerve is
complete and you have regained full control of your vehicle
CROSSING OBSTACLES
Crossing obstacles is dangerous, and even experienced off-road
vehicle operator should avoid this practice if possible. Riding over
logs, rocks, and ruts means you must combine all the active driving
skills into one big motion. Your Side-by-Side vehicle will respond
differently for different obstacles (logs, ruts, etc.), but these are
general guidelines for overcoming obstacles:
1. Keep the vehicle's speed very low - less than 5 MPH.
2. Approach the obstacle head-on.
3. Accelerate lightly when the front tires make contact with the
obstacle.
4. Release the accelerator when the front tires clear the obstacle.
5. Keep your body loose to absorb any shock from going over the
obstacle.
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