shon- the problem would be to get to the runway with the nosewheel steering locked!
As to the landing gear pins, on a 747 one night in HKG, the groundcrew changed a wheel and just used a wire coathanger to lock the undercarriage. Being hidden about 12 feet up and at night, the FE missed it on his eternal and we took off through the gap unable to raise that leg. Took an hour stooging around before landing back to discover to great embarrassment. The FE was thrashed to within and inch of his job sadly. After that, I was always VERY careful to not only check nothing in the lock, but that you can see though it AND make pretty rabbit shadows through it with your torch, then coming down the other side of the aeroplane cross over and do it again! Definitely something to be neurotic about- this can get you in big trouble in the office!