Clearly I have a lack of knowledge of Radar procedures as well as I was unaware that "traffic service imparts to the controller that you consider that you have sufficient visual reference to be able to operate on the "see-and-avoid" principle when traffic information is given". If I'm IMC under a traffic service and the controller gives me traffic info then I'd manoeuvre accordingly using the picture in my head or TCAS
As the new boy in the cloud, I've been trying not to say "I'm right and you're wrong", but that's pretty much what I was thinking and doing also, apart from lacking TCAS. Being told where the traffic is, I can update my mental picture and determine whether I need to take avoiding action.
Indeed, I virtually have never asked for a traffic / radar-information service if I have got good visibility as I consider it unnecessary and adding to controller workload for no good reason. So far as I know, the same is true of most other GA pilots - we ask for traffic information only if visibility is poor/nil.
G