The Pirate King,
If you rely on visual navigation then you need to be able to see the surface at each checkpoint that defines your route.
The ICAO system is very clear about the weather minima.......you can't fly unless both the Actual and Forecast weather tells you that you can complete the flight as planned
If you have planned a flight that relies on visual contact with the surface then that is what you need. If however, you are capable of planning and operating a flight out of sight of the surface safely than that is OK also according to ICAO under VFR provided VMC is maintained.
When operating a VFR flight above cloud, we require that there is no significant cloud below the cruise level at the destination for -1 to +3 hours of ETA on say a flight to the South of France...and we have an IR and IR equipped aircraft........if the weather does not meet that then we go IFR.
We could plan to do the exact same in a microlight.......except that if the weather wasn't good enough we would stay at home!
Everything is in the planning........the most likely flight to get caught above cloud is the one that hasn't planned to be there in the first place.......it is also the most likely aircraft to get lost.
We all need to set our own operating minima and stick to them but remember that they are your personal minima and not a yard stick for others.
If I am going flying with a VFR rated pilot and they say the weather is too bad than that is that......I will not jump in and say "it's good enough for me (IR rated) so we can go". because while that may be true sometimes, it places undue peer pressure on later decisions and creates a culture where by they think that they can depart in marginal weather and that I can save the day when the clag closes in.
Regards,
DFC