Usefulness of access(2) - (nf)

[gwyn%brl-vld at sri-unix.UUCP]

From:      Doug Gwyn (VLD/VMB) <gwyn at brl-vld>

That is correct behavior, since you were asking for a way to check
access for the effective UID.  Set-UID root makes your effective UID 0,
trying to access the file wins, and that is correct.