AN SMA PLT EXPERIENCES AN NMAC WITH ANOTHER SMA WHO PASSED HIM UP DURING THE RPTR'S CLB TOWARDS 9500 FT.

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CRUISING AT 7500 FT MSL; I ELECTED TO CLB TO 9500 FT FOR A SMOOTHER RIDE TO TOP SOME CUMULUS CLOUDS AHEAD. PASSING 8500 FT I WAS HAPPY WITH MY DECISION SINCE IT WAS OBVIOUS I WOULD BE WELL ABOVE THE CLOUDS AT 9500 FT. CLBING THROUGH 9300 FT I NOTICED AN ACFT; ALSO SINGLE ENG; PASSING ME WITH A HIGH OVERTAKE; LOW TO MY R. THERE WAS NO TIME TO REACT. I ASSUMED IT WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AT 9000 FT. IT DID NOT MANEUVER. I WAS CONCERNED THAT I PUT MYSELF INTO A SIT WHERE ANOTHER ACFT PASSED SO CLOSE BY: 1) CLBING SO CLOSE TO A VOR WHERE THERE IS OFTEN A LOT OF TFC. 2) NAVING SO CLOSE TO A VOR ON A VFR TRIP. 3) NOT MONITORING THE LCL APCH CTL (2 DAYS EARLIER PATUXENT APCH RADAR WAS OUT AND THEY WERE NOT PROVIDING VFR SVC -- I ASSUMED THIS TO STILL BE THE CASE). CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: IN SHORT; TRY TO BE WHERE THE AVERAGE VFR FLYER IS NOT. IF YOU'RE PASSING A VOR; DO IT 5 MI UPWIND. IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE OFF ALT; BE SLIGHTLY HIGH. USE ATC SVCS IF AVAILABLE; ESPECIALLY IN CONGESTED AIRSPACE LIKE THE DELMARVA PENINSULA. DON'T FORGET TO CHK 6 O'CLOCK POS!