Slightly off-thread I know, but one thing that amuses me is the habit of pilots "backing up" the throttles on take off. I was a pax in a Metro taking off from Sydney and as it turned to line up I saw two hands shoving the throttles forward and all the way on the take off run were these two large mitts completely covering the throttles until after lift off both hands vanished to later appear on respective knees.
Same in 737 cockpits. Some one presses TOGA and next second a second hand appears and follows through until rotate then magically both hands disappear. I often wonder about the trauma blood and bits of skin that would be the result of the follow up hand being squashed between the start levers and the sharp edge of both throttles if the captain (who presumably is in charge of the throttles) suddenly decides to whip the throttles closed as he calls "rejecting"
After all, politeness has it's place in society but I can't imagine him saying to the backer up of throttles "Excuse me old chap would you mind removing your hand from my throttles as I wish to reject the take off"