Chip Jones wrote:

No. When ATC says "Direct XYZ when able", the unsaid part of the message is
that they have deconflicted you from traffic between you and XYZ. With no
conflict, they don't care if you are a few degress left or right of XYZ
until you find it. They know that you will be turning a bit (depending on
how good the vector is) as you receive the station. The "when able"
phraseology authorizes the turn.


That is SO well stated. Too bad, all the FAAs can't get together and put gems
like that in a guidance handbook.