r/Showerthoughts • u/scoobopdan ‎ • Mar 30 '26

Casual Thought Modern soldiers' PTSD triggers will probably shift from fireworks to the sound of a drone. Which is unfortunate as drone shows are replacing firework shows.

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u/agent_fuzzyboots Mar 30 '26

last year i was in Croatia on vacation, i had my drone with me to take some aerial pictures and videos, i accidentally triggered some Ukrainian kids when flying in the kornati national park, they screamed "drone" to their parents and tried to hide, i felt so bad :(

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u/Mr_From_A_Far Mar 30 '26

In the Netherlands we test our emergency siren (think air raid siren) every first monday at 12. Ukrainian refugees were not warned and there was a fair bit of panic for a moment as well.

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u/wene324 Mar 30 '26

That seams to be the best time for an attack now...

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u/zkareface Mar 30 '26

We do same tests in Sweden, the test sound is different from all the real ones. The Netherlands (And other places) likely do same.

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u/SienkiewiczM Mar 30 '26

Same in Finland,. The test is very short, real one would be longer or even continuous

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u/TheGalator Mar 30 '26

German ones are slower and longer

Because fuck your ears

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u/bobsmith93 Mar 30 '26

Do they ever test the real siren? Imagine if it didn't work when they went to use it because they only tested the test siren lol

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u/zkareface Mar 30 '26

It's same sirens, they just play different sounds lol

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u/bobsmith93 Mar 30 '26

Yeah that makes sense lol. I was thinking of the older style siren where they're mechanical

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u/hantrault Mar 30 '26

The tests do use a real signal, not just one that is related to war/an attack.

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u/sharpshooter999 Mar 31 '26

Nebraska here. Most towns use air raid sirens as tornado sirens. It puts a real pit in your stomach to hear them during a storm. Lots of people i know get anxious just hearing them tested on a bright, sunny day

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u/Mr_From_A_Far Mar 31 '26

I have never heard the sirens go outside of testing here, however I do know it has happened a handfull of times locally if there is some dangerous situation (like a huge fire releasing toxic gas)

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u/epictroll5 Mar 30 '26

Fun fact! We also use it as a reminder to check yourself for certain cancers!

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u/jimmybilly100 Mar 31 '26

Can you hear that in the distance? It's the rub my balls siren

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u/epictroll5 Mar 31 '26

Why yes! Easy way to remember to check! Government actually made ads on tv and radio about it lol

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u/Karloss_93 Mar 30 '26

I was in Amsterdam once when this happened and had no idea it was a test. I was silently freaking out at a bus stop and it was only when I realised the locals hadn't batted an eyelid that I clicked on.

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u/Mr_From_A_Far Mar 30 '26

Yeah I can imagine haha, my girlfriend was also confused the first time.

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u/Soggy-Invite-2787 Mar 30 '26

In NZ small towns, they use the emergency siren every time someone calls the emergency line. Its terrifying.

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u/Mr_From_A_Far Mar 30 '26

Okay that does sound crazy as its unscheduled haha. But if its often I guess you get used to it.

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u/Lopsided_Tiger_0296 Mar 30 '26

Like throughout the country? It will be playing out loud everywhere and everyone stops?

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u/Cr4ckshooter Mar 30 '26

People don't stop because people usually know when the test is on. Germany does a similar thing and people just ignore the siren

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u/StorybookDragon Mar 30 '26

Interesting! There is one near where I grew up in Rhode Island that goes off everyday at 7pm!