Just goes to show that no matter what regulations are in place, if you want to fly responsibily it is up to your own individual will and preparation.
You can expect those you work with to be beset by the usual fear, arrogance, and lack of awareness that are quite normal even for highly trained people.
And if you want to feel comfortable declaring or surviving emergencies, you have to practice them again and again. Overtrain yourself and prepare for the worst. Then you can say you have done your job.