Intimidation... maintain or break eye contact? (carry, prison)

[MerriMAC]

Imagine you are sitting somewhere in a public place during the afternoon. Five 20 year olds (look like gang members) sit down about 25 feet away diagonally from you. They are talk quietly while texting. You look continue looking around at the scenery. Then you notice one of the 20 year olds is staring at you, possibly trying to intimidate.

Do you maintain eye contact (until the other looks away) or do you break eye contact first?

[Almeida93]

Shoot to kill


Murica

[kanhawk]

I say avoid eye contact. The street psychos consider it a challenge, that you are "eyeballing"them. Avoid all contact period.

[golgi1]

I'm going to refrain from answering to give Darwin a chance to sort it out. Go with your instinct.

[wit-nit]

Originally Posted by kanhawk

I say avoid eye contact. The street psychos consider it a challenge, that you are "eyeballing"them. Avoid all contact period.

^^^Exactly. Even the police will tell you this.

[canadian citizen]

It depends on who YOU are .....

In my case, I would wave and say something like `How yah doing `....

If it was my Wife, at five foot and 105 pounds.......probably not.

Jim b. In Toronto.

[Cliffie]

Originally Posted by canadian citizen

It depends on who YOU are .....

In my case, I would wave and say something like `How yah doing `....

If it was my Wife, at five foot and 105 pounds.......probably not.

Jim b. In Toronto.

But it also depends on who is trying to intimidate you. Some people will go berserk if you maintain eye contact; others will see your attempt to avoid eye contact as a sign that you are intimidated and will try to go further than they already have.

[Zepheyr]

This is going to sound pretty 'MURICAish but...

I don't look away. And I carry.

Anyone who wants to escalate it beyond staring is going to have to deal with that.

[Sorel36]

Originally Posted by Zepheyr

This is going to sound pretty 'MURICAish but...

I don't look away. And I carry.

Anyone who wants to escalate it beyond staring is going to have to deal with that.

If you really do that it's only a matter of time before you shoot someone. If i had done that every time someone was staring at me, I would have been involved in two fights a month. At least. Don't stare back and keep your head up.

[ABQConvict]

Originally Posted by Zepheyr

This is going to sound pretty 'MURICAish but...

I don't look away. And I carry.

Anyone who wants to escalate it beyond staring is going to have to deal with that.

You don't live in the parts of 'Murica' where I have lived or you would have been posting that from prison.