1993 GMC Suburban Owner's Manual - Page 194

Tuneyoursensestodifferentkindsofsignals. Your eyes,forexample, need to constantlysweeptheterrainforunexpectedobstacles. Your ears need to listen forunusualtireorenginesounds.Withyourarms,hands,feet, and bodyyou'll need torespond to vibrations and vehiclebounce. Controllingyourvehicle is thekey to successful off-road driving. One of the bestways to control your vehicle is to controlyourspeed.Herearesome things to keep in mind.Athigherspeeds: 0 you approachthingsfasterandyouhave for obstacles. youhavelesstime to react. less timetoscantheterrain 8 8 youhavemorevehiclebouncewhenyoudriveoverobstacles. you'llneedmoredistanceforbraking,especiallysinceyou're unpavedsurface. e on an Whenyou'redrivingoffroad,bouncing and quickchanges in Scanning the Terrain Off-road driving can takeyouovermanydifferentkinds ofterrain.You to befamiliar with theterrainanditsmanydifferentfeatures.Herearesome things to consider. need Surface Conditions Off-roading cantakeyouoverhard-packeddirt,gravel,rocks,grass,sand, mud, snoworice.Eachofthesesurfacesaffectsthesteering,acceleration, and braking of yourvehicle in different ways. Dependinguponthe kind of surface you areon, you mayexperienceslipping,sliding,wheelspinning, delayed acceleration,poortraction, and longerbrakingdistances. Surface Obstacks Unseen or hiddenobstacles can be hazardous. A rock,log,hole,rut,or bumpcanstartleyou if you'renotpreparedforthem. Often theseobstacles arehiddenbygrass,bushes,snoworeventherise and fall of theterrain itself.Herearesomethings to consider: Q Is the pathaheadclear? 0 Willthesurfacetexturechangeabruptly up ahead? 4-26