To remind you of this crucial safety and navigation tip - you can save people from their planes delaying or getting confused

[maybelazy]

I just want to remind all mumsnetters to wave at overhead planes and helicopters - it helps the radar waves to 'catch on' to something.
It's preferable to use a long stick, and wave it on a ladder or from a tree, but your hand when you are standing on the ground works too.
Jumping is also OK - just remember to jump on the spot for about 15 seconds.
Wave every time you see a plane - even if it's just a dot in the sky.
It doesn't work when you are indoors - for that you will need to wave out of a window using a stick.

But dont flash your backside at the pilot as it might blind them

What??? I feel like this may be referencing a Trump tweet I’ve missed 😆

Yeah that's probably not a good idea

What are you talking about? And how is it a reminder if it’s not a commonly known but often forgotten fact?

can I have whatever you’ve been drinking please?

Also… radar uses radio waves, so what you’re proposing wouldn’t work at all.

😵‍💫

🤣🤣🤣🤣

We need the laughing emoji back!

It does sound something like the great orange gelatinous blob would say.

Thanks for this reminder.

Also, in a similar manner, please remember that you can save horses lives by saying ‘look, a horse’ and pointing at it/them when driving past a field containing aforementioned equines.

By doing this it helps horses remember they are indeed horses and they wriggle their hocks therefore preventing laminitis.

It’s important we get these messages out there @maybelazy

Thanks for clearing that up 😄

Honestly, with some of the posts and comments you see and read on here, I never under estimate how stupid some people might actually be…

Most radars these days use microwaves so they work more quickly.

So, you should probably say "Mind the cow in the field, dear" when driving past fields with cows in them.

the phrase deactivates the Cow Impact Drive, and saying it will prevent your car suddenly veering off the road and hitting them..

#SaveTheCows

N.b. This must be said in a posh voice, otherwise it won't be detected.

This also works for cows and sheep.

Bin lorries collect your rubbish more frequently if you wave to them out the window.

Fact.

You don’t seem to be aware that if you do that, the pilot is obliged to throw a Cadbury Freddo out of the cockpit window down to you. This was an incentive introduced in 2020 during lockdown as nobody seemed to be out waving at aircraft.

Caramel freddo or just a plain one?

This is reminding me of a time when DH and I were driving from our village into the city for work one morning, and there were some bullocks loose on a main road. It wasn't possible to pull in safely, so I called the police non-emergency number and said 'Hi, I'm on X Road just passing Y and there are some bullocks loose on the road which might cause accidents.' There was a baffled silence and 'What's a bullock?' (To which I said 'Boy cow!' )

I had a complete meltdown at a helicopter when DS was a baby and he'd just finally fallen asleep on a walk. The bastarding low flying helicopter decided to buzz all round us. I guess my losing the plot was actually inadvertently helping him with his waving waves.

That's only British Airways planes though. Freddos are very aerodynamic which is lucky. When I waved at a SwissAir plane, I narrowly avoided a Toblerone to the bonce.

If you see a hot air balloon then blow a puff of air skywards and the flame comes on! That's how they keep flying.

I only recently discovered that. I'm 50!

My collie pup went through a phase of being terrified of the coast rescue helicopter, so I’d sit down with her and talk nonsense in a soothing voice. I regularly threatened to beat the shit out of the helicopter so it couldn’t hurt her. In a nice calming voice 😄

I have a glorious image of almost a flash dance as Mumsnetters across the country start skanking when they see a plane

It is also compulsory to wave at trains when on foot, and to people on foot when seated on a train. For the mainline it reduced delays, but for steam trains each exchange of waves is one fewer shovel of coal for the fireman.

Thank goodness I’ve finally found a thread with some proper hard science in it.

Can I ask you experts a question please? What’s is the actual scientific effect of saying “Look! A tractor!” on that tractor.

Thanks in advance.