Global geometric properties of product manifolds M = M × R2, endowed with a metric type 〈·, ·〉 = 〈·, ·〉R + 2dudv + H(x, u)du 2 (where 〈·, ·〉R is a Riemannian metric on M and H : M × R → R a function), which generalize classical plane waves, are revisited. Our study covers causality (causal ladder, inexistence of horizons), geodesic completeness, geodesic connectedness and existence of conjugate...