What I find interesting about 117 is since its inception I haven't gone illegal once on an international flight. In the six months prior to that I walked 4 times, once with a single augmented crew, once at a diversion station and twice for gate delays.

The difference was in the past I (and my crew) could wave and keep flying if we felt safe now the rules are hard coded with zero ambiguity. Yes there was one time we had to request the extra pay per the contract, but before I made the call my crew all agreed together what we would do if denied the contractual extra pay to fly the 117 wave.

So could the problem for some really be 117 tells them what they can or can't do? Hmmmm...