kc2ixe;

IMO, you didn't choke. You a) realized it was wrong and b) persisted until you got it right. You kept thinking, even if it was to keep you walking. Choking would have been to not coil the cable, or more importantly, leave it done incorrectly and not realize it, leaving a problem to surface later at the worst possible moment. I think it was your training and experience that, despite your exhaustion, that got you through it and got it done right.

You are right, Fatigue, Hypothermia, etc., dramatically increase the chance that someone will choke, do something stupid and get themselves or someone else hurt or killed. Training, experience and some advance prep are, I think, the best insurance. But no guarantee. We all play the odds, but nothing says we can't try to stack the odds in our favor.