Actually Nats, there really isn't a 'problem' with the FD's (or at least, that was not the message being conveyed in that Golden Rule).
From what I understand, Airbus insists that whatever you do to one FD, you do to the other. That's pretty simple and also obvious.
If you need to switch off the FD's (for example, TCAS RA), then switch BOTH FD's off, not just the ones on the PF side.
A lot of guys will tell you that FDs in general are flakey and stupid, etc.; but that's another discussion.
