No Worries,
I think the Airlines do Inject the feds into the announcement to try to make people adhere, but it's a vicious cycle. Do you turn off the seatbelt sign in light turbulence because most people can handle it? What if some aged person gets up to go to the lavatory and breaks his hip where a 25 year old has no problem. Now the airline gets sued and the pilot has to do paperwork for an "Accident" according to NTSB 830. Or do you just leave the sign on in all cases except dead smooth air (which almost never happens) and let the passengers up "At their own risk". The latter seems to be adopted by many airlines in the states, who don't want the excess liability. It is actually been fairly difficult at my new position in Japan to manage the seatbelt sign, as the Flight attendants will also stay seated when the seatbelt sign is on as per company policy. It's like in the States the sign is perceived as a guarantee of safety, and not a command as it is elsewhere in the world.
Man, I sure miss the days when flying was the hard part
