"In one case an RAF Jaguar in the Black Mountains in Wales passed within 100 metres of two gliders. The pilot told investigators that if he had seen them one second later, he would have hit them."
A Jaguar pilot showing off - I could have got him!!!!
Now, the serious stuff.
If power pilots cannot look out the window sufficiently to see other aircraft, be they gliders, other light aircraft, jets or balloons, then they are not obeying the rules of the airspace.
I have flown with numerous power pilots who have no real ability to look out the window. Even when they reckon they can. As a glider pilot, when I fly power in VMC I only use the instruments for a brief glance to cross check every so often. My power-only friends claim they do the same. So I tried an experiment - I covered up their instruments close to an airport. You should have heard the outcry!!!!
Anyone flying in uncontrolled airspace should be capable of seeing and avoiding other traffic, regardless of speed. It is a problem having airliners flying in uncontrolled airspace - they have enough of the airspace already, without using the only bits left to glider pilots.
As for radios, I think many power pilots have got to the point where they seem to completely rely on
radio
GPS
instruments
huge square circuits
I have flown in all kinds of airspace, loads of different countries, and have flown all sorts of aircraft.
The most interesting responses from other power pilots is when I fly:-
my very slow, non radio, powered aircraft at my local airfield (yes, it is allowed to come in non-radio, though you'd hardly believe it the way other people act)
gliders where it IS allowed
I think we need more tolerance, more knowledge and better airmanship on ALL sides. We should all know the rules. I AM including glider pilots and power-pilots here.
I fly gliders, light aircraft and commercial jets.