Desperate Circumstances call for Desperate Measures

In emergency situations no one thinks quite like they do normally. I've always been proud of myself for being a "cool head" when things are seriously going wrong but as I have read more and studied more about mental processes and particularly the decision making process under stress, and paid more attention to my own mind, even I know that the way I think under stress is not the way I think when I am calm, comfortable and safe.
Something I think a lot of people are prone to under stress is making decisions that, for a more immediate or easier reward, add a small, temporary, amount of risk to the situation.
At a certain point some additional risks bring about a greater benefit than not taking them - I can remember being 14 and driving 70 down a dirt road it could be dangerous to go 45 on, with my mom in the passenger seat apparently having a heart attack. It was a near-fatal potassium imbalance, as it turned out, but no less dangerous. There was risk to driving that fast, although the road was in good condition it was also un-predictable to a certain extent and not safe at higher speeds. There was also a greater risk if not driving fast - at a normal speed of 35mph its an hours drive to meet the ambulance. At 70, its half an hour. I knew I could handle the vehicle at 70, I wasnt an inexperienced driver. The risk, under the circumstances, was worth the reward.
But some risks arent.
People tend to say "desperate circumstances call for desperate measures" when faced with an emergency situation, as a way to justify driving a little faster or taking other additional risks for perceived gains - but it can be dangerous.
Tonight was the first night of the season we've needed to heat the house. This is a 60+ year old ranch house and is still dependant on wood-fired heat. For fun, and to at least encourage my skills, I built the fire somewhat by-hand, using a knife to break large kindling into splinters and make fuzz sticks and starting a little pile of shavings burning with some flakes off a magnesium block, then adding to it with larger pieces until I had a fire. Nice, cedar and pinon fire that went from a little bit of flame to a great roaring fire.
But, I had to stop myself at one point while I was splitting cedar into fine kindling. I caught myself slipping the knife blade under a large splinter and starting to pull it back towards my hand holding the piece of wood. The first lesson my dad ever taught me about a knife, when I got my first one at 6 years old, was to never cut toward myself. I've proved him right many times, and gone with him to the hospital when he proved himself extremely right one day a few years ago. I never want to cut myself, it sucks. As a knife-maker, I do it a lot, but it still sucks and I still dont like it. I like $1000.01 bills (the exact bill the last time I had stitches) for less than ten stitches even less.
But, it struck me, if I was really stuck somewhere miserable and cold (on a night like tonight, its still early fall but the temp has dropped fast and its snowing but earlier today I was out in short-sleeves), trying to build a fire, how much would I hurt myself to cut my hand, even minorly? How handicapped would I be with my hand cut, bandaged and maybe restricted or completely useless? What if I seriously injured myself, hit the artery in my arm, or slipped even further trying not to cut myself and stuck it in my thigh?
And would it have been worth it? No. It was taking a short-cut to something it would have only taken me a second longer to do right, turn the stick around and whittle the splinter off from a safe direction.
Easily learned lesson - no pain, no suffering. Most good lessons dont come so easily.
Desperate circumstances can call for desperate measures - but not stupid ones. Theres never an excuse for being stupid and dangerous.