BTIZ wrote:
should I be surprised that people are encouraging others to disregard the
regulations?
tell me it isn't so..

The first question I ask is, "Am I safe?"
The question, "Am I violating any Regs?" is quite a ways down the list.
Regardless, if the answer to the first question is YES, I keep flying.
FAR 91.3 allows me creative license. ;-)