Generally, I'm in the camp that says if you're trying to get it that close, you're operating with too little margin. Way too many accidents are blamed on fuel starvation.
If you're referring to my "dry tanking", Nate, then I guess I don't understand the concern. I've done it dozens of times and only twice have I not caught the tank going dry on the fuel flow before the engine starts sputtering. In every other case I've seen the flow start "wagging out" in plenty of time to switch tanks. Even when the engine sputters it's a non-event (even though it DOES get your attention). Just switch the tanks and everything is fine.
Here are my stats:
I carry 55 usable (by the book, but in reality I can squeeze just shy of 68 gallons in my tanks with 58 being usable). By dry tanking, I can add 4.5 to 5 gallons of usable to the total (this has been confirmed by numerous fill ups after landing with a dry tank). That's over a 9% increase in my
safety margin and does not increase the amount of time I'll spend in the air.
I flight plan at 11 gph so, with 55 gallons usable, that gives me 5+00 until I'm bone dry.
In reality, I typically burn more like 10.7 @ 22/2300.
My personal limits are 4+00 IFR and 4+30 VFR.
So, by dry tanking (typically my left tank), I increase my
safety margins from 1+00 and 0+30 to 1+24 and 0+54.
I have an EI fuel flow, it's dead accurate and I have it calibrated at 5% over actual fuel flow just for a little more safety margin. I also have gauges that actually work.
In summary, dry tanking is just one more tool that allows you to increase your
safety margin.
Now, if your concern is that a pilot might "freak out" when he hears the engine sputter and forget that (s)he's "dry tanking". Then my response would be...well...that person shouldn't be dry tanking in the first place. In fact, if their short term memory and awareness is that bad then maybe they shouldn't be piloting a plane in the first place. (maybe that comes off as overly harsh but, my god, pay attention).