1993 Cadillac Eldorado Owner's Manual - Page 200

PASSING The driver of a vehicle about topass another ona two-lane highway waits for just the right moment, accelerates, moves around thevehicle ahead, then goesback into theright 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 asoncoming trafficfor several seconds. A miscalculation, an errorin judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger suddenlyput can -the passing driver faceto face with the worst of all traffic accidents the head-on collision. So here are some tips for passing: "Drive ahead." Look down the road, to thesides, and to crossroads for situations thatmight affect your passing patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever about making a successful pass, wait for a better time. Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and lines. If you can see a sign up ahead thatmight indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your usually indicates it's all right to pass pass. A broken center line (providing the road aheadis clear). Never cross a solid line on your empty of side of the laneor a double solid line, evenif the road seems approaching traffic. If you suspect that the driver of the vehicle you want to pass isn't a aware of your presence, tap the horn 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 alarger vehicle. Also, you won't have adequate spaceif the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a reasonable distance. When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up, start toaccelerate 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 thanmakes up for the distance you would lose by dropping back. And if something happensto cause you to cancel yourpass, you need only slow down and dropback again and wait for another opportunity. 186