It's pretty obvious that we need "a common strategy" on use of the seat belt sign. Right now, on US airlines, compliance with the sign is, it seems to me, in a state of anarchy. Pilots leave it on too much, passengers ignore it in smooth air and not, F/A's don't pay any attention to it and nobody enforces it. The result is an unacceptable exposure to serious injury and even death.
"Federal Regulations require passengers to comply with all lighted signs and placards ... except the seat belt sign"? Pilots need to inform passengers and F/A's about the need to sit down and buckle up IN REAL TIME (and not leave the SBS on when it's smooth and no forecast of bumps. I've noticed we have about 7 to 10 minutes in smooth air before people start getting up even with the sign illuminated).
We need to give our people every safe opportunity to leave their seats. It would appear to me we shouldn't "cry wolf" and create a situation where nobody is paying attention when the cry is real.
To have people up and about with the seat belt sign on makes the sign a disagreement light; either the people need to be seated because its dangerous for them to be up - or - pilots need to turn the sign off.
We need to contact ALPA Safety, our training departments and the FAA about this before somebody gets nailed.
I invite you to read this thread. In it I especially like the comment about Qantas:
Pilots And The Seatbelt Sign... — Civil Aviation Forum | Airliners.net