Yep, it should run OK without the airbag unit, and given that until fairly recently most cars didn't have airbags, I suppose you could risk it. But running without the primary airbag is a BIG risk.
And if the worst should happen... ...well, the least of your problems might be that your insurers would dispute any personal injury claims after you'd deliberately disconnected the airbag ECU....
Sorry if this comes across a little strong, but a couple of years back, Ladykitching almost lost her life after another vehicle came straight across the carriageway and hit her car head-on. Without the airbag & belt pretensioners, the consequences of that accident would have been disastrous.
I'm not disputing what your saying in regards to safety, indeed MEP senior was involved in a life changing head on collission 2 years ago, but running without the unit as it's in for repair or running with a fault unit until new one is fitted are both the same thing IMO.
Ideally car shouldn't be used, but it's still going to be useable no matter what route of rectification OP decides to go down.
