Ron Rosenfeld wrote:
According to my Jepp charts, the Westchester-1 departure *is* an Obstacle
departure procedure.

Hmmm. I guess that's what the word "OBSTACLE" printed above the title
name means, huh? :-)

If you were flying under Part 91, there is no
obligation to fly either an obstacle DP or a SID if they are not given to
you in the clearance.

However, it is your right to fly any ODP, even if it is not given to you in
your clearance.

If you don't fly the ODP, you are responsible for your own obstacle
clearance until you are receiving radar vectors from the controller.

At an unfamiliar airport, I will fly any published ODP's. But at a
familiar airport, I might take some shortcuts if I know I can maintain
obstacle clearance.

Well, in this case, it was my home airport, daytime, severe clear, and
no significant terrain beyond the trees at the airport boundary. We
were taking off on runway 16, the SID said right turn to 320, and my
first waypoint was on a heading of about 040 (i.e. a left turn). So, in
theory, until the time I was actually given a vector, I would have been
within my rights to turn left to 040 as soon as I felt it was safe?