QDM x 3,
Normally I would agree with you. I don't want any more rules in aviation either. When this thread started I hadn't realised where the mid-air had been. When I found out, I remembered just how crowded that bit of airspace is, between London and Luton and Stansted, with most traffic following the M25, and traffic coming in and out of Elstree, Stapleford, and North Weald. I don't have a chart with me; this may not be quite right, but anyway, it's crowded round there! So all I'm suggesting really is that we have blind compulsory radio calls in that area, not anywhere else...unless there's anywhere else that really needs it. Maybe, on reflection, also in the Manchester Low Level route.
I'm trying to find a sensible balance between freedom and safety, before there are too many accidents and they take away our freedom completely.
Finally, for all those who believe in see and avoid...
Back in 2002, we were doing the Dawn to Dusk competition. It was a beautiful sunny evening, with infinite visibility. We were approaching Cambridge, to orbit and take photos. Most small airfields were closed, so we started to make blind calls, mainly so that we could say, hand on heart, that we had, and get some brownie points for good airmanship. We hadn't seen any aircraft, or heard anyone on the radio, for a while. But within a few minutes, other aircraft followed suit, making blind position calls. When we were overhead Cambridge, so was someone else, one was approaching, and there were a couple of others close by. We didn't see any of them!!!!!!!!!! So much for see and avoid.