Captain misunderstood ground control and used the wrong taxiway after landing.

Attributes
ACN	360980
Time
Date	199702
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 107 flight time total : 20310 flight time type : 9170
ASRS Report	360980
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We landed on runway 8 and were exiting at the last high speed with a reverse high speed available. I needed to go west and asked for reverse taxi. I had meant to say reverse high speed. The controller said to use the high speed. I understood this to be ok as he had not said negative to my request. As it turned out by phone, he intended for me to take the same direction high speed. It was a matter of miscom. There were no other aircraft behind me and no traffic conflict. The city did not want people using the reverse high speeds off the runway due to wear and upkeep of the txwys.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT MISUNDERSTOOD GND CTL AND USED THE WRONG TXWY AFTER LNDG.

Narrative: WE LANDED ON RWY 8 AND WERE EXITING AT THE LAST HIGH SPD WITH A REVERSE HIGH SPD AVAILABLE. I NEEDED TO GO W AND ASKED FOR REVERSE TAXI. I HAD MEANT TO SAY REVERSE HIGH SPD. THE CTLR SAID TO USE THE HIGH SPD. I UNDERSTOOD THIS TO BE OK AS HE HAD NOT SAID NEGATIVE TO MY REQUEST. AS IT TURNED OUT BY PHONE, HE INTENDED FOR ME TO TAKE THE SAME DIRECTION HIGH SPD. IT WAS A MATTER OF MISCOM. THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT BEHIND ME AND NO TFC CONFLICT. THE CITY DID NOT WANT PEOPLE USING THE REVERSE HIGH SPDS OFF THE RWY DUE TO WEAR AND UPKEEP OF THE TXWYS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.