That’s always been my argument. Updates for the OS or even apps in Google Play should be presented immediately if the user is doing a manual check for updates. Sure, continue the staged rollouts, but only for those who are updating automatically.
The check for updates button has been working fine for a few years now but as of this month my Pixel 8 is still on the November patch. My wife’s Pixel 6 is on the December patch after I did a manual check on her phone. Frustrating.