Intimidation

[TheLastBoyScout]

One of my adult range buddies, a former Marine infantryman, told me that, in close quarters "Power percieved is power achieved" and that if you can get a bg to believe that you're in complete control of a situation, its almost as good as actually being in control of the situation.
Is this true? If so, what are the best methods for intimidating an intruder in a HD scenario (Right now I'm thinking of something along the lines of blinding him with a flashlight and ordering him to the deck with authority). I know that if an intruder presents a credible threat to an individual, then shooting first would probably be preferable, but I can see scenarios where it would be very preferable to stop the situation without shooting. Besides, it's not like anyone here is going to investigate anything that could be an intruder without some means of stopping him by force if necessary, so the ability to intimidate the intruder into stopping would just be another skill in the repertoire.

PS I'm sorry if this post ended up being really unfocused, but it's pretty late and its a stressful week school wise, so bear with me.

 

[ahadams]

what you're dealing with are psychological effects of a confrontation: which is why 90 percent of all encounters between a b.g. and an armed civilian result in no shots fired - the b.g. s, by and large have enough common sense to run away! The problem is that you're betting your life that you wont run into one of the other 10 percent...and that is NOT a good bet; at least IMHO.

[corrected spelling]

 

[Yohan]

Wouldn't 2 double taps to the chest do the job as well?

 

[XLMiguel]

Yohan, you mean 'two warning shots to the chest', right?

 

[FPrice]

TheLastBoyScout...

"One of my adult range buddies, a former Marine infantryman, told me that, in close quarters "Power percieved is power achieved"..."

That comes from, IIRC, the movie "The Substitute" with Tom Berenger and Ernie Hudson. A good movie about a mercenary who pretends to be a substitute teacher in order to avenge his gf's assault and take out a high school drug gang.

 

[B_Scott]

I agree with lastboyscout. I have had shady looking people pass me and out of nowhere tell me "I don't mean no harm, man".
I guess I just gave them the right look.
Anything that tells them that you are not a victim is good.

 

[kannonfyre]

Yes sometimes the BG can be frightened off.

Just an incident 3 years ago.....

.....I was going home on a double decker bus after an afternoon of pumping iron at the gym. I took a seat on the upper floor to admire the view and halfway through the trip some gangsta wannabe teenager boards the bus, climbs up to the upper floor and approaches my seat. The upper floor is empty and this is what transpired:

Young Punk: Eh S%%%head, you're in my fav seat.
Me: So?? This here is public property, go find some other seat.
Young Punk takes out a flimsy looking made in PRC jack knife and says: See this here knife?? I'm gonna......
At this point, I stand up to full height and stare straight into his eyes, pumped up arms at the ready and interrupt him
Me: Do F$%^ing what you snot eating piece of S#@$! Put that knife away and go sit in the back before I BREAK your arm and make you EAT your knife.

The thug-in-training did his sums, realised that I the muscle to back up my threats and did a "tactical withdrawl" to the lower floor.

Of course I avoided taking that bus again for fear of him bringing back up but does show that if you've defeated your opponent psychologically then the battle is already won.

 

[VaughnT]

Recall, if you will, your school days and the school bully. Was the school bully the biggest and baddest in the school? Or, more likely, did he have the biggest mouth and a good poker-face that didn't allow you to read his true intentions? No doubt about it, at least in my school, the bullies weren't that tough, even in numbers, and would often leave you be if you looked ready for a fight.

In any encounter, if you look weak and indecisive, the badguy can and will try to profit off of you. If you look like you don't mind a good scrap, there's a good chance that he will back down because the badguys are, by and large, a group of cowards.

This is not a matter of being scared or not. You might be terrified of getting hurt/shot/killed, and no one wants that, but you can't let it show. More importantly, you need to stand tall and talk big.

You need to speak loudly and with conviction. You need to embrace the aspect of the tiger. And though your death might seem imminent, let your antagonist know that you will not go easily into that dark place. Screaming defiance with your last breath, plunge your finger into his eye!

I AM NO EASY MEAT!!!

 

[Gordon]

When I was in 7th grade in the 50's some giant 17 year old (left back a few times) criminal decides to beat me up after school. He and 2 toadies surrounded average 12 year old me and he smacks me in face. Well I was a weapons dude even then and I wrestled him down ignoring his toadies pummeling me with rocks and pounded a compass(thing with pencil and pointy other end for circle) into his chest until he passed out. Sure I got whipped at home when the cops showed up because the whimpy POS was seriously injured (me lightly bruised and cut) , but I was never harrased again all thru school (into 12th grade). I was somewhat traumatised because of lack of support for my actions by my parents, so I have been a raging survivalist ever since.

 

[VaughnT]

Gordon, I share your pain, friend! I still remember the horrible feelings of abandonment and betrayal when my parents, my own flesh and blood, yelled at me and berated me for defending myself against the schoolyard terror. Many adults think that getting bullied is a natural part of growing up and that there aren't lasting consequences for the bullied. Modern science is only just bringing light on just how damaging such things can be.

On the bright side, being exposed to such behavior does change your outlook on a lot of things.

 

[CWL]

I'm not as big into the "intimidation" factor as I am with the "I am aware of my surroundings and am able to take care of myself" attitude. I think that a cold and cool look over the situation usually sends the right message to potential BGs. In HD-don't bother talking to the BG beyond initial warning that you have a gun and have called the cops, -let him/her make the next move so that you can finish it. Stay silent-this is more creepy. Getting into a conversation with BGs just sets you up for an attack.

This is akin to being alert and in Condition Yellow at all times. This is to the extent of crossing the street to avoid rabble or to just walk away when being verbally confronted.

I think it is different in Sports and in Military applications though. Obviously military application has to have all troops primed and ready to kill. Similiar in competitive sports where intimidating the opponent can win the event (I still remember my judo days when I could sometimes feel my opponent trembling through his gi ((I once accidentally broke a guy's collarbone and developed a violent rep from it)) -it sure gave me the edge!

But walking down your hometown street and staring everyone in their eyes just daring them to start something so that you can finish it, -that's not for me.

 

[Moondancer]

I really like CWL's comment:

Stay silent-this is more creepy.

Imagine being the BG.

Option 1: You suddenly have a bright light in your eyes and hear "Don't move, I have a gun and the police are on their way!"

Option 2: You suddenly have a bright light in your eyes and don't hear a sound.

Since I'm not a BG, so which would be more un-nerving?

 

[C. H. Luke]

Intimidation is what Bullies use and usually goes hand in hand with
an IQ of around air temperature.
If it's a "true" Criminal you're forced to deal with Deadly Physical Force, Intimidation dosen't work.........as your'e dealing with your Garden Variety Sociopath.

 

[tommytrauma]

Gordon, I share your pain, friend! I still remember the horrible feelings of abandonment and betrayal when my parents, my own flesh and blood, yelled at me and berated me for defending myself against the schoolyard terror.

I had pretty much the opposite experience. I remember the Principal calling my father to tell him I’d been involved in a fight, and Dad’s first question being “Did he win?â€

I strongly believe that not looking like prey is essential to avoiding confrontations.

 

[bogie]

Heh - didn't get my growth until after high school...

It is FUN going to reunions, and meeting up with scrawny pot-bellied (hey, I may be a bit oversized, but I can pick 'em up and carry 'em around for a while...) guys who are losing their hair.

 

[Mute]

"Power percieved is power achieved"

Yes, but power applied will make a street punk cry. Make sure you can back it up.

 

[Erik]

Power perceived is indeed power acheived.

Are there exceptions? Sure. Don't dwell on them too much. Just be able to back up the perception and all should be well, after all.

Relative to home defense:

Imagine the annoying alarm sytem commercial where the wife calls the alarm system help desk and squeekes unsure answers.

Now imagine you hear a guy you're pretty sure sounds like a large-angry-yet-calm-sure-of-himself-retired-Marine tell a third party to cover one side of the stairway while he covers the other.

Which stairway might you, as the bag guy, choses to venture up?

 

[CWL]

Intimidation simply doesn't work against the ones you most need to stand up against.

If it did, why doesnt' it work for cops to just announce themselves so that a perp will automatically surrender. Obviously they have lots of training & experience & guns! -Wouldn't a perp see the hpelessness of his/her situation?

The typical 17-23 year old crankhead with reflexes like a cat isn't going to pay any heed to whatever you say.

 

[Rosco Benson]

Intimidation? If it works, it works. For example, Lott's research shows that just displaying a firearm causes the bad guy(s) to depart about 50% of the time (given all of the unreported altercations that are resolved without gunfire, one wonders if the percentage isn't even higher). However, intimidation alone is not to be counted on. One must have the resolve to fight if need be, as the most dangerous criminals are not particularly impressed with threats. This might be because they're drugged, desperate, crazy, or hyper-confident...the reason doesn't matter.

"Intimidation" is probably more important during the "victim selection process". Moving well, being alert and aware of one's surroundings, and looking capable may well cause the criminal to bypass selecting such a person and to wait for a chump. An altercation avoided is an altercation won.

Rosco

 

[justice4all]

In my home, if they aren't intimidated enough by the dog to decide against breaking in, then I would definitely be in fear for my life and that of my wife. There will be no further warning.

 

[bad_dad_brad]

I do not care about my physical well being (life has been rather hard on me) and so that brings about a certain aura.

I have been told that I wear a scowl that conveys that attitude. Consequently nobody messes with me much. Don't look like a victim is probably good advice. The person that smiles all the time is going to get mugged.

I have several friends that when meeting them at first, I automatically go into condition yellow, even though I know them, and trust them. I have been told, that I have that same affect on others.

It is all about attitude. Practice your war face. Keep it on all the time. That is, unless she is beautiful. Then smile like Gene Kelly singing in the rain!

 

[bad_dad_brad]

Forgot something very important. Wear your war face, but do not initiate eye contact until confontation is immanent. Eye contact in the mammilian animal world is considered a challenge (and we are animals after all - try it on a dog sometime - they go ape). Just use the blank shark eye stare. It keeps them guessing.

 

[goon]

When I was in school, I learned that the right hand on the throat worked pretty well to get the point across.
I have always had big hands, and after being picked on for years, I decided that I might as well use them.
It amazed me how well that worked out.
I was in a couple of fights, and kicked out of school a couple of times for it. I never had a straight up decisive victory, but I did always hold my own.
After 10th grade, I never even had to raise my voice again.
It kind of sucked, because many of my "friends" were only nice to me because they were a little bit afraid of me, eventhough I was always calm and reserved any other time (mostly a nerdy honor student).
But all in all, a little intimidation can be a good thing.

 

[Rosco Benson]

bad dad brad wrote;
....but do not initiate eye contact until confontation is immanent. Eye contact in the mammilian animal world is considered a challenge

I would agree that extended eye contact can cause problems, however brief confident eye contact (which Tom Givens describes well as "Yeah, I see you, a**hole") communicates an awareness of one's surroundings that can prevent trouble. Like many things, a little goes a long way.

Rosco

 

[geekWithA.45]

Mixed in here somewhere is the "Aura of command" and "voice of authority" that police training talks about.

Seem to me the key is to be decisive and vigorous, and to convey an unambiguous command of the environment that flows outwards from command of the self.

Being silent is creepy, but it is also ambiguous. A deep, throaty voice (that doesn't break into a squeal) coming deep from the diaphram is often all ya need.

The other key is to issue direct commands.


Illustration: many years ago I was getting gas in a red light district....(just...don't go there. It was on the way home. ) A lady of the evening approached my car, and was trying to hustle some cash out of me, without even offering her wares.

A minute of polite, even firm declines, didn't work. "No, I'm not interested, I can't help you, I have nothing for you", and so forth didn't convince her to stop hanging on my car so I could leave.

The magic words? A simple, direct command, evenly delivered.

"Lady, STEP AWAY from my car. Do it NOW" brought immediate compliance. I drove away normally, no further problems.