So that means we crawl over via ferratas without cable assistance. Interesting.. Say the spacing between clips is 5 meters somewhere, even ten somewhere. (Even on Gonžar it's at least four meters spacing and don't allow a fall just when you're at the next peg but not yet clipped to the next cable).
The self-belay set has about 2 meters of rope, stretching max three meters. If I fall from the upper peg which is say six meters from the lower one, fall factor is 2. Which means injuries are mostly fatal. Fall factor 1 is acceptable, more than that is already dangerous.
Not to mention fall from upper to lower peg where distance is 10 meters, which is not uncommon at all. There injuries are statistically deadly.
Cables and pegs on via ferratas are meant to be used! Free climbing on via ferratas can thus be deadly dangerous. Of course people try it, but via ferratas are not meant for that!
That's why there are crags, where your second belays you and both ensure that in no case the fall factor is greater than one!