1997 Pontiac Sunfire Owner's Manual - Page 177

Off-Road Recovery You may find sometime that your right wheels have dropped off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you're driving. Passing The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a two-lane highway waits for justthe right moment, accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes back into the right 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 as oncoming traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error in judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can suddenly put the passing driver face toface with the worst of all traffic accidents -- the head-on collision. If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the pavement, recovery should fairly easy. Easeoff the be accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You can turn the steering wheel to one-quarter turn until the up right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Thenn your tr u steering wheelto go straight down the roadway. So here are some tips for passing: "Drive ahead." Look down the road, to the sides and to crossroads for situations that might 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 ahead that might indicate a up t r or an intersection, delay your pass. broken un A center line usually indicates it'sal right to pass l (providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross solid a of line on your side the lane or a double solid line, even if the road seems empty of approaching trai%c. 4-13