SS - Thanks for the explanation, no harm done. Just as a matter of interest most of my flying is for business purposes where time (and fuel) really is money. I plan a route as direct as possible but avoiding a number of units based on prior experience, Essex being one. IF I get a more direct route then that is a bonus, I prefer not to speak of "rights" per se but I also beleive some units believe they "own" the bit of sky they watch over and need to be re-educated. In just the same way some years ago there was the odd military controller who would issue instructions to civilian aircraft in the open FIR and they had to be re-trained.