Thats the tricky thing about the Cirrus, indecision about what to do can lead to the wrong decision and disaster i.e pulling the chute too low instead of landing in a nearby field or not pulling the chute at pattern altitude at the first sign of real trouble. You really need to have situational awareness of your absolute altitude and a committed plan of action depending on that number. Easier said then done under stress, I know, and this isn't directed at the accident pilot in this thread, just general observations about flying with a chute.