How to Avoid Hydroplaning in Wet or Icey Weather

The “contact patch” on a tire, aka the tread area contacting the road, is about the size of your palm. Anything that keeps your tires from being planted firmly on the roadway, even a thin film of water, makes controlling your vehicle more difficult. When traveling at high speeds, hydroplaning, where water keeps your tires from fully contacting the roadway, quickly results in increased stopping distance and loss of steering control because less friction will be generated due to less tire tread contacting the road surface.

Read along as experts in the field, including a defensive driving expert and automotive trainer, explain what causes hydroplaning and, more importantly, how to avoid it.

What Is Hydroplaning?

“Hydroplaning occurs when a tire collects more water than it can disperse, causing the tread to oversaturate, creating a water-on-water or hydroplaning event,” explains defensive driving expert Robert Dillman. While hydroplaning is caused by water on the roadway, vehicles can also “plane” on mud or snow that collects on the tread faster than the tire can remove it.

Why is hydroplaning dangerous?

Hydroplaning is dangerous because tires gliding on water rather than touching the roadway are similar to driving on ice. It greatly reduces your ability to steer, brake, or accelerate properly, making it extremely difficult to regain control of your car and increasing the chance of an accident.

Top Causes of Hydroplaning

Water on the roadway is the main cause of hydroplaning. Waterlogged roads create the perfect conditions for hydroplaning, especially when water levels rise above the tire tread, but this is not the only cause, other common causes include:

Oil on the roadway

Oil, other fluids, and grease leaking from cars can build up on the road surface after a few days of dry weather. The first few minutes of rain cause oil to sit on top of the water, resulting in a slick roadway surface, which can lead to higher chances of hydroplaning. “With minimal friction and chaotic steering control when hydroplaning, drivers try to overcorrect for loss of steerability, which can easily send a vehicle into a spin or off the roadway,” added Dillman.

Weather

“Driving too fast for the weather conditions,” said Dillman. Excess speed on wet roads reduces a tire’s ability to force water out of the tread area, increasing the threat of hydroplaning.

Worn Tires

Like speeding, low tire tread cannot effectively channel water out of the treads, allowing a thin layer of water to form between the tire and the road.

Underinflated or Overinflated Tires

Low or excessive tire pressure reduces the amount of tire tread contacting the road making it difficult for the tread to displace water from under your tires. This results in lost traction and steering control because tires are unable to grip the road properly.

Road Surfaces

Smooth roadways, due to worn-out asphalt, lack of texture, or poor drainage, retain water more easily, increasing the likelihood of hydroplaning.

Quick Maneuvering

On wet surfaces, “sudden turns, swerving away from a puddle or panic braking can cause a vehicle to hydroplane more quickly,” said Kye Grisham, Vice President of Procurement and Automotive Technology at Christian Brothers Automotive.

Cruise Control

Never use cruise control when it’s raining. Having the cruise control engaged during wet weather conditions makes it trickier to adjust speed when hydroplaning begins.

How to Prevent Hydroplaning While Driving

“Slow down,” said William Pemberton of the Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm. An old trick I was taught years ago was to follow in the tracks of the vehicle in front of me. Since that vehicle has already pushed water aside, the road surface in those tracks is usually less slick, reducing the risk of hydroplaning.

Grisham added, “Replace tires having tread measuring 4/32 in. or less.” Maintaining your tires by having them rotated, balanced, as well as the suspension and wheel alignment regularly checked, will extend the life of your tires while helping provide good grip, whatever the weather conditions.

What to Do If Your Car Starts Hydroplaning?

Don’t panic. Do not slam on the brakes or yank the steering wheel from side to side. That will only make matters worse. Instead, slowly ease your foot off the accelerator and steer the vehicle in the direction you want to go. This technique should allow the tires to regain traction, allowing you to gingerly slow down, regain control of your car, and continue driving.

FAQ

Does tire tread depth affect hydroplaning?

Absolutely. Tread depth and tire wear play a critical role in preventing hydroplaning. Tire tread grooves are designed to push water out from under the tire. While deeper treads channel water away quicker permitting tires to hold their grip on wet roads, worn treads struggle to disperse water, raising the danger of hydroplaning.

At what speed does hydroplaning usually happen?

Depends. According to Grisham and Pemberton, hydroplaning can happen at 35 MPH, with the likelihood of hydroplaning increasing as you drive faster. However, Dillman says, “hydroplaning is a totality of the circumstances between tread depth, water volume, and speed. This makes it difficult to accurately provide the speed at which hydroplaning occurs.” In other words, if the roadway is wet, slow down.

How much water causes hydroplaning?

Again, it depends. As little as one-tenth of an inch of water on the road surface may cause hydroplaning. Even tires with good tread depth on a vehicle traveling at 50 mph may have difficulty pushing water out from under the tires fast enough, leading to a loss of traction. Dillman added, “Hydroplaning can occur in a heavy morning dew if you have deeply worn, nearly bald tires.” Again, other factors, including driving habits, tire tread depth, road surface texture, and vehicle speed, all play a key role in determining when hydroplaning begins.

What cars are more prone to hydroplaning?

Certain types of vehicles are more prone to hydroplaning due to their design, weight, and tire characteristics. Here are some key factors that influence hydroplaning risks:

• Compact cars: Lighter cars exert less downward force pushing the tires onto the road. This makes it easier for water to get under the tires, lifting them off the road surface.
• Vehicles with wide tires: Tires with wide tread area tires tend to struggle to force water from under their tires, raising the threat of hydroplaning.
• SUVs and trucks: Taller vehicles having a higher center of gravity may become more erratic when hydroplaning begins.
• Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) vehicles: Weight distribution toward the rear of a vehicle results in less force and traction on the front tires causes RWD vehicle to be more vulnerable to hydroplaning.

Experts

• Kye Grisham has been in the auto service and maintenance industry for over 25 years and currently serves as Vice President of Procurement and Automotive Technology at Christian Brothers Automotive Corporation.
• William M. Pemberton graduated from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse in 2001 and Marquette University Law School in 2003. He received his admission to the State Bar of Wisconsin in 2004 and accepted a position at an insurance defense law firm in Milwaukee, WI., before founded the Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm where he reviews automotive—and understands—vehicle accident reports in preparation for civil liability cases.
• Robert Dillman graduated from Arizona State University with a Master of Arts in International Security. He opened NEVO Driving Academy in 2012. He closed NEVO to work as a Security Driver Training Instructor for the Department of State. Operating out of the Foreign Affairs Security Training Center (FASTC), Robert quickly established himself as a subject-matter expert for the Driver Training Unit (DTU). In the DTU, Robert wrote a training continuum for new instructors, helped draft the internal Standard Operating Procedures, and redesigned much of the curriculum. After several years, Robert transitioned out of the driving industry to develop and manage the Professional Development Program for FASTC, where he oversaw 250 instructors for compliance, defensive driving maneuvers training, and professional development.

Resources

• AAA: “What Is Hydroplaning?“
• Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.: “Hydroplaning: What is it & What Causes It?
• Jeff S. Bartlett; Tires that last the longest. “Make Your Tires Last Even Longer” Consumer Reports
• Kelly Bluer Book: “What Is Hydroplaning and How to Avoid It?“

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Why Does It Feel Like Our Phones Are Eavesdropping?

Do phones listen to us? My iPhone sure does, and I know because it responds with a laconic “um-hmmm?” whenever I say “Hey, Siri.” Perhaps a better question is: “Who is listening to us through our phones?”

In a 2019 a study on the question from the University of Berlin Jacob Leon Kröger and Philip Raschke found the possibility of large-scale and undetected eavesdropping attacks through our phones couldn’t be ruled out because, somewhere in the highly complex cyber universe, there may indeed be bad actors spying on you through your phone.

However, in all probability, the fact that your phone seems to know all about you—even seemingly what you’re thinking—is the product of legal information-gathering techniques, according to cybersecurity expert Jacob Kalvo and AI security advocate Fergal Glynn.

Feel better? Here, Kalvo and Glynn explain the phenomenon.

Why People Think Phones Are Listening To Us

Here’s an experience I’ve had that made me wonder, “Do phones listen to us?” and I’ve found by speaking with friends that I’m not alone.

I have a medical condition that affects my feet. I’ve spoken to friends about it, but have never searched for information or remedies online. Nevertheless, some time ago, I started receiving Google and Facebook ads for products to relieve the condition. Friends have commented that they have thought about buying an item and then received ads for that item, even though they never actually searched for it. This experience is what leads people to believe that their phones could be listening to them.

Is My Phone Listening To Me?

Your phone can listen to you… sometimes. Otherwise, your digital assistant wouldn’t work. However, your digital assistant only listens when you activate it. The question of whether anyone is listening consistently is more nuanced. That would be an obvious invasion of privacy—an ethical no-no.

While, generally, phones can only “listen” to you through the mic when and how you’ve given the phone permission to, Kalvo says there have been ethical breaches in the past. “In 2017, several top smartphone games were found to be tapping background audio data—not to eavesdrop on conversations, but to listen for TV commercials and ambient sound to target them. While not outright eavesdropping, it was technically a kind of cross-promotion crossing ethical lines and causing indignation, leading to closer scrutiny by app stores and regulators.”

Jump to 2025, and U.S. lawmakers are seeking to pass legislation that would prevent states from regulating AI (and presumably AI-enabled phones) for 10 years. That could potentially make it harder to prevent eavesdropping and other such abuses of privacy, so stay tuned.

How Do Phones Know Things If They’re Not Listening?

These days, a phone is more than just a device with a microphone and a speaker. It’s a portal to the global cyber marketplace, and the “knowledge” the phone channels to you comes from there. If it seems like your phone knows something, it isn’t magic, explains Kalvo. It’s all about the algorithms.

“The real driving force behind that creepy feeling of ‘My phone is listening in on me’ involves how much behavioral information is being collected legally… Where you’ve been, what you’ve searched, what you bought, what you’re doing on apps, and even who you’re standing near in the flesh via Bluetooth proximity detection, all feed into ad profiles,” Kalvo says. “Facebook, Google, and third-party ad networks gather and cross-tab this information and use machine learning to forecast what you might be interested in.”

Kalvo adds, “AI systems of today have reached a point where they do not need to ‘hear’ you to make some predictions about what you might need. Sentiment analysis, natural language processing, and predictive modeling all work together to predict user behavior with awe-inspiring accuracy.”

Glynn clarifies: “AI and marketing tech have become incredibly advanced, so at times, ads can seem too perfect to be just a coincidence. In reality, it’s not your phone eavesdropping, it’s just sophisticated algorithms making very accurate predictions based on your digital footprint.”

How To Stop My Phone From “Listening” To Me

You have total control over when your phone’s microphone can be activated (and depending on your phone, you will be notified if and when it is activated). In other words, if your phone is listening, it’s because you’ve given it permission to do so.

The good news is, you can reverse this. On an iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone, and from there, you can turn the microphone on or off for each app that uses it (you might want to leave some of them on—for example, apps that can function as telephones via Wi-Fi). For Androids, go to Settings > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Privacy Controls > Microphone access.

Kalvo also recommends turning on privacy tools like Apple’s App Tracking Transparency or Android’s privacy dashboard. You might also want to disable Bluetooth and, to be absolutely thorough, turn off Siri (iPhone) or Google Assistant (Android). Kalvo’s final word: “Think critically about what you allow your devices and applications to have access to.”

About the Experts

• Jacob Kalvo is a tech and cybersecurity expert, Co-Founder & CEO at Live Proxies
• Fergal Glynn currently serves as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and AI Security Advocate at Mindgard.

Sources

• HAL: Is My Phone Listening In? On the Feasibility and Detectability of Mobile Eavesdropping; Jacob Leon Kröger and Philip Raschke; (2019)

Related

• See a Green Dot on Your Android Phone? Here’s What It Means 
• If You Get a USPS Scam Text, You Need To Do This Immediately 
• This Is How Often You Should Restart Your Phone 

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We Tried Lloyd from Solo Stove: This Indoor/Outdoor Fireplace is Our New BFF

I set my eyes on the Solo Stove Lloyd Fireplace back when it dropped in late 2023. Its sleek mid-century modern design and rare indoor/outdoor flexibility instantly grabbed my attention. As Family Handyman’s go-to Solo Stove expert, I knew I had to get my hands on one, but it was tough to track down after the launch.

Fast-forward to this summer: the Lloyd is finally glowing on my back deck, and let me tell you, it’s pretty stunning in person. Here’s what you need to know about setting it up and putting it to use.

We Tried It

Solo Stove Lloyd Modern Gel Fuel Fireplace

A mid-century modern smokeless fireplace that works indoors and out

Shop at Solo Stove

Shop at Home Depot

Shop at Wayfair

Shop at AllModern

What is the Solo Stove Lloyd Fireplace?

With its sleek electroplated steel body and mid-century modern vibes, the Lloyd Fireplace blends retro style with modern function. It runs on clean-burning, smoke-free gel fuel, so it’s safe to use indoors, no vents required.

The Lloyd holds three gel fuel canisters, each crackling like real wood and casting a cozy, flickering glow. There is no ash, no hassle—just ambiance. Whether on your back deck or in a sunroom, the Lloyd is an easy-to-assemble, easy-to-move statement piece that transitions seamlessly from outdoor summer nights to indoor winter mornings.

How We Tested It

The Lloyd Fireplace showed up in a hefty box, everything neatly packed and tightly wrapped in plastic. Once I cut through the wrap, I found the main body, chimney, base and a smaller box holding the burner components.

Assembly took about 20 minutes, and most of that time was spent unpackaging materials. The base, body and chimney snapped together with just a few screws, and in minutes, I had a sleek 44-inch-tall fireplace ready to glow. At just 30 pounds, it’s surprisingly lightweight and easy to move, which is handy if you plan to bring it inside for winter or need to store it away during windy weather.

Next, I popped on four rubber feet to keep it steady and protect our deck. Then, I unboxed the burner insert, glass panel and magnetic-plated snuffer (intended to place the caps back on the canisters and put out the flames). Setting up the interior components was simple, too. The burner and panel just drop into place, no tools required. The snuffer sticks right to the top of the gel canisters for easy extinguishing.

Now for the not-so-great part: mine didn’t come with any gel fuel, even though the product listing says six canisters are included. Luckily, I had some chafing fuel on hand from recent parties. While those standard cans technically fit in the holders, they sit too low, so the flames are smaller and lack that dramatic glow you see in the product photos online.

That said, I’m planning to grab the official Solo Stove gel fuel soon, maybe even the citronella ones, which sound perfect for summer nights on the deck. They’re a bit pricey, though. That said, even with basic chafing fuel, you can hear satisfying crackles of flames. The design of the fireplace seems to amplify the sound, giving it that cozy, wood-burning feel without any chopping required.

The finished product? Gorgeous. The Lloyd brings sophisticated mid-century modern style to our backyard, and we’ve received many compliments when friends come over. Just note there’s no included cover, so we stash it in the garage when it’s not in use to keep it looking sharp.

Would I use it indoors? Maybe in the right space. A sunroom or screened-in porch would be ideal. On hard flooring near an exit? Sure. But with three open flames, I’d steer clear of carpet, clutter, small kids, and high-energy pets. For us, the Lloyd shines brightest outside—no worries about a potential fire hazard, just a warm glow and good vibes.

Pros

• Easy assembly
• Lightweight, semi-portable design
• Indoor/outdoor use
• Low maintenance
• Magnetic snuffer included
• Stunning mid-century modern design
• Smoke-free flames

Cons

• Standard chafing fuel doesn’t fit properly
• Pricey fuel refills
• No cover included

Product Comparison: Solo Stove Lloyd vs. Basin

The Lloyd Modern Gel Fuel Fireplace is currently Solo Stove’s only full-sized fireplace. But if you’re looking for a similar effect with the same gel fuel convenience, check out their tabletop fire bowls—like the Basin. It runs on a single gel fuel canister (versus the Lloyd’s three), and while it’s much smaller, it’s designed to sit right on your outdoor table. Added bonus: it delivers a similar cozy vibe at a much lower price point.

Final Verdict

The Solo Stove Lloyd Fireplace delivers when it comes to style and function, with its mid-century modern design and clean-burning gel fuel, it’s stunning and easy to light. It’s truly a standout centerpiece for outdoor gatherings.

Assembly is quick and easy, and its lightweight build makes it portable enough to move around. While the high price of branded refills and the lack of a protective cover are drawbacks, the overall experience is still impressive. It’s best suited for outdoor use, where its flames can safely flicker, and with a little care, it adds a serious design upgrade to any backyard setup.

Where to Buy the Lloyd Fireplace

We Tried It

Solo Stove Lloyd Modern Gel Fuel Fireplace

A sleek indoor/outdoor fireplace that runs on gel fuel

Shop at Solo Stove

Shop at Home Depot

Shop at Wayfair

Shop at AllModern

You can shop the Lloyd Fireplace directly from Solo Stove or from various other retailers, such as Home Depot, Wayfair, AllModern and Bespoke Post. Depending on where you look, it’ll typically be listed between $650 and $700.

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FAQ

How do you turn on the Solo Stove fireplace?

To ignite the Solo Stove Lloyd Fireplace, simply light the gel fuel canisters. There are no electrical components, such as an on/off switch.

What happened to gel fuel fireplaces?

Gel fireplaces aren’t as readily available as they used to be, as some people tend to prefer more efficient fuel alternatives like bioethanol. There have also been some reported safety concerns with gel fuel, like jetting flames. Such reports are often connected with refilling gel canisters while hot. Refilling gel fuel canisters is not recommended. They are typically designed for one-time use, and refilling them can be dangerous. For these reasons, among others, I prefer to keep my Lloyd Fireplace outside.

Are gel fuel fireplaces safe?

When used correctly, gel fuel fireplaces are generally considered safe. However, they still involve open flames and should be used with caution, especially around children and pets. You should not attempt to refill your gel fuel canisters or leave flames unattended. It’s always important to take standard fire safety measures when handling flammable materials and fire equipment of any kind.

Why You Should Trust Us

We originally launched our Solo Stove review series in response to our readers’ increased interest in Solo Stove fire pits. That series has grown to include a variety of products from the brand. So far, we’ve tested Solo Stove’s Bonfire 2.0, Mesa, pellet adapter, cast iron grill top, Pi Fire pizza oven, Pi Prime pizza oven, Mesa Torch, Tower Patio Heater and more.

As Family Handyman’s resident Solo Stove expert, I am continuously working to test products from Solo Stove to ensure the brand lives up to its online reputation. That way, you can make consumer-informed decisions based on real-life testing before you buy.

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