Well, if you are worried about being low on energy
and then go an extra 1/2
mile to the other side of the field...

...then JJ won't report you to the FAA for performing
an illegal pattern. I think most of this discussion
has been about whether you can create rules that will
protect pilots from doing exactly this sort of thing
- stretching too far to go to the 'legal' pattern entry
point - or trying to do a pullup instead of a rolling
finish. Both are errors in judgement resulting from
a marginal, but legal, finish.

9B