Beware of 'spit attack'!

Next, as we have "lift-off" and the semi- liquid projectile is airborne, reflex actions within people in the immediate vicinity prompt them to move away from the trajectory. The accompanying sound is a pre-warning of what is to come. Few more modest expulsions in the likes of aftershocks may or may not follow. The silent ones catch you off-guard as your sensors cannot pick up the forewarning.

There are three distinct breeds of spitters: good, bad, and ugly. Good have the decency to judge the surrounding before launch and deliver accordingly. Bad ones do not do what the good do. Ugly are those who have total disregard for the immediate vicinity and are least bothered about collateral damage caused in the wake. As opposed to spitting, these perpetrators often spatter the contents and as such cover a wider area. If you happen to be too close by then, some of the unpleasant slimy stuff may actually land on you.