1994 Oldsmobile 88 Owner's Manual - Page 144

Your Driving and the Road factor you can control. Suppose you're steering through a Power Steering sharp curve. Then you suddenly If you lose power steering assist because accelerate. Both control systems the engine stops or the system is not steering and acceleration - have to do functioning, you can steer but it will their work where the tires meet the take much more effort. road. Unless you have traction control and the system is on, adding the sudden Sfeering Tips acceleration can demand too much of Driving on Curves those places. You can lose control. It's important to takecurves at a What should you do if this ever reasonable speed. happens? Ease up on the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you A lot of the "driver lost control" want it to go, and slow down. accidents mentioned on the news happen on curves. Here's why: Speed limit signsnear curves warn that you should adjust your speed. Of Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to the same laws of physics course, the posted speeds are based on when driving on curves. The traction of good weather and road conditions. conditions you'll the tires against the road surface makes Under less favorable want togo slower. it possible for the vehicle to change its path whenyou turn thefront wheels. If If you need to reduce your speed as you there's no traction, inertia will keep the approach a curve, do it before you enter vehicle going inthe same direction. If the curve, while your front wheels are you've ever triedto steer a vehicle on straight ahead. wet ice, you'll understand this. Try to adjust your speed so you can The traction you can get in a curve "drive" through the curve. Maintain a depends on the condition of your tires reasonable, steady speed. Wait to and the road surface, the angle at which accelerate until you are outof the curve, the curve is banked, and your speed. and then accelerate gently into the While you're in a curve, speed is the one straightaway. Steering Sfeering in Emergencies There are times when steering can be more effective than braking. For example, you come over hill and finda truck a stopped in your lane, or car suddenly a pulls outfrom nowhere, ora child darts out from between parked cars stops and right in front of you. can avoid these You problems by braking -if you can stop in time. But sometimes you can't; there isn't room. That's time for evasive the action -steering around the problem. Your Oldsmobile can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply your brakes. It is better to remove as much speed as you can froma possible collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left or right depending on the space available. I42