Yeah I heard about this story a few days ago, and I'm ashamed of what this country has become. We don't even have smart criminals anymore, who actually do research and have a solid plan, now we've just got dingbats who think they're so tough until they actually get in trouble. Then they either run or hide in the bathroom.
It's a good thing that most criminals are not that bright and have no plan when it goes to shit on them. Just think of the damage smart criminals would do if committing the same crimes?
Oh, you miss the point, MM.... The distribution of intelligence in criminals is the same as the General Population.... It is just that only the stupid ones get caught, so they are the only ones that you hear about.... And make the NEWS....
When all one has is an empty hand, bluffing is probably one of the few options open to oneself, at least as a brief distraction to exploit or create another opportunity to change the situation to one's favour. Deception works best when it plays to the strongest of fears (death); or the strongest of desires (for some that is greed or not dying). A bandit's worst fear is being shot and dying at the hands of a very pissed off homeowner with a gun. The contest upstairs with the discharge of a pistol helped make that fear for the three downstairs quite concrete, and so they fled. In that case it saved the homeowner much more grief than might have been the case. However, against irrational lunatics and hyped up drug affected perps...the odds of a bluff working may be more chancy.
With 3 AR's, 5 shotguns, 3 semi auto 9mm pistols, and that's the tip of the iceberg, if I shout grab the AR or whatever it is no bluff. More than likely I will touch and hand signal or hand off a weapon and make a silent approach on the intruders. Woe be the fools .....
When I first read your response I disagreed on your " The distribution of intelligence in criminals is the same as the General Population" and started typing why I did not agree. Then as I wrote and got to the part about saying the percentage of average or below intelligence vs smart people in the general population I realized the numbers were very close to what I think about criminals, you were right. This is just my opinion, but I think in the GP average or below intelligence vs what I consider smart is 70% vs 30% and criminals are 80% vs 20%, pretty close. Common sense is a major factor in how I judge people.
Glad his bluff worked--bad to get one called. Bluffed an irate gent once into thinking I was going for a pistol under the seat and he left quickly. Would have been in a mess had he went for his. My goal is never to be in a position where I have to bluff.
I got jumped on camera in a convienance store, a number of years ago, I had a rational discussion with the leader of three, while holding a wrist lock on him. When I released him, he stuck his hand into his jacket and claimed he had a big gun, and would kill me. I threw him down to choke him out, but misjudged the adrenaline. He went airborne and landed back first and head down at the counter. THEN I choked him out, and convinced his buddies to drag him off, or his head was coming off.....never get caught bluffing. It pisses people off. (A gun would have made a much bigger bulge than his hand did.) Store keeper had the tape a few days later and kept asking for pointers (and yet he never went for the bat or shotgun behind the counter. Just kept yelling "take it outside!")
For a bluff to work, it has to be credible. Me, threatening an assailant by saying that " I'll pull out my Vorpal Blade and cut you in two", will probably only work on someone who plays Dungeons and Dragons.
I'm not sure 7 of 10 I met these days can tie their shoes without instructions...and at least 3 can't even read the instructions.