They help if your wiring is in the bars, them turning in a spill can shear the wires.
If you run wires external, pull the pin, it has straight knurl on it..grab with visegrips, tap a small hammer on the jaw.
The screws should hokd the control halves just fine.. Ideally Ibtry to set them so you can just turn by stiff hand pressure, then f you drop it..lever may survive..