--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Could be. I’m a pretty dangerous dude…" description: "\"Could be. I’m a pretty dangerous dude when I’m cornered.” “Yeah,” said the voice from under the table, “you go to pieces so fast people get hit by the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/douglas-adams-122_dangerous_could-be-i-m-a-pretty-dangerous-dude-whe_68907.png" --- # Could be. I’m a pretty dangerous dude when I’m cornered.”… ![“Could be. I’m a pretty dangerous dude when I’m cornered.” “Yeah,” said the voice from under the table, “you go to pieces so fast people get hit by the shrapnel.” quote by Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/douglas-adams-122_dangerous_could-be-i-m-a-pretty-dangerous-dude-whe_68907.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/douglas-adams-122_dangerous_could-be-i-m-a-pretty-dangerous-dude-whe_68907.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/douglas-adams-122_dangerous_could-be-i-m-a-pretty-dangerous-dude-whe_68907.png) > “Could be. I’m a pretty dangerous dude when I’m cornered.” “Yeah,” said the voice from under the table, “you go to pieces so fast people get hit by the shrapnel.” [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When pressured, the speaker becomes unexpectedly violent, and the observer notes how quickly they lose composure, causing collateral damage. **In simple terms:** Pressure reveals hidden aggression. Key Takeaway Stress can trigger destructive behavior. Themes power dynamics self-control violence psychology conflict Mood tense darkly humorous cautionary Type dialogue warning character insight When to use this quote - high‑stakes negotiations - personal confrontations - tight deadlines - dangerous environments Key Concepts danger reaction vulnerability Practical Applications - conflict de‑escalation training - stress‑management coaching Questions to Reflect On - How might you recognize early signs of escalation? - What strategies can keep composure under pressure? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cornered Yeah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cornered-yeah-911273/) [Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Dangerous Dude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous-dude-911271/) [Dude Cornered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dude-cornered-911270/) [Hit Shrapnel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hit-shrapnel-911272/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pieces/) [Pretty Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretty-dangerous-911274/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Tables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tables/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) [Yeah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yeah/) ## Related quotes > [“They will be scared to touch her, even the ones who believe her, because they don't want to risk getting hit by shrapnel when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/they-will-be-scared-to-touch-her-even-the-ones-who-believe-her/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [A world in which there are no secrets that can be protected at all is going to be a pretty dangerous world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/a-world-in-which-there-are-no-secrets-that-can-be-protected-at-all-is/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [“I should have realized that somebody that pretty was dangerous. She was like a freaking walking Venus flytrap.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-a-fuller/i-should-have-realized-that-somebody-that-pretty-was-dangerous-she/) [Tara A. Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-a-fuller/) > [It's pretty dangerous if you approach music trying to please other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-anderson/it-s-pretty-dangerous-if-you-approach-music-trying-to-please-other/) [Adam Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-anderson/) > [“His question is pretty dangerous for me to try to answer, so I don’t—it continues to hang out there like the stained underwear at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-naumann/his-question-is-pretty-dangerous-for-me-to-try-to-answer-so-i-don-t/) [Jen Naumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-naumann/) > [ I was known to spout off about \[ politics and religion\] sometimes, especially in my drinkin' days! It was pretty dangerous actually. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-young/i-was-known-to-spout-off-about-politics-and-religion-sometimes/) [Steve Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-young/) > [All the guys at this top level, they're pretty much dangerous all over the place. If you're not good all over the place, you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hunt/all-the-guys-at-this-top-level-they-re-pretty-much-dangerous-all-over/) [Mark Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hunt/) > [After a while he played with the pencil and the paper again and was delighted when he discovered how to make a mark with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/after-a-while-he-played-with-the-pencil-and-the-paper-again-and-was/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [Without a vision there is no possibility of creating something larger than what al-ready exists. An entrepreneur has to be able to bring something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/without-a-vision-there-is-no-possibility-of-creating-something-larger/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [When I sit at my table to write, I never know what it's going to be until I'm under way. I trust in inspiration,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-moravia/when-i-sit-at-my-table-to-write-i-never-know-what-it-s-going-to-be/) [Alberto Moravia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-moravia/) > [I spend a lot of time loathing the sentences that I put down on the page. Once I'm past that phase, it doesn't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-loathing-the-sentences-that-i-put-down-on-the/) [Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/) > [You would not exist if you did not have something to bring to the table of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/you-would-not-exist-if-you-did-not-have-something-to-bring-to-the/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [One day I decided I would like to put a record into my system. So I picked up a record that was lying on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-oliveros/one-day-i-decided-i-would-like-to-put-a-record-into-my-system-so-i/) [Pauline Oliveros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-oliveros/) > [The language we share is at the core of our identity as citizens, and our ticket to full participation in American political life. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-i-hayakawa/the-language-we-share-is-at-the-core-of-our-identity-as-citizens-and/) [S. I. Hayakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-i-hayakawa/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) ## More by Douglas Adams > [2,000 years ago one man got nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be if everyone was nice to each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/2-000-years-ago-one-man-got-nailed-to-a-tree-for-saying-how-great-it/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [What a wonderfully exciting cough,' said the little man, quite startled by it, 'do you mind if I join you?' And with that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/what-a-wonderfully-exciting-cough-said-the-little-man-quite-startled/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [The technology involved in making anything invisible is so infinitely complex that nine hundred and ninety-nine billion, nine hundred and ninety-nine million, nine hundred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-technology-involved-in-making-anything-invisible-is-so-infinitely/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [One is never alone with a rubber duck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/one-is-never-alone-with-a-rubber-duck/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/this-must-be-thursday-i-never-could-get-the-hang-of-thursdays/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [There are some oddities in the perspective with which we see the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/there-are-some-oddities-in-the-perspective-with-which-we-see-the-world/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“Eight hours West sat a man alone on a beach mourning an inexplicable loss. He could only think of his loss in little packets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/eight-hours-west-sat-a-man-alone-on-a-beach-mourning-an-inexplicable/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“The Universe, the whole infinite Universe. The infinite suns, the infinite distances between them, and yourself an invisible dot on an invisible dot, infinitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-universe-the-whole-infinite-universe-the-infinite-suns-the/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [People always make this totally artificial distinction between what is commercial and what is good. They quote that maxim "Nobody ever lost money underestimating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/people-always-make-this-totally-artificial-distinction-between-what/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [Any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/any-man-who-can-hitch-the-length-and-breadth-of-the-galaxy-rough-it/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [ Does God know he \[exists\]?" "Of course he does. Otherwise, you could not have asked the question, and I could not have answered. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/does-god-know-he-exists-of-course-he-does-otherwise-you-could-not/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“When we told our guide that we didn't want to go to all the tourist places he took us instead to the places where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/when-we-told-our-guide-that-we-didn-t-want-to-go-to-all-the-tourist/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“But Douglas was a genius, because he saw the world differently, and more importantly, he could communicate the world he saw.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/but-douglas-was-a-genius-because-he-saw-the-world-differently-and/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“The bits which did mean anything were often so wonderfully buried that no one could ever spot them slipping past in the avalanche of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-bits-which-did-mean-anything-were-often-so-wonderfully-buried/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [You come to me for advice, but you can't cope with anything you don't recognize. Hmmm. So we'll have to tell you something you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/you-come-to-me-for-advice-but-you-can-t-cope-with-anything-you-don-t/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) [Explore all 1,168 Douglas Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) ## More Dangerous quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [We're not very dangerous animals; we don't have a horn like a rhino or quills like a porcupine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fisher/we-re-not-very-dangerous-animals-we-don-t-have-a-horn-like-a-rhino-or/) [Helen Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fisher/) > [“It is dangerous to lock oneself away and lose track of what is happening outside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/it-is-dangerous-to-lock-oneself-away-and-lose-track-of-what-is/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [Its extremely dangerous to compare anyone else to Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/its-extremely-dangerous-to-compare-anyone-else-to-shakespeare/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [In my youth-team days, I was always a left-winger who would stay close to the byline and put crosses in the box, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjen-robben/in-my-youth-team-days-i-was-always-a-left-winger-who-would-stay-close/) [Arjen Robben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjen-robben/) > [The temptations of God were always more dangerous for mankind than those of Satan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-temptations-of-god-were-always-more-dangerous-for-mankind-than/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [When you start talking about elections being rigged, you're pushing people beyond democratic governance. And it's a very, very dangerous thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-you-start-talking-about-elections-being-rigged-you-re-pushing/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [Die gefährlichste Weltanschauung ist die Weltanschauung derer, die die Welt nie angeschaut haben. (The most dangerous worldview is the worldview of those who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-von-humboldt/die-gef-hrlichste-weltanschauung-ist-die-weltanschauung-derer-die-die/) [Alexander von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-von-humboldt/) > [The most dangerous creature here would have to be me. So maybe I'm just scared of my own shadow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-most-dangerous-creature-here-would-have-to-be-me-so-maybe-i-m/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [The more people that learn about you, even if you're an underdog, then you can come under fire a lot and the more attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/the-more-people-that-learn-about-you-even-if-you-re-an-underdog-then/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [Anyone who maintains absolute standards of good and evil is dangerous. As dangerous as a maniac with a loaded revolver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/anyone-who-maintains-absolute-standards-of-good-and-evil-is-dangerous/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The proliferation of right-to-carry laws throughout the states has drawn plaintive complaints from the criminal element. They feel that it makes their profession too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-proliferation-of-right-to-carry-laws-throughout-the-states-has/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) [Browse all 6,450 Dangerous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Could be. I’m a pretty dangerous dude when I’m cornered.” “Yeah,” said the voice from under the table, “you go to pieces so fast people get hit by the shrapnel.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Douglas Adams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/could-be-i-m-a-pretty-dangerous-dude-when-i-m-cornered-yeah-said-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dangerous" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/could-be-i-m-a-pretty-dangerous-dude-when-i-m-cornered-yeah-said-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/douglas-adams-122_dangerous_could-be-i-m-a-pretty-dangerous-dude-whe_68907.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/douglas-adams-122_dangerous_could-be-i-m-a-pretty-dangerous-dude-whe_68907.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/douglas-adams-122_dangerous_could-be-i-m-a-pretty-dangerous-dude-whe_68907.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Could be. I’m a pretty dangerous dude when I’m cornered.” “Yeah,” said the voice from under the table, “you…” — Douglas Adams", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Douglas Adams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Could be. I’m a pretty dangerous...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/could-be-i-m-a-pretty-dangerous-dude-when-i-m-cornered-yeah-said-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/could-be-i-m-a-pretty-dangerous-dude-when-i-m-cornered-yeah-said-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```