In macOS there are also ping spikes when you open the WiFi menu bar [1]. This still happens in macOS Monterey.
It is a bit of a trade off since if you want to see every possible available AP, even the shitty ones with signal levels at like -80, you can't be noisy on your own radio at the same time as you scan the band.
Remember it's a half duplex medium.
It does it even more if you hold down option and click the wifi menu bar, to get detailed signal strength/info on the AP you're presently connected to.
1. I can't see how you'd enumerate wifi networks without degrading network performance.
2. The user has specifically initiated a wifi-related action.
3. There's not generally any need to use that menu unless the network is already not working.