# The coded messages and secret signals for "holy crap, we've got trouble" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 16, 2009, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coded-messages-and-secret-signals-for-holy-crap-weve-got-trouble/493255 "2009-04-16T01:53:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coded-messages-and-secret-signals-for-holy-crap-weve-got-trouble/493255/61 "2009-04-17T15:48:59Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > I’m not calling Wikipedia worthless, but I have to take this one with a grain of salt. It may have been used in the past this way, but lately I’ve known those radio calls to be locally generated at the AOCs, as in: I don’t know if it’s still current. But I recall “Broken Arrow” being mentioned in other books and documentaries I had seen about Ia Drang. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coded-messages-and-secret-signals-for-holy-crap-weve-got-trouble/493255/62 "2009-04-17T16:11:29Z")
> [@badbadrubberpiggy](#): > > “Code Pink” at some\* hospitals means a baby has been stolen. > > \*I’m not sure how widespread this is That was it at the hospital where my daughter stayed. They told the parents about it, too, in an effort to reassure us that our babies were safe with them. The infants also wore special wristbands which, if taken through the doors of the NICU, would cause an immediate electronically orchestrated lockdown and alarms to go off. So I’m not sure how often the “Code Pink” call would have been needed in reality - one would assume the locked doors and startled looking person holding an infant just outside the NICU would have been clue enough. > [@Bacon\_Salt](#): > > But even if the bad guy is a student, the code probably functions as a euphemism- everyone knows what it is, but are able to be calmer about it. An effect not to be underestimated, I’m sure. Knowing the code gives you a feeling of power, even if it’s a small one. It’s a slight psychological advantage over the Bad Guy, and in that sort of situation, a slight advantage might be all you need. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coded-messages-and-secret-signals-for-holy-crap-weve-got-trouble/493255/63 "2009-04-18T05:09:00Z")
Not this way at the casino I work at, but I’ve heard that putting a plastic marker behind the drop on your Blackjack table is a signal to surveillance that something funny is going on. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coded-messages-and-secret-signals-for-holy-crap-weve-got-trouble/493255/64 "2009-04-18T05:51:04Z")
We had various codes in high school, all based around the “teacher’s meeting.” (Which doesn’t exist). They were “public secrets.” Every student knew what they meant without being specifically told. The basic one was “The teacher’s meeting has been canceled,” meaning get everyone in the rooms, the police are bringing in the dogs to check the lockers for drugs. I was lucky to be around (and across the hall) for the first ever “The teacher’s meeting has been rescheduled for Wednesday in room 213.” Which meant there’s a student with a weapon in room 213. (It turned out to be a gun shaped lighter.) ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coded-messages-and-secret-signals-for-holy-crap-weve-got-trouble/493255/65 "2009-04-18T06:35:26Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > A friend of mine from law school used to be a lifeguard at a large water park. According to her, one of theirs was “Code Baby Ruth.” It meant there was a turd in one of the pools. On the Disney Cruise Line ships, this is “a Winnie.” We had a couple more - “GI Joe” or “protein spill” was vomit/diarrhea, “red parties” was a fire, and “bright star” as metioned above was a medical emergency. I think there were more, it’s been a while. ---
**Author:** ![Fir\_na\_tine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fir\_na\_tine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fir_na_tine)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coded-messages-and-secret-signals-for-holy-crap-weve-got-trouble/493255/66 "2009-04-18T20:40:26Z")
When I was in the AF in the late 60’s, the term [Broken-arrow](http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/ops/broken-arrow.htm) meant there was an accident of some type involving nuclear weapons. At our SAC base we had monthly drills on how quickly we could evacuate the area designated as having the accident. If you didn’t pass the drill, you were in big trouble. ---
**Author:** ![whatami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/85f322/32.png) [@whatami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whatami)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coded-messages-and-secret-signals-for-holy-crap-weve-got-trouble/493255/67 "2009-04-18T22:50:54Z")
> [@jharvey963](#): > > In aviation, in addition to the aforementioned “mayday, mayday”, there is also “pan pan, pan pan”. It’s been a while – I THINK its definition is “I’m in an urgent situation, but not yet an emergency”. > > Regarding banks, I remember seeing in some show that local banks had agreed-upon signals with the local police. Setting something in a particular way meant “everything is fine”. Conversely, if the bank had been open for a few minutes already and this sign wasn’t set, the police would assume something bad was going down and bring in the cavalry. Now that I think of it some more, I think this was in the movie Bandits with Billy Bob Thornton. The signal was turning the blinds a particular way. Does anyone know if this is purely a movie construct, or if its real? > > J. For banks, this isn’t for the police, but for the next employees to arrive. When I was in a branch, the first person in would turn off the alarm, and check each room and hiding place. Once the branch was swept, an “all clear” signal would be set (usually a certain blind being open or closed, or maybe a piece of paper posted at the door). If the 2nd person in didn’t see the all clear signal, they would have to call in the branch and ask for a certain person. When the phone call was answered (or not answered) and the person said that person wasn’t available, you knew to call the police. If the person just forgot to set the signal, they’d just say, “Oh shit, sorry”, and then set the signal. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coded-messages-and-secret-signals-for-holy-crap-weve-got-trouble/493255.md?page=3)