Lets be honest, other individuals experience on a subjective matter will not be sufficient. What happened to others does not necessarily mean it will happen to you. Also, your experience on another carrier do not suffice. What will you do tomorrow if you are caught and are asked to check in the backpack and pay? Are you going to tell the GA that so and so on this website flew with Allegiant last week with a bigger bag and nothing happened to them, why me?