Narrative:

Departed ffz (mesa; az) VFR; and tower controller suggested phx approach for radar advisories out of the class B airspace. The controller assigned me a squawk; then handed me to ZAB 135.72 for further advisories. I changed frequency as I was climbing through 9500 ft (to cruising altitude of 17500 ft) this controller was busy; and before I could call in; he said to an airliner 'traffic 12 O'clock position; 5 mi; 9500 ft unverified; I'm not talking to him.' I called in (verifying my altitude as I did) and he gave me the airliner as traffic. He then 'suggested;' in a very officious way; that I turn 30 degrees left for traffic. Since I could see the airliner at my 11:30 O'clock position and 4-5 mi away; above me but descending; that seemed like a bad plan; so I stayed on course. (GPS direct ffz-apa). The controller was very busy talking to all the airliners on the frequency. The controller then started an uninterrupted stream of 'traffic conflict alert; traffic 12 O'clock position 6 mi; 12 O'clock position 8 mi; 12 O'clock position 10 mi' in a very loud; agitated voice to several airliners apparently inbound to phx; and apparently inbound in my path. He then asked me if I still 'refused to turn 30 degrees left to avoid a collision.' I replied that I'd turn 30 degrees left to accommodate him; but that I wanted him to verify that I was VFR; not IFR; which he verified. He then told me that I was to call the apa tower when I arrived there to have my violation of the 'inbound traffic flow to sky harbor' explained to me. I asked if he had filed some kind of 'violation' against me; and he said 'yes; for your refusal to turn 30 degrees away from your traffic.' he then said 'you should give up flying.' I believe that if any violation occurred; it was the controller and the airline pilots; since there were no clouds in the sky; we were all under VFR rules; and any deviation should have been to the right; not the left. This controller put myself and my family in danger by asking me to turn in front of oncoming traffic in violation of VFR; and should be cited for this violation. Even when flying VFR; I'll try to accommodate ATC if their request is reasonable; but controllers with nasty attitudes who have the idea that airline traffic has the right-of-way can quickly destroy the good will most other controllers work to build.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: M20 PLT VFR WITH ZAB FAILED TO COMPLY WITH ATC TURN INSTRUCTIONS AND EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING CTLR'S HANDLING.

Narrative: DEPARTED FFZ (MESA; AZ) VFR; AND TWR CTLR SUGGESTED PHX APCH FOR RADAR ADVISORIES OUT OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. THE CTLR ASSIGNED ME A SQUAWK; THEN HANDED ME TO ZAB 135.72 FOR FURTHER ADVISORIES. I CHANGED FREQ AS I WAS CLBING THROUGH 9500 FT (TO CRUISING ALT OF 17500 FT) THIS CTLR WAS BUSY; AND BEFORE I COULD CALL IN; HE SAID TO AN AIRLINER 'TFC 12 O'CLOCK POS; 5 MI; 9500 FT UNVERIFIED; I'M NOT TALKING TO HIM.' I CALLED IN (VERIFYING MY ALT AS I DID) AND HE GAVE ME THE AIRLINER AS TFC. HE THEN 'SUGGESTED;' IN A VERY OFFICIOUS WAY; THAT I TURN 30 DEGS L FOR TFC. SINCE I COULD SEE THE AIRLINER AT MY 11:30 O'CLOCK POS AND 4-5 MI AWAY; ABOVE ME BUT DSNDING; THAT SEEMED LIKE A BAD PLAN; SO I STAYED ON COURSE. (GPS DIRECT FFZ-APA). THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY TALKING TO ALL THE AIRLINERS ON THE FREQ. THE CTLR THEN STARTED AN UNINTERRUPTED STREAM OF 'TFC CONFLICT ALERT; TFC 12 O'CLOCK POS 6 MI; 12 O'CLOCK POS 8 MI; 12 O'CLOCK POS 10 MI' IN A VERY LOUD; AGITATED VOICE TO SEVERAL AIRLINERS APPARENTLY INBOUND TO PHX; AND APPARENTLY INBOUND IN MY PATH. HE THEN ASKED ME IF I STILL 'REFUSED TO TURN 30 DEGS L TO AVOID A COLLISION.' I REPLIED THAT I'D TURN 30 DEGS L TO ACCOMMODATE HIM; BUT THAT I WANTED HIM TO VERIFY THAT I WAS VFR; NOT IFR; WHICH HE VERIFIED. HE THEN TOLD ME THAT I WAS TO CALL THE APA TWR WHEN I ARRIVED THERE TO HAVE MY VIOLATION OF THE 'INBOUND TFC FLOW TO SKY HARBOR' EXPLAINED TO ME. I ASKED IF HE HAD FILED SOME KIND OF 'VIOLATION' AGAINST ME; AND HE SAID 'YES; FOR YOUR REFUSAL TO TURN 30 DEGS AWAY FROM YOUR TFC.' HE THEN SAID 'YOU SHOULD GIVE UP FLYING.' I BELIEVE THAT IF ANY VIOLATION OCCURRED; IT WAS THE CTLR AND THE AIRLINE PLTS; SINCE THERE WERE NO CLOUDS IN THE SKY; WE WERE ALL UNDER VFR RULES; AND ANY DEV SHOULD HAVE BEEN TO THE R; NOT THE L. THIS CTLR PUT MYSELF AND MY FAMILY IN DANGER BY ASKING ME TO TURN IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TFC IN VIOLATION OF VFR; AND SHOULD BE CITED FOR THIS VIOLATION. EVEN WHEN FLYING VFR; I'LL TRY TO ACCOMMODATE ATC IF THEIR REQUEST IS REASONABLE; BUT CTLRS WITH NASTY ATTITUDES WHO HAVE THE IDEA THAT AIRLINE TFC HAS THE RIGHT-OF-WAY CAN QUICKLY DESTROY THE GOOD WILL MOST OTHER CTLRS WORK TO BUILD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.