OK Ghostflyer and anyone else interested in this thread:
Do you see where I'm coming from about lack of understanding of TCAS and the rules governing it?
Faustino; did you get what I meant when I said I believe that when you (rapidly) descend without clearance, you are quite possibly in 'grave and imminent danger', thereby warranting a Mayday? And out of interest, what company do you fly for and what is their SOP for TCAS RA? After Bodensee I asked a straw-poll question on this subject (in the aircrew questions forum), and every reply was that "we follow RA over ATC" (as far as was disclosed, all these responses were from US or 'western' carriers).
I had hoped some lessons were learned after Bodensee. Obviously not.
ps In the UK, US, Australia and the UAE (these are the places I have actually checked the rules), you are expected to follow an RA over an ATC instruction (although, possibly ambiguously once again, the rules are phrased with 'should' rather than 'shall').
edited for spelin