[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by Nevadaref

If you can catch it nice and early before it can effect play that is clearly best. The biggest problem is that you can't know that the clock hasn't properly started until a couple of seconds should have elapsed (unless you have a clock which shows tenths in the final minute, then you can notice it quicker--thankfully these clocks are becoming much more common). It just takes that long to ascertain that your timer is asleep or that there has been an equipment malfunction. So by the time the official knows something is wrong, the offense could have pushed the ball well up the floor and might be attacking on the basket. Since we wouldn't want to stop the game under these circumstances, its gets darn messy.
While I am in NO way advocating that my above suggestion is correct according to the rules, I do believe that you will get more acceptance and have a better chance of getting out of that gym alive using my just ignore it philosophy, than if you handle the situation the way stated in Stat-man's original post.

Ignore a timer's error that you knew about? WOW! I'm with Chuck. Correct the mistake as soon as it's recognized- as long as A isn't attacking the basket, which they weren't because the original post said that they were in a stall offense. To do anything else is just going against the purpose and intent of the rule. And worrying about "getting out of the gym alive" if you merely correct a clock error? If you're worrying about something like that, then you're in the wrong racket. Quite simply, that's part of your job! Does your "just ignore it philosophy" also include not calling any late fouls either, because you're worried that you might not get out of the gym alive if you do call one?