As for ATC hassle, well wonder how the controller would have felt should the birdseed have taken off with say wrong flap set and crashed with loss of life etc. I'm sure the AAIB would have sited the hassle as a factor. Sometimes you just have to "suck it up" and shrug as hassling crew just prior to departure is a recipe for mistakes to be made.
In which case surely the failsafe is to obey ATC when you're on the ground rather than responding to perceived pressure from them?