Let me see if I understand your logic correctly: if someone hasn't heard of it, despite the fact that they are not involved in the sport and would have no way of knowing if such incidents happened, it must never happen, right?
Few materials have both high breaking strength and high elasticity. Usually one property is at the expense of the other. Both in combination are exactly what is needed for a good climbing rope (I've done a bit of that. On the inside (I'm a caver)). A long fall imparts a LOT of energy to a rope and you do not want it breaking under the stress. Howvever you also do NOT want it to break your back because the arrest of the fall was too abrupt. It needs stretch to absorb as much energy as possible so as little as possible is absorbed by your spinal column.
For a rope that could absorb considerably more energy (per unit length) without breaking, I'd pay a good deal more. What's your life worth? Those who do "single rope technique" (SRT) are betting their lives on ONE strand of rope. (I don't know anyone who uses the old double rope technique anymore). You wouldn't believe the lengths we go to to take care of our ropes (including cutting a few feet off the end periodically to test with an actual drop test. If it doesn't pass the test the entire rope is discarded. Because your rope is your life.
You are once again expressing strong opinions in an area where your knowledge is very limited.
PS: I've seen cavers using helments, overalls, lights* etc that were well past their prime. I have NEVER seen any using a rope past it's prime.
* you've always got at least two spares. And so does everyone else with you. A spare rope is of no use whatsoever if your rope fails (except for body recovery).
