I had a bent selector problem on a bike years ago and you could feel it in the lever and knew it was just a case of nursing it home , if the cluster is falling apart you can hear it SHOUTING at you STOP STOP STOP or else !!
I don't think he was endangering himself or anyone else , his main problem was the danger of over reving it and the engine letting go , that is a problem with the chairs from start to finish nothing new , and exactly why slidy car teams always have a couple of spare engines tucked in the back of the van

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