CLOSE PROX BETWEEN IFR ACR AND VFR ACFT ON CROSSING COURSE. REPORTERS STATE ATC CTLR UNPROFESSIONAL ATTITUDE.

Narrative

LEAVING ABQ IFR THE DEP CTLR REFUSED OUR REQUEST FOR A VFR CLB (NBOUND ALONG SANDIA CREST) THUS MANDATING COMPLIANCE WITH THE DEP ROUTE. WE TURNED TO VECTOR HDG OF 310 DEGS; LEVELED AT 10000' AND LOOKED FOR OVERFLT TFC. ADVISED TO BE AT '1-2 O'CLOCK; 10500'.' WE ACQUIRED HIM AT 12 O'CLOCK; MOVING LEFT; APPARENTLY AT OUR ALT AND WITH A DSNDING BODY ANGLE. WE ADVISED CTLR OF OUR UNCOMFORTABLE ENCOUNTER AND ASKED IF THIS VFR ACFT WAS THE REASON FOR REFUSAL OF OUR VFR CLB REQUEST. HER RESPONSE WAS AFFIRMATIVE. I POINTED OUT THAT HAD WE BEEN ALLOWED TO CLB VFR; WE'D HAVE MISSED THIS ENCOUNTER BY SEVERAL MI (AND THOUSANDS OF FEET). THE RESPONSE WAS INCREDIBLE. A MALE VOICE (TRNING CTLR?) SARCASTICALLY INTERJECTED; 'THAT'S YOUR OPINION.' I RESPONDED THAT THE NEAR MISS WAS AN ON-THE-SCENE COCKPIT OBSERVATION. HE REITERATED; 'IT'S STILL YOUR OPINION.' WE ADVISED OUR INTENT TO FILE A RPT; ASKED FOR CTLR INITIALS (REFUSED) AND REQUESTED THE TAPES BE PRESERVED. LATER TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH A SUPVR IN ABQ INDICATED HE HAD REVIEWED THE INCIDENT AND FELT THE CTLR HAD OPTED FOR; AND FOLLOWED; A SAFE PROC; SAYING THAT THE MODE C RECORDS INDICATED OUR ALT AS 10100'; THE VFR (SMA) AT 10500' WITH CONVERGING COURSES AND C/A. I BEG TO DIFFER. I'VE NEVER BEEN THIS CLOSE TO 'KNOWN TFC' BEFORE; AND HOPE I NEVER AM AGAIN. IT WAS ANYTHING BUT 'SAFE.' AND; EMPHATICALLY; OUR ALTIMETERS (BOTH OF THEM) SHOWED LEVEL AT 10000+/-10'. PLEASE; ATC; DON'T VECTOR US INTO CONFLICT SITUATIONS. IF I COULD DO THIS AGAIN; I'D LEVEL AT 9000'. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 94902: WAS TOLD TFC WAS AT OUR 1-2 O'CLOCK POS SWBND. WAS ADVISED THAT TFC HAD US IN SIGHT. AFTER LOOKING AT OUR 1 & 2 O'CLOCK POS; SAW TFC IN OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS IN A SLIGHT DSCNT. MALE VOICE CAME ON AIR; IN A VERY UNPROFESSIONAL; GRUFF; SNOBBISH VOICE AND SAID THAT WAS OUR OPINION. CAPT REQUESTED TAPES BE SAVED AS WE WOULD INQUIRE INTO SITUATION; AND THAT WE WOULD LIKE THE CTLRS INITIALS. IN SAME VOICE; WAS TOLD BY MALE CTLR THAT THE TAPES WERE VALID FOR 90 DAYS; BUT POLICY WOULD NOT ALLOW HIM GIVING HIS INITIALS.