At an FAA/FAST seminar today, I asked a regional ATC person if there is any communication I could provide to them to enhance air traffic safety. He responded a radio call to them would be good and they may provide a unique transponder code. He also noted that his job is a service provider, not a policeman.
In the US, as VFR, you are not a pain in the arse to a controller, you are their customer.
I work with Boston Approach on nearly every acro flight. They're excellent. I get plenty of calls for potential conflicts and can react accordingly. Rather than being an annoyance to traffic coming into or leaving KBED or KBOS we coordinate with brief breaks or altitude blocks.
I do the same as M***, and they seem to appreciate it. And I am grateful for their help!
Typical exchange:
Boston, Decathlon **45G, 7 miles northeast of Hanscom, two thousand seven hundred, request flight following
7145G, Boston altimeter 29.75, squawk 5163
29.75 and 5163 for 45G
45G, radar contact 6 miles west of the Lawrence VOR - where are you flying today?
45G will be doing acro outside the Bravo north of the Merrimack [river], between two thousand five hundred and six thousand feet
45G, roger
Sometimes they ask what aircraft type. I had to look up the ICAO id for the SuperD (it's BL8).
They'll give advisories and it always amuses me to key the mic to answer while inverted in a loop or on a down line.
I call up when I'm headed back, and they will advise me of relevant traffic headed to/from Hanscom and hand me back to BED tower.
Easy, helpful to me, and I feel I'm being helpful to them, too, as M*** said.
Once you experience a real system, you'll realise how little freedom you have here and how little value for dollar you're receiving.