The thing that jarrs is the asymmetric treatment of one pilot to another. The instructor seems painted a good old boy made a mistake, the other a cowboy who had been always at it. Forgetting that both killed an innocent victim, both having made poor decisions centred on the weather. Im not adversed to asking for help if that which you seek is available from whosoever it's being requested from. Perhaps being uncertain of position was a factor, perhaps secondary to being in the air at all. Maybe we will see. Yes you are quite correct i enjoy recreational flying and as so far it would seem we have both avoided getting killed in aircraft i guess we are both winning.