The above may be in the UK but differs abroad, IME. I was well above the Alps under a radar service from Treviso, for example, and he told me I was below his MVA.
it doesn't give you a warm fuzzy feeling hearing about other traffic in the "corridor" when in IMC
What you actually find is that most of the said traffic is
below the cloud. The typical scenario when flying in Class G, under an RIS, is that at least 90% of the "unknown level" contacts are kerb crawling way down below. There you are, sitting at say 3000ft, and you never spot most of them because they are nearly on the ground.
Granted, there is traffic at 2300/2400ft under the LTMA and one has to watch that. But the great majority of
nontransponding traffic is very low - many being microlights, etc. These are virtually all non instrument capable pilots and they won't be in cloud.
The whole "PPL training culture" is to fly below 2000ft. I did all of my PPL training at 1500-2000ft and most PPLs rarely go above that. Now I fly as high as I can and find there is nothing much about.
People who don't squawk charlie in IMC should be taken outside and shot. They really should...
You don't want a service? Fine. At least show some common sense and consideration towards those that do.
Agreed, and I would apply it to VMC too
