On flights of say, 100 nm or more, I file on every flight. I'd guess that
80% of those flights end with an instrument approach.

I haven't read Collin's article, but my opinion of "blanket" statements or
articles comparing the safety of VFR to IFR, or more accurately flight in
VMC to flight in IMC, is that they do a serious disservice to both
non-instrument rated and instrument rated pilots alike. To paint a picture
that VFR flight vs IFR flight is as different as black and white leads the
uninformed to believe that every VFR flight is made in perfect clear, blue,
and a million conditions and that every IFR flight is conducted in
continuous imbedded thunderstorms, turbulence, and overcast stretching from
minimums upward and beyond the stratosphere. Most pilots, whether
instrument rated or not, know better. The general public may not.
Irresponsible media personalities may not. Government officials seeking a
new reason to impose user fees on GA may not.

Hopefully all pilots, whether instrument rated or not, progress through a
continual decision making process before and during each flight. Hopefully
after each flight they do a self evaluation and critic of the flight and
their performance. Hopefully they learn something that they carry forward
into their future flights.

The decision making process begins on the ground. Just as VFR only pilots
have a set of criteria which they apply to themselves, their airplane,
equipment, prevailing as well as forecast weather conditions, IFR pilots
also have their own personal criteria.

Much has been said about personal minimums for both VFR and IFR pilots.
Much has been said about pilot proficiency vs. legal currency. Without a
doubt an IFR pilot considering a flight in IMC has a longer list of criteria
and a more complex set of decisions to make. This is when the many shades
of gray between the black and white of VFR/VMC vs IFR/IMC come into play.
Most VFR only pilots can make a quick, accurate, and safe decision about
launching into calm CAVU conditions for a quick flight ending at a
destination forecast to be the same. Most IFR pilots can make an accurate
and safe decision to launch into a stable, layered, overcast well above
minimums, in non icing conditions, over flat terrain, in a IFR certified and
well equipped aircraft. See the difference? Just as many VFR pilots will
scrub a flight that would lead them towards or into MVFR conditions, IFR
pilots scrub flights for many reasons.

As conditions worsen decision making becomes harder. It becomes harder to
find our own personal minimum level of comfort. Human factors and outside
influences come into play. Airport services must be more closely
scrutinized. Weather must be considered to be worse than forecast. All
available information must be applied to one's honest personal proficiency
level. IFR flights in IMC present more opportunities for a pilot to make
poor decisions. Poor decisions can be deadly. Poor decisions made in VMC
offer a pilot more time to correct their poor decision. IMC is less
forgiving to poor decision making and a lack of proficiency. Does this make
it more dangerous? or does IMC simply require that more decisions be made
properly if the flight is to have it's intended outcome?

Jim