Point is, Spandex, there are certain rules about passing weather information to pilots. At some places the phrase "Unofficial observation from the tower reports....." may be used, but I doubt this is employed at Birmingham (which is where the accident occurred, not Southampton). I had a ridiculous IRVR reading at Heathrow once - the whole airfield was clear - but I was bound to read it and the pilot of an aircraft about to land said "I can see the runway clearly but I must act on the IRVR reading you have passed so I'm going around". Yes, lots of people would question that decision, but I know who I'd rather fly with and it's not the pilot who has the "let's have a look-see" attitude.