10 driving and operating – Saturn 2010 VUE User Manual

Page 214

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9-10

Driving and Operating

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Always carry a litter bag and
make sure all refuse is removed
from any campsite before
leaving.

.

Take extreme care with open
fires (where permitted), camp
stoves, and lanterns.

.

Never park your vehicle over dry
grass or other combustible
materials that could catch fire
from the heat of the vehicle's
exhaust system.

Traveling to Remote Areas

It makes sense to plan your trip,
especially when going to a remote
area. Know the terrain and plan
your route. Get accurate maps of
trails and terrain. Check to see if
there are any blocked or closed
roads.

It is also a good idea to travel with
at least one other vehicle in case
something happens to one of them.

For vehicles with a winch, be sure to
read the winch instructions. In a
remote area, a winch can be handy
if you get stuck but you will want to
know how to use it properly.

Getting Familiar with Off-Road
Driving

It is a good idea to practice in an
area that is safe and close to home
before you go into the wilderness.
Off-roading requires some new and
different skills.

Tune your senses to different kinds
of signals. Your eyes need to
constantly sweep the terrain for
unexpected obstacles. Your ears
need to listen for unusual tire or
engine sounds. Use your arms,
hands, feet, and body to respond to
vibrations and vehicle bounce.

Controlling the vehicle is the key to
successful off-road driving. One of
the best ways to control the vehicle
is to control the speed. At higher
speeds:

.

You approach things faster and
have less time to react.

.

There is less time to scan the
terrain for obstacles.

.

The vehicle has more bounce
when driving over obstacles.

.

More braking distance is
needed, especially on an
unpaved surface.

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WARNING

When you are driving off-road,
bouncing and quick changes in
direction can easily throw you out
of position. This could cause you
to lose control and crash. So,
whether you are driving on or off
the road, you and your
passengers should wear safety
belts.

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