if you want a seamless flight with controller to controller fly inside CAS
An extremely valid point, thanks for making it. In my particular case, it happened that there was virtually no CAS in the straight line between start and end points of my route, so I was in class G, but it would have been straightforward to re-route by a few miles into class D, and maybe that would have brought benefits without adding more than a couple of minutes onto a 90 minute flight. That's probably a reasonable generalisation as well and an adjustment worth making as I build experience in instrument flying (as I said at the start, whilst I consider myself an experienced pilot, I'm not (yet) an experienced instrument pilot.)
Regarding V/IFR, V/IMC, surely the default assumption should be that an aircraft flying IFR *may* be in IMC? The ability to see and avoid is a bonus, and pilots will surely use that where able, but it can't be assumed.
G