Narrative:

Entered the left downwind for runway 17L and landed. I was advised by the tower to contact ground control 121.80, which I did after exiting via taxiway A5. I was then told to proceed to the ramp for taxi to area 'gulf.' however, the ramp was full what with ground vehicles vying for the fueling of a large jet that was blocking the ramp for my going south on the ramp. The ground vehicles were also blocking the ramp entry. I did not want to create an accident between myself and the ground vehicles, and the jet, which were blocking the ramp at the time. So I took the taxiway south and there were no aircraft taxiing in either direction north or south. I was then chewed out by 'ground control' for having done so, and as I explained to the controller the area was totally blocked at the time, and was further criticized for taking the taxiway (even though no aircraft were on the taxiway). I took the action, in my estimation, because of safety for myself and my aircraft. And when it comes to this kind of judgement, it's the pilot's call. I was further told to get off the taxiway and I merely said 'yes sir.' I did say it in a gruff manner, because I thought the 'controller' was either unknowing of the situation, or didn't care, and I was told to do 'what I tell you attitude' regardless of creating an incident, and this was and is a 'pilot's' decision. My error may have been not to immediately tell the controller that I was taking the taxiway which was free of any activity whatsoever, and was out of harm's way. I proceeded and taxied to my tie- down in area 'gulf' without further incident. It appears to be this may have been a novice controller, who either did not know or did not care about the circumstances, and who wanted to exercise his authority/authorized -- this applies solely to the 'ground controller.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C180 PLT TAXIED WITHOUT APPROPRIATE GND CTLR CLRNC.

Narrative: ENTERED THE L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 17L AND LANDED. I WAS ADVISED BY THE TWR TO CONTACT GND CTL 121.80, WHICH I DID AFTER EXITING VIA TXWY A5. I WAS THEN TOLD TO PROCEED TO THE RAMP FOR TAXI TO AREA 'GULF.' HOWEVER, THE RAMP WAS FULL WHAT WITH GND VEHICLES VYING FOR THE FUELING OF A LARGE JET THAT WAS BLOCKING THE RAMP FOR MY GOING S ON THE RAMP. THE GND VEHICLES WERE ALSO BLOCKING THE RAMP ENTRY. I DID NOT WANT TO CREATE AN ACCIDENT BTWN MYSELF AND THE GND VEHICLES, AND THE JET, WHICH WERE BLOCKING THE RAMP AT THE TIME. SO I TOOK THE TXWY S AND THERE WERE NO ACFT TAXIING IN EITHER DIRECTION N OR S. I WAS THEN CHEWED OUT BY 'GND CTL' FOR HAVING DONE SO, AND AS I EXPLAINED TO THE CTLR THE AREA WAS TOTALLY BLOCKED AT THE TIME, AND WAS FURTHER CRITICIZED FOR TAKING THE TXWY (EVEN THOUGH NO ACFT WERE ON THE TXWY). I TOOK THE ACTION, IN MY ESTIMATION, BECAUSE OF SAFETY FOR MYSELF AND MY ACFT. AND WHEN IT COMES TO THIS KIND OF JUDGEMENT, IT'S THE PLT'S CALL. I WAS FURTHER TOLD TO GET OFF THE TXWY AND I MERELY SAID 'YES SIR.' I DID SAY IT IN A GRUFF MANNER, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE 'CTLR' WAS EITHER UNKNOWING OF THE SIT, OR DIDN'T CARE, AND I WAS TOLD TO DO 'WHAT I TELL YOU ATTITUDE' REGARDLESS OF CREATING AN INCIDENT, AND THIS WAS AND IS A 'PLT'S' DECISION. MY ERROR MAY HAVE BEEN NOT TO IMMEDIATELY TELL THE CTLR THAT I WAS TAKING THE TXWY WHICH WAS FREE OF ANY ACTIVITY WHATSOEVER, AND WAS OUT OF HARM'S WAY. I PROCEEDED AND TAXIED TO MY TIE- DOWN IN AREA 'GULF' WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. IT APPEARS TO BE THIS MAY HAVE BEEN A NOVICE CTLR, WHO EITHER DID NOT KNOW OR DID NOT CARE ABOUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND WHO WANTED TO EXERCISE HIS AUTH -- THIS APPLIES SOLELY TO THE 'GND CTLR.'

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.