2003 Chevrolet Blazer Owner's Manual - Page 215

2003 Chevrolet Blazer Manual

Page 215 highlights

If other vehicles are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait your turn. But take care that someone isn't trying to pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder and check the blind spot. Loss of Control Let's review what driving experts say about what happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don't have enough friction where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked. In any emergency, don't give up. Keep trying to steer and constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger. Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and start your left lane change signal before moving out of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal and move back into the right lane. (Remember that your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away from you than it really is.) Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next vehicle. Don't overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may be slowing down or starting to turn. If you're being passed, make it easy for the following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right. Skidding In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and by not "overdriving" those conditions. But skids are always possible. The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle's three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels aren't rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin. A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal. 4-14

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If
other vehicles are lined up to pass
a slow vehicle,
wait your turn. But take care that
someone
isn’t
trying to pass
you as you pull out to pass the slow
vehicle. Remember to glance over
your shoulder
and check the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When
you are far
enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front
in your inside mirror, activate your right lane
change signal and
move
back into the right lane.
(Remember that your right outside mirror is convex.
The vehicle you just passed
may
seem to be
farther away from you than it really is.)
Try not to pass
more than one vehicle at
a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even
though
the brake lamps are not flashing, it
may
be slowing down
or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy
for the
following driver to get ahead of you.
Perhaps
you
can ease
a little to the right.
Loss
of
Control
Let’s review what driving experts say
about
what
happens
when
the
three control systems
(brakes,
steering and acceleration) don’t
have
enough friction
where the tires meet
the road to do
what
the
driver
has
asked.
In any
emergency,
don’t
give up. Keep
trying to steer
and constantly seek
an
escape route or
area
of
less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the
vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and
by
not
“overdriving” those conditions.
But
skids
are
always
possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your
vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid,
your
wheels
aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much
speed
or steering in a curve causes
tires to slip
and lose cornering force.
And in the
acceleration
skid, too much throttle causes
the driving wheels
to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your
foot
off
the accelerator pedal.
4-1
4