First Impressions

There is no way you are going to wear out the clutch by pressing it down when you start a car but you will surely cause extra wear on the starter motor by not depressing the clutch and making it turn the entire gearbox with neutral selected.

It is surely obvious that forcing you to depress the clutch when starting a manual car prevents you from shooting forward if you happen to have left it in gear.

It is exactly the same thinking that has prompted manufacturers to force you to depress the break on an automatic car when starting.

I don't, however, believe that Renault are cleverer than Skoda or that the person who taught you that depressing the clutch when starting is bad practice is correct, CitigoAllen.

My grandfather did manage to start his car in gear and gave himself enough of a shock that he got his foot jammed on the accelerator long enough to crashed into something.

If, however, depressing the clutch in your car will not cancel the Safe Lock without you turning the key first then maybe you have a fault.