I have been reading this thread with interest as it does strike a few chords with what I personally already suspected. The question of 'Does a BRS swing the balance of whether the pilot will fly or not?'.
Where my aircraft is based, there are 3 x Cirrus SR22 down there. One is owned by a fairly famous person. There have been many times that I have been down there and the weather has been very marginal. So marginal in fact that the air around the airfield is empty and all the aircrafts are on the ground.
I have been in the restaurant where everyone is talking about the weather and standing there looking out the window with iPhones/iPads in full use checking Metars, TAFs and weather forecasts.
Just as you are standing there, you hear the hum of engines starting up and going past the window is a Cirrus aircraft. Minutes later up in to the sky it goes and very quickly disappears in to the cloud.
There have been many occasions where I have seen this happen. I have also over heard the planning conversation before the flight took place where the pilots were discussing whether to go up or not.
Now I know that these aircrafts are well equipped and I know the pilots flying these particular aircrafts are IMC rated with a fair few hours behind them. But there are many other aircrafts down there also fairly highly equipped flown by pilots with similar or better qualifications and experience.
Personally, I think the parachute is a great advancement and I myself would love one on my aircraft. In fact I would love a Cirrus but my budget cannot stretch that far. But I do feel from listening and seeing that it can make many who have them feel they are indestructible. I have witnessed cases where it has tipped the balance of whether to fly or not.
I was always taught that with aviation, if there is any doubt then do not fly. Having a chute, for some people, does seem to remove that element of doubt.