A VFR SR22 PILOT CLIMBING SLOWLY ON AN AIRWAY WAS ADVISED BY ATC TO EXPEDITE THE CLIMB BECAUSE OF OPPOSITE DIRECTION IFR TRAFFIC.

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I WAS ON A VFR FLT AT 11500 FT. THE CLOUD TOPS BELOW ME WERE RISING AS MY FLT PROGRESSED; SO I ELECTED TO BEGIN A SLOW CLB TO 13500 FT TO REMAIN IN VMC AND CLR OF CLOUDS. AT 12000 FT; MY TCAD SHOWED OPPOSING TFC AT THE SAME ALT AT A RANGE OF 8 MI; CLOSING; SO I INCREASED MY CLB RATE. SIMULTANEOUSLY; ATC CALLED AND WARNED ME THAT MY ALT WAS NOT CORRECT FOR VFR FLT -- AND ASKED THAT I CLB TO 12500 FT OR TURN IMMEDIATE R TO AVOID CONFLICTING IFR TFC. BECAUSE I HAD JUST EXPEDITED THE CLB; I WAS ALREADY AT 12500 FT BY THE TIME I COULD ANSWER; BUT THE CTLR SOUNDED UPSET; JUSTIFIABLY SO. I HAVE OFTEN BEEN ANNOYED BY VFR TFC AT MY 'PROTECTED' IFR ALT. THIS WAS MY FIRST TASTE OF A CIRCUMSTANCE THAT MIGHT GIVE RISE TO THAT SIT. IN FUTURE; I WILL HURRY THROUGH IFR ALTS IF I MUST CLB OR DSND VFR; PARTICULARLY WHEN ON OR CLOSE TO VOR'S AND/OR AIRWAYS; AND I WILL ENSURE THAT ATC IS AWARE OF MY INTENTIONS. I'LL ENDURE THE 'VFR ALT YOUR DISCRETION' COMMENT THAT OFTEN SEEMS TO BE THE RESULT OF SUCH A CALL -- I BELIEVE THAT VFR PLTS KNOW THAT THE COMMENT MAY DISCOURAGE SOME FROM PROVIDING THIS IMPORTANT INFO.