An interesting mixture of responses here, and mostly helpful, thanks.
Clearly a lot of us do fly when gusting is in the TAF or is actual, which in itself has persuaded me to adjust my "No Fly" rule (with all the usual caveats).
I'm not so concerned about cross-wind experience; you can't really fly in the UK without sorting that one. It's the windsheer effect that you can get which seems a bit of a lottery, the risk being that you cannot predict whether you'll be in veer, sheer up or sheer down. Can an Instructor really help on that one?
matspart3:
A gusting TAF means that at some point in any ten minute period, the wind speed might exceed the mean by 10kt or more.
Is that an official definition? I couldn't find it.