"general acceptance to fly with it off."
Can't understand that one. It's free; it doesn't cost the pilot a shilling for the meter, and could save you embarassment of explaining how some pax or C/A's came to be dancing on the ceiling. In severe clear skies I can understand it being off, but that is an airmanship decision. If you can't see where you are going to be in 5 mins then it should be on.