Stupid move, or good strategy?

I have found myself in the following situation a number of times (sorry for not having a actual hand ready for this, I can't remember which table it happened to me on last and don't have time to search all my histories).

Playing on a table, and in late position (all callers are before me). Some betting has happened during the round, and I am assuming they are on a high pair, or something similar. The board has come down and a low straight exists on the board, the straight is a rainbow. All others call to me.

Now I know that the straight on the board is likely the best hand, with the exception of holding the card that makes a higher straight (if 2-6 on board, could have a 7). Since all others have checked to me, I am assuming that they do not hold that card, so we are looking at a split pot. Therefore I make a fairly aggressive bet (half to equal to the pot). Purpose of this is to take the whole pot for myself, or if there are a number of people in the pot, to split it between 2 instead of 3 at least.

Too me this is a good play, and in the 4 or 5 times I have been in a situation to do it, it has resulted in me winning the whole pot to myself twice. The other times that I have tried it though, the other player has called my bluff and matched my bet to result in a chopped pot anyways.

Following on from the times that they have called me on it and seen I was bluffing, it is always followed by a bit of abuse about what a stupid move, and how all I have managed to do is increase the rake, and blah blah blah!

I probably won't change my strategy on this as it is making me money and is yet to cost me (if they have the higher straight I would expect a raise before it got to me, so I am always pretty confident it will be a chop). But I am wondering if this is unethical or rude in any way. I do see the point of it being pointless when the other person calls me on it and we chop the pot anyways, but I need to attempt the steal.

It's only worth it if it's a big pot. Don't try to do that in a small hand, because it just isn't worth the risk. Also, what do you do if someone raises you? Do you have the guts to call their raise? If not, you can't make the play.

Betting there is fine, you can steal a split pot and its a setup for getting paid when you do have the top of the straight. I wouldn't do it all the time though.

The only thing that annoys me is when someone shoves with broadway no flush possible on board. Even then you could put in less than pot bet to see if your opponent is stupid enough to fold. It doesn't have to work too often to pay for the extra rake, but if you shove that rake adds up.

I think it depends on other factors.

HU its probably not a bad play if you feel that your opponent will think you are representing the 7.

The only problem is that most people that have the 7 would actually atempt to slow play it to gain some value. So the normal play would be to check.

In a multiway pot the likelyhood that someone has a 7 increases so you may be playing into the hands of someone slowplaying.

I think its one of those highly situational plays.

So far I have only played in micro limit games and small buy in tournaments. This strategy has worked very well so far. I can see that someone may be slowplaying if they had that 7, and I would get sucked in for that case.

To answer the re-raise question, I would be folding as soon as I saw that as I would assume they had a higher straight. As would I probably fold if they did a decent raise before me (unless I had them pegged as someone who bluffs a lot).

Depends on how many players are in the hand and how they played before.
Which position do they got, is it cash or turnement play?!?
As always: it depends on many different things!

I would say FE against people is greater than the rake you will pay at the lower levels. The bigger risk is a c/r bluff but thats not as much of a risk at the lower levels. I dont think its rude at all, I mean we are playing for each others money if someone might fold then its worth it.

Is this a cash table or tournament? If it's a cash table remember that if you have a split pot especially with 3 players there is a rake taken and you will actually lose money. In a tournament it might be worth a bluff if you have seen a lot of folding or someone is making a post oak bluff. I might be concerned with someone playing trips and if the board pairs then the straight is no good to a full house. Without seeing the history it's hard to tell exactly but it's something to remember.

Was a cash game, with no pairs on the board. Yeah, I realise that if everyone calls my bet, then I end up with less due to the rake, but most of the time so far it has resulted in others folding and me getting the entire pot. From the sounds of these replies though, I will probably find people don't believe that bluff as much when I manage to go up levels.