Q:
Suppose, after stalling,
I
try to back down the
hill and decide
I
just can’t do it. What
should
I
do?
A:
Set the parking brake, put your transmission in
PARK (P) and turn
off the engine. Leave the
vehicle and go get some help. Exit on the uphill
side and stay clear of the path the vehicle would
take
if
it rolled downhill.
Driving
Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you’ll want
to
consider a number of things:
How steep is the downhill? Will
I
be able
to
maintain
vehicle control?
What’s the surface like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Boulders?
What’s at the bottom of the hill?
Is
there a there a
hidden creek bank or even a river bottom with
large rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then
try
to
keep your vehicle headed straight down, and use a
low gear. This way, engine drag can help your brakes
and they won’t have
to
do all the work. Descend slowly,
keeping your vehicle under control at all times.
4-22
Heavy braki.., when going down a hill can
cause your brakes to overheat and fade. This
could cause
loss
of
control and a serious
accident. Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low gear to keep
vehicle speed under control.
Q:
Are there some things
I
should not do when
driving down
a
hill?
A:
Yes! These are important because
if
you ignore
them you could
lose control and have a serious
accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline
of the hill.
A
hill that’s not too
steep
to
drive down may be
too
steep to drive
across. You could roll over
if
you don’t drive straight
down.
Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N). This is called “free wheeling”. Your
brakes will have to do all the work and could
overheat and fade.
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