Winstun
I sense that you will the one who bellyaches when Centre can't give you a clearance and it is non VMC.
As I said in another post, 34% of our traffic who (by law) have to have their transponder on - don't. TCAS is useless then and so is AsA radar outside of 50nm from the major centres with primary radar. I don't expect transponder discipline to be any better out in the sticks.
And as for
VFR guys are looking at you.
Dream on. After many years of issuing traffic, one realises that many VFR pilots are totally preoccupied with trying to fly the plane, let alone vigilantly looking out!!
CG