“in that case, why would you even ask a shailah?”
In what case?
I didnt realize this was controversial. You agree there are situations where “x is mutar meikar hadin, but it is better to be machmir.” I assume you agree too (Though you didnt outright say it) that there are situations where we are generally machmir but there are acceptable mekilim.
now even in those cases if there are no acceptable mekilim then (by definition) a frum person wont be meikil. But there are times where situation may be difficult, and a Rav may not feel comfortable “giving a heter” (this isnt neccesarily my #2 above, the Rav may “know the halacha” but doesnt feel comfortable answering such life altering shailas perhaps this is reason #8, though perhaps for such a life altering shaila a phone hotline isnt the best alternative) or he is machmir in those cases so he’ll send to someone else. This happens often with family planning shailos, certainly almost every question involving infertility . For example The Satmer Rov was quite machmir. As you may know, there are several organizations that aid many people including Satmer chsidim who are often sent by their own community to other Dayanim. Again if there is no room to be meikil, then a frum person wont be., but he will ask a sheilah.
Back to our friend Reuvein. IF the case involved Neveila, then he wont eat it. He generally doesnt eat Chaalv stam but this is a pressing situation so he wants to know if an exception is appropriate. He also wants to know if he should say hataras nedarim. Of course he would ask a shaila