This is a debate of neither the OP’s perceptions nor his proper redress. The question, to ALL helicopter pilots both onshore and offshore, is what do you do when you are nearing “MINIMUMS”.
I emphasize minimums because that is what they are. It’s not a point to decide if you should proceed, if you’re at minimums that’s as far as you can proceed, you should have been planning your next move 15 minutes ago. When it gets to minimums STOP! Yes, you can stop, you deviate to the nearest platform with an appropriate heliport, no, I don’t care if it’s your companies heliport, no, I don’t care if you REALLY don’t want to stop.
I’ve been operating in the Gulf for 31 years, more than 20,000 hours offshore. Don’t even suggest (other than night) you go inadvertent! You know damned well you’re below minimums. If your minimums are 500 and 2, fly at 450, when the clouds and or fog approach, you’ve gone too far. What moron flies into the clouds at 500’ seriously? If you’re coming into a foggy area, duh, slow down!!! Deviate!!!
The problem is not with our equipment, nor our minimums, it’s with me and you. Our egos make us push on when we know we should have stopped. Which is more often far beyond our company minimums!
31 years, NEVER gone inadvertent IFR during the day. I did go IFR on a night emergency, but, that’s another story.
Oh, BTW, lest you think I’m a VFR only pilot, CFI, CFII, former Pilot Proficiency Examiner (PPE), former 135 Check Airman, dual rated former U.S. Army Instrument Flight Examiner with well over 1,000 hours of ACTUAL instruments (not just on and IFR flight plan… LOL), all of those formers, are because as of next week I’ll be a retired offshore pilot.