The policy may well have changed quite some time ago VOR, I don't doubt that it has, however as far as I can determine that's the 1st time it has actually been highlighted as having done so...hence the crack about Hollywood Greg Hartely's 'Rule Of The Week'.
From trackside I saw another driver do EXACTLY the same thing quite a few months back now & there was a re-call and subsequently nothing happened save a notation in the Stewards report of the reason for the false start..which officially was a tongue tie coming loose...but in reality I strongly suspect was because he was on the odds on fav. & at the 1st attempt it had broken off the back line, interfered with no other starter & was set to be left motherless. Stewarding to the Tote Board there? Never! Perish the thought.
Call me a cynic however the moral of this story appears to be that if a pin or some other such thing causes a Driver an issue in the score up at Menangle...or otherwise on a half miler when drawn clear of trailers, either out wide or otherwise off the back line...then for God's sake, don't ever put your hand up...instead just hang up or down the track & endeavour to cause a little interference to one or more of the horses drawn alongside you & get a false start declared that way. You will get another shot at the prize...and you don't get fined. In effect, you would benefit from causing interference under such circumstances. Wouldn't it be better just to raise your hand?