I don't HATE choils, and I have knives where they are pretty handy. But for most tasks, I dislike them most of the time.

For example, if I'm trying to whittle a point or peel bark off a stick, I want the leverage I get by working with the part of the blade right next to the handle. If there's a choil, I have to use a section an inch or more from the handle, and I lose leverage. A royal PITA most of the time.