It doesn't seem like he made any real attempt at planning the flight at all. And as for attempting it VFR in those conditions .. Another Darwin Award finalist, methinks.
Had it been Maurice "the flying vet" Kirk attempting it, we'd be reading about how we should have "freedom of the skies" and "pioneering aviators" etc.
Some will always think this right up to the point the subject kills themselves.
Then, it's "a free world", " he died doing what he loved" and "went the way he would have wanted to".
Perhaps, it might be advantageous if ATC had some sort of authority to say "G-XXXX, divert - NOW!" It might just save some people from themselves.