There are a whole host of reasons why you don't mess with HIRTAs, most learnt in the past by others through bitter experience. As a general rule to live by, if you're warned not to do something, there's normally a good reason for it, even if you don't know what that is.
HIRTAs may f**k up numerous systems on board your aircraft and of these, the system I care about the most are my 'nads. If you want to have kids one day, respect the HIRTA!