I had a 70 340 Cuda with a slap stick round shifter ball with a button in the middle, one night getting on the highway full throttle about 6000 RPM in 1st hit the shifter for second gear and pushed the button and it went right into reverse, the motor never slowed down it just started smoking the tires in reverse. Now that I'm smashed against the steering wheel my foot is smashed on the gas and I can't even lift so I just pulled the shifter back into drive and kept on going like nothing ever happened. The trans was fine, didn't hurt anything no even my pride. So yes it can happen with a ratchet shifter.
