Quote:
Originally Posted by swaghauler
It's a COMMON Hollywood trope.
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Yeah, an extremely annoying one for anyone who knows anything about mines.
Pressure release switches do indeed exist for use in booby traps, however they're much rarer than Hollywood would have us believe. Booby traps are only allowed to be set in limited situations and only with authority from higher command. This doesn't happen all that often because of the risk of unintended civilian casualties.
These type of switches are activated by either pressure or release (depending on how they're set). They do not require two "stages" so to speak to activate them.
Note I'm simplifying this a bit for the benefit of those without any real military training or knowledge.
However, there is one situation where a two stage activation might occur - anti lift device under a mine. Step on the mine and it goes boom. As you're lifted 100 feet into the air and spread over a wide area, the sudden lack of downward pressure on the second charge causes it to go boom too, thereby increasing the area you're now fertilising and ruling out the option of an open casket.