---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's dangerous if you don't know what…"
description: "\"It's dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. The greatest risk of injury is knocking off a piece of ice with your pick and having it fall on you..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/jeff-lowe-15044_dangerous_it-s-dangerous-if-you-don-t-know-what-yo_2132159.jpg"
---

#  It's dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. The…

![“It's dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. The greatest risk of injury is knocking off a piece of ice with your pick and having it fall on your forehead.” quote by Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/jeff-lowe-15044_dangerous_it-s-dangerous-if-you-don-t-know-what-yo_2132159.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/jeff-lowe-15044_dangerous_it-s-dangerous-if-you-don-t-know-what-yo_2132159.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/jeff-lowe-15044_dangerous_it-s-dangerous-if-you-don-t-know-what-yo_2132159.jpg)

> “It's dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. The greatest risk of injury is knocking off a piece of ice with your pick and having it fall on your forehead.”

[Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Ignorance of technique leads to dangerous mistakes; small errors can cause serious injury.

**In simple terms:** Not knowing can cause risky accidents.

Key Takeaway

Learn fundamentals before attempting.

Themes

safety skill risk

Mood

cautious serious

Type

educational warning

When to use this quote

- mountaineering
- rock climbing
- outdoor sports
- training sessions

Key Concepts

Human factors learning theory

Questions to Reflect On

- What basics have you overlooked?
- How do you assess your competence?

A Different Perspective

Overconfidence can mask gaps in knowledge.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Fall Forehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall-forehead-4399464/) [Greatest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest/) [Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ice/) [Injury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injury/) [Injury Knocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injury-knocking-4399465/) [Risk Injury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk-injury-2437418/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/)

## Related quotes

> [I give everything I have every time I take the ball. With that, I also know that there will always be a risk of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masahiro-tanaka/i-give-everything-i-have-every-time-i-take-the-ball-with-that-i-also/)

[Masahiro Tanaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masahiro-tanaka/)

> [It's normal when you play in four competitions there are so many games, and because of this there is more risk of injury or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/it-s-normal-when-you-play-in-four-competitions-there-are-so-many/)

[Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/)

> [I don't like to risk - I'm actually not a tough guy at all, make no mistake about it, so I'm not going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-omega/i-don-t-like-to-risk-i-m-actually-not-a-tough-guy-at-all-make-no/)

[Kenny Omega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-omega/)

> [I think when you play a contact sport there's always inherent risk and inherent risk to injury. At what point do you tolerate it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-kuechly/i-think-when-you-play-a-contact-sport-there-s-always-inherent-risk/)

[Luke Kuechly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-kuechly/)

> [The 'in general' for an injury is R.I.C.E.: rest, ice, compression, elevation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-dubrow/the-in-general-for-an-injury-is-r-i-c-e-rest-ice-compression-elevation/)

[Terry Dubrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-dubrow/)

> [A year ago I had a back injury and followed a good nutrition program to help speed up my recovery. I focused on exercise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-cohen/a-year-ago-i-had-a-back-injury-and-followed-a-good-nutrition-program/)

[Sasha Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-cohen/)

> [I've been mistagged. I like ice climbing, but I do a lot more rock climbing. Ice is just more mysterious and changeable than rock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/i-ve-been-mistagged-i-like-ice-climbing-but-i-do-a-lot-more-rock/)

[Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/)

> [For me, the greatest obstacles are never on the ice itself. That's the area I excel in. That's where my passion is. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-bancroft/for-me-the-greatest-obstacles-are-never-on-the-ice-itself-that-s-the/)

[Ann Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bancroft/)

> [It is suggested that in domestic violence at least the presence or absence of a firearm, or of any other type of weapon, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/it-is-suggested-that-in-domestic-violence-at-least-the-presence-or/)

[Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/)

> [The two principles on which our conduct towards the Indians should be founded are justice and fear. After the injuries we have done them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-two-principles-on-which-our-conduct-towards-the-indians-should-be/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/)

[Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/)

> [ I just have to deal with it \[injuries\] if and when problems happen. It's obviously a concern and I've been very careful with my… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-james/i-just-have-to-deal-with-it-injuries-if-and-when-problems-happen-it-s/)

[Greg James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-james/)

> [I've played lots of games carrying an injury, but people don't value what I do for Barcelona.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/i-ve-played-lots-of-games-carrying-an-injury-but-people-don-t-value/)

[Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/)

> [Forgetting your Self is the greatest injury; all the calamities flow from it. Take care of the most important, the lesser will take care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/forgetting-your-self-is-the-greatest-injury-all-the-calamities-flow/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

> [When my main character in 'Heat' climbs the tower, the highest diving platform, hoping to resume competitive diving after an injury, I am there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cadnum/when-my-main-character-in-heat-climbs-the-tower-the-highest-diving/)

[Michael Cadnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cadnum/)

## More by Jeff Lowe

> [The kind of climbing I like is fast and as free as possible of gadgetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/the-kind-of-climbing-i-like-is-fast-and-as-free-as-possible-of/)

[Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/)

> [I used to think that my business mirrored my climbing - if I wasn't failing at something, I just wasn't trying anything hard enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/i-used-to-think-that-my-business-mirrored-my-climbing-if-i-wasn-t/)

[Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/)

> [I think part of my business problems stemmed from a feeling that I had to be more than a good climber, that I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/i-think-part-of-my-business-problems-stemmed-from-a-feeling-that-i/)

[Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/)

> [Mom would pack our lunch and send us off with no supervision. There were enough of us so that if she lost a few,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/mom-would-pack-our-lunch-and-send-us-off-with-no-supervision-there/)

[Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/)

> [I used to think aging was a scam, a total abdication of your self. Well, aging's not a scam, but quitting is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/i-used-to-think-aging-was-a-scam-a-total-abdication-of-your-self-well/)

[Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/)

> [I've been mistagged. I like ice climbing, but I do a lot more rock climbing. Ice is just more mysterious and changeable than rock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/i-ve-been-mistagged-i-like-ice-climbing-but-i-do-a-lot-more-rock/)

[Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/)

> [The climb will go. Get rid of the rope. It's only distracting you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/the-climb-will-go-get-rid-of-the-rope-it-s-only-distracting-you/)

[Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/)

> [I always thought if I died in the mountains, it would put an asterisk on my climbs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/i-always-thought-if-i-died-in-the-mountains-it-would-put-an-asterisk/)

[Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/)

> [If you're concentrating on climbing , you can't be concentrating on money and cars and houses and wives and boyfriends. And when you come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/if-you-re-concentrating-on-climbing-you-can-t-be-concentrating-on/)

[Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/)

> [I'm not a big adrenaline junkie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/i-m-not-a-big-adrenaline-junkie/)

[Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/)

> [You can base your life in fear or you can base your life in love. Fear leads to negative results even in times that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/you-can-base-your-life-in-fear-or-you-can-base-your-life-in-love-fear/)

[Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/)

> [Wall climbing is an offshoot of the more traditional sport of mountain climbing. It is very difficult; one must combine a great deal of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/wall-climbing-is-an-offshoot-of-the-more-traditional-sport-of/)

[Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/)

> [I was great at testing products at 20,000 feet, but talking them up to buyers? No, not really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/i-was-great-at-testing-products-at-20-000-feet-but-talking-them-up-to/)

[Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/)

> [I can see the time coming when I won't need to be out there in the upper pyramid of climbing, but the things you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/i-can-see-the-time-coming-when-i-won-t-need-to-be-out-there-in-the/)

[Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/)

> [Hunters get lost all the time. There's just an outcry against climbers because a lot of people don't understand climbers and they think they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/hunters-get-lost-all-the-time-there-s-just-an-outcry-against-climbers/)

[Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/)

[Explore all 44 Jeff Lowe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/)

## 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": "It's dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. The greatest risk of injury is knocking off a piece of ice with your pick and having it fall on your forehead.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jeff Lowe"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/it-s-dangerous-if-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-doing-the-greatest-risk/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Dangerous"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/it-s-dangerous-if-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-doing-the-greatest-risk/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/jeff-lowe-15044_dangerous_it-s-dangerous-if-you-don-t-know-what-yo_2132159.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/jeff-lowe-15044_dangerous_it-s-dangerous-if-you-don-t-know-what-yo_2132159.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/jeff-lowe-15044_dangerous_it-s-dangerous-if-you-don-t-know-what-yo_2132159.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It's dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. The greatest risk of injury is knocking off a piece of…” — Jeff Lowe",
                "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": "Jeff Lowe",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It's dangerous if you don't know...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/it-s-dangerous-if-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-doing-the-greatest-risk/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/it-s-dangerous-if-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-doing-the-greatest-risk/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
