Depends on the car. Normally, in an auto, you gotta be in the park to start the car because of some safety features. But some will allow you to start it in neutral. In neutral, the driveline is not connected, so the engine is spinning independently of the wheels, much like starting a manual in neutral. Stick wiggle, clutch in, (don’t forget your hand brake) start. Same principle. With the car, it is just free rolling, so it’s won’t cause damage to the engine. It seems kinda unsafe to be in thar kind of situation