As a BAEC Gold member, one gets soft landing to Silver anyway in the following membership year even if one doesn't fly a single BA or OW flight during the current year.

Hence wondering, why would (should?) a Gold continue accumulate TPs if he knows he can't accumulate enough TPs during the year to achieve Gold again the following year? Would it be better to fly airlines from a competing alliance, and clock status points to a FFP that may provide quicker route to equivalent top status... while being assured of OW status benefits (100% bonus on BA flights, OW lounge access, etc.) accorded by BAEC Silver next year?