How many of your trips to Jersey have been in VMC at FL100 because you don't want to fly at 3000' in VMC....not because you can't go VFR.
Urm, maybe because the point of flying at FL100 is to get VMC on top and so I don't have to fly across a large expanse of water in a SEP at low level.....
Still has nothing to do with just making yourself 'IFR' so you can get a better service than others. You can reword what I have said as many times as you want, but it does not change that what I have issue with is using 'IFR' to get a better service than others flying in exactly the same conditions.
Comparing that to me flying in the airways under IFR where I am required to fly IFR is comparing apples and oranges I am afraid.
I fly the airways for better routings, better fuel management and the gain in TAS not so I can get a better service than others in the same airspace.