This is an interesting discussion. LNL76 if your name starts with a P, I worked with you and you were great! Around 2008 I asked a Continental mainline FA about this subject, and she told me that in training they are repeatedly taught, "you are informers, not enforcers"
At that moment I realized why there was a difference between the mainline Fa's and the colgan Fa's treatment of pax.
I can't speak for all regionals, but at least at some the FA training is not as good as at mainline.

And yes, let people go to the bathroom, if you never had diarrhea in your life consider yourself extremely lucky. We can taxi just fine, and even safer than a city bus with people standing.