T911, since you ask I'm happy to answer. I did in fact learn to fly in an environment - the Australian bush - where the chisel temptation was real and where PPLs pushed the limits of the regulations applying to airwork in general. There were, and are, dispensations and endorsements by the regulator (which has changed names several times in the decades I've been flying) to cover situations in which it's better to legitimize and monitor activities which would otherwise be covert, such as PPLs doing their own aerial mustering.
Because the distances were large and the commercial operators relatively few I was approached a number of times to provide transport for compensation. I was pretty green but I did know enough to ask questions about practicalities such as insurance and to wonder about the effect on the livelihood of the local CPLs, one of whom was an instructor to whom I owe much to this day.
You're dead right: I was very tempted, having just secured my first job and having to fund my flying alongside all the other things that come with starting out in life. But I always refused the requests except for one occasion which involved a grazier having to get back to his property for urgent family reasons. In a farcical situation, all the available CPLs had knocked off for the day and had been at the local bar for too long to consider flying. I won't bore you with the details except to say I flew the grazier without charge in the AOC holder's aircraft, the keys to which had been with thrown to me with the comment that he'd charge only me for the fuel. I never did get a bill, in my recollection.
My view on PPL cost sharing mirrors one held by many people on another well known contentious issue. It should be available, but rare. I pretty much agree with Step Turn's commentary that providing the electronic "skin" distorts a reasonable intent beyond reasonable bounds, given the 100 years of experience of mixing human nature and aeroplanes.
For the record, I would not cost share with a stranger from the airport coffee shop, either. But I do enjoy taking people I know flying in a private (no-charge) capacity now that I'm in a position to do so and I've never been disappointed with their reaction. What goes around comes around, in my experience. You just have to integrate over decades, not weeks, to get the net result.
That's a bit of a diversion, but you did ask!
I wish you all the best with your flying and hope that you find it in yourself to look beyond a glitzy web page or two from non-aviators and make your own assessment of the world of aviation.
Thank you
This does make a lot of sense. The insurance side I believe is well looked after here though, though I could be wrong. I'm trying to wrap my head around this as it seems there's problems from different angles on this topic, and I genuinely am reading and taking it all into account to see different viewpoints and where it could go wrong, so a big thank you for explaining things to me.
And thank you for your good wishes too, all the best