Ch. 11- Driving On An Open Highway

Special Problems in High Altitudes There are two problems you may encounter as a result of the reduced oxygen in the air at high altitudes and the extra work required of the engine.

1. Overheating is probably the most common problem. Keep an eye on your temperature gauge. If it starts to climb, try turning off the air conditioning and turning on the heater. If the temperature keeps rising, pull off the roadway and let the radiator cool off before you have a crisis on your hands. Sometimes water faucets are provided on mountain roads. Use these to spray the radiator (not the engine) and so it can cool gradually. 2.Vapor lock is the other problem, caused by gas vaporizing in the fuel lines instead of flowing to the carburetor. It can stall your vehicle before you have time to move off the roadway. If this happens, move your vehicle off the roadway and let it cool down before resuming your journey. You can speed the process by pouring water over the fuel line running from the carburetor to the fuel pump. You may also have purchased gas formulated for winter driving, which vaporizes faster, so fill up at the next gas station with what will hopefully be "summer gas."

BEING AWARE OF THE ENVIORNMENT

Curves Curves in the road require a slower driving speed and more caution. You may not see a hazard on the other side of the bend. If you slow down when entering a curve, you give yourself enough time to stop before hitting a potential hazard. It is better to slow down gradually than to brake suddenly! Road workers, closed lanes, animals, slow-moving and stalled vehicles, steep hills, blind curves, and weather-related conditions are just some of the hazards you may encounter. Don't be lulled by the scenery and long roads into a completely relaxed frame of mind stay alert! Hills Thanks to gravity, hills present some unavoidable problems while driving. If you use lower gears on steep hills, you will be one step ahead of the main problem. While traveling uphill, lower gears will give you more power to prevent losing speed or taxing the engine. Going downhill, lower gears will help control the vehicles speed while simultaneously preventing the brakes from overheating. Watch downhill speeds, especially on roadways where you cannot see far enough ahead. Never coast downhill in neutral, as it is not only illegal but also dangerous. If your brakes happen to fail, use progressively lower gears to slow your vehicle. The engine may whine, but it'll be better off handling high revs than a boulder at 120 mph. Long, steep hills can overheat your engine if your engine is not well maintained, so make sure all fluids are topped off before driving in the hills. Mountains Mountain driving is similar to driving on hills, except it is even more challenging. Half way up a mountain is not the time to discover you have problems with your vehicle, so check its condition before leaving. Check to verify that the radiator water and oil levels are correct. Are there any hose leaks and are the belts in good shape? Follow the basic speed limit. Don't drive faster than is safe for the constantly changing conditions of mountain roads. Pull out at turnouts or any other space where it is safe, so faster-moving vehicles can pass you safely. If you want to pass slower-moving vehicles, wait until they pull out at a turnout or you come to a passing zone. It is otherwise not permitted or safe to overtake on mountain roads.

When traveling on open highways, you never know when you will meet or approach other vehicles. Even though you go on for miles and miles without coming across another vehicle, always be prepared to meet one. There are some rules you should know about when you encounter other cars on the open road.

Meeting Lines of Vehicles If a long line of vehicles approaches you, slow down, and move as far over to the right as you can. Look for escape routes off the road in case one of them tries to pass. Meeting Slow-Moving Vehicles The same procedure applies when you approach an oncoming, slow-moving vehicle. An impatient driver may be behind it and may swerve out to pass it. Meeting at Hilltops If you meet another vehicle on a steep hill or hilltop and the road is not wide enough to pass, the downhill-facing vehicle must reverse until the uphill-facing vehicle can safely pass. Its easier and safer to reverse up a steep hill than down one. Meeting at Night Some open highways are not equipped with streetlights. When other vehicles are not close by, drive with your high beams on. When you approach an oncoming vehicle, dim your lights before the vehicle comes within 500 feet of you. To retain your own vision, do not look at the vehicle's headlights; look at the right side of the road. When you approach another vehicle from behind, dim your lights before you get closer than 300 feet.

SLOW-MOVING VEHICLES

Some vehicles cannot keep up with the speed of other vehicles. Tractors, horses, animal-drawn carts, and road maintenance vehicles are the most common slow-moving vehicles you are likely to meet on open highways. They will be traveling at 25 mph or less and will sometimes display a large orange triangle on the back. Follow any directions from the person in charge of the horse or livestock and give them space. It is a traffic offense to scare horses or stampede livestock on the road. Clearance Be patient and wait until the slow-moving vehicle has moved out of the way. If you can see around it and there is enough room to pass safely, pass the vehicle and wait until you can see both headlights in your rearview mirror before returning to the driving lane. Animals Stray or wild animals can sometimes be found unexpectedly lying or standing on the road. They can also startle you by leaping out in front of your vehicle. Whatever the circumstance, slow down and be ready to stop.

Wide Turns:

Trucks, buses, and RVs sometimes need to swing wide to the left or right in order to safely make a turn. They cant see the cars directly behind or beside them. In fact, their blind spots may stretch up to 20 feet in front of the cab and approximately 200 feet behind the vehicle. Trying to squeeze between a truck, bus, or RV and the curb or another vehicle is an invitation to disaster. Follow these rules when driving around large trucks: Don't cut into the open space in front of a truck. Trying to beat a truck removes the truck drivers safety cushion and places you in danger. Don't tailgate or follow a truck too closely. If the truck comes to a sudden stop, you can imagine where you will go if you do not have enough of a space in which to stop. Don't underestimate the speed of a large truck. Due to its large size, a truck may appear to be traveling slowly; in actuality, it may be moving very fast.

Side No-Zones:

Trucks, tractor-trailers, buses, and RVs have big No-Zones on both sides that are dangerous because these vehicles must make wide turns. These No-Zones or blind spots are much larger than your cars blind spots. If you cant see the drivers face in his side mirror, then that driver cant see you!

Rear No-Zone:

Trucks, tractor-trailers, buses, and RVs have huge No-Zones directly behind them. The driver cant see your car behind his vehicle and you cant see what's happening in traffic ahead of his vehicle. If the truck, bus, or RV brakes or stops suddenly, will not have no place to go and could crash into the vehicles rear. Always maintain a safe following distance.

Trucks, Tractor-Trailers RVs

Trucks, tractor-trailers, buses, and recreational vehicles (RVs)including motor homes, campers, and travel trailers are longer, higher, and wider than other vehicles. They accelerate slowly and require greater stopping and turning distances. Plus, there are danger areas around these vehicles where crashes are more likely to occur. These areas are called No-Zones. No-Zones on the side, front, and rear also include blind spots where your car disappears from the drivers view. Learning the No-Zones can save your life!

Front No-Zone:

You could get rear-ended by a truck, bus, or RV if you cut in front too soon after passing the vehicle. If you cut in front and then suddenly slow down, truck, bus, and RV drivers are forced to slam on their brakes. These vehicles need nearly twice the time and room to stop as cars. A truck and its tow vehicle may be as long as 55 feet and it could take you a half-mile of clear road to pass. So, when passing, look for the entire front of the truck in your rearview mirror before pulling in front. And then, don't slow down!

Roadside Stands or Gas Stations

You will occasionally come across roadside sands, stores, and gas stations. As the focal point for the surrounding community, these areas may be busy with pedestrians, animals, farm equipment, and other vehicles entering and leaving. Watch for these gathering points and ease up when you approach them.