Narrative:

At lax airport terminal, after pushback from gate. Initially our pushback instructions were: to push all the way forward of the alleyway which is abeam taxiway D. Note: I have been to this airport thousands of times. After engine start and after start checklist, we called for taxi on ground frequency. Ground gave us instructions to 'taxi up to and hold short of taxiway D. As I was looking ahead I saw a sign with 'D' and 'east' with an arrow and on taxiway D I saw a line of 4 aircraft waiting for takeoff. My perception of the sign (I interpreted/perceived) taxiway east as being taxiway D. And, I saw myself taxiing up to and be the one to follow those other aircraft. I argue as a norm we make a left turn on taxiway D and up to taxiway D9 or taxiway D10, then right on taxiway east into the line and wait. This time my brain (after seeing the taxiway marking) (since that intersection is taxiway D8, but when perpendicular to the taxiway the D8 is not visible) interpreted 'east' to be 'D.' I taxied 1/2 way to taxiway D and stopped. Ground control (at the same time requested I hold my position). A ground control supervisor asked me sarcastically if we had received any taxi instructions. I said (repeated) the instructions and added that 'we had confused the signs since we were already holding short of taxiway D before we requested taxi instructions' and I added, if he would like for me to turn right instead. He was nicer this time and agreed on a right turn. There were no conflicts near or far (impending or else). Taxiway signs are confusing. You must assess at all times.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC EXPERIENCES CONFUSION ON TAXI.

Narrative: AT LAX ARPT TERMINAL, AFTER PUSHBACK FROM GATE. INITIALLY OUR PUSHBACK INSTRUCTIONS WERE: TO PUSH ALL THE WAY FORWARD OF THE ALLEYWAY WHICH IS ABEAM TXWY D. NOTE: I HAVE BEEN TO THIS ARPT THOUSANDS OF TIMES. AFTER ENG START AND AFTER START CHKLIST, WE CALLED FOR TAXI ON GND FREQ. GND GAVE US INSTRUCTIONS TO 'TAXI UP TO AND HOLD SHORT OF TXWY D. AS I WAS LOOKING AHEAD I SAW A SIGN WITH 'D' AND 'E' WITH AN ARROW AND ON TXWY D I SAW A LINE OF 4 ACFT WAITING FOR TKOF. MY PERCEPTION OF THE SIGN (I INTERPED/PERCEIVED) TXWY E AS BEING TXWY D. AND, I SAW MYSELF TAXIING UP TO AND BE THE ONE TO FOLLOW THOSE OTHER ACFT. I ARGUE AS A NORM WE MAKE A L TURN ON TXWY D AND UP TO TXWY D9 OR TXWY D10, THEN R ON TXWY E INTO THE LINE AND WAIT. THIS TIME MY BRAIN (AFTER SEEING THE TXWY MARKING) (SINCE THAT INTXN IS TXWY D8, BUT WHEN PERPENDICULAR TO THE TXWY THE D8 IS NOT VISIBLE) INTERPED 'E' TO BE 'D.' I TAXIED 1/2 WAY TO TXWY D AND STOPPED. GND CTL (AT THE SAME TIME REQUESTED I HOLD MY POS). A GND CTL SUPVR ASKED ME SARCASTICALLY IF WE HAD RECEIVED ANY TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. I SAID (REPEATED) THE INSTRUCTIONS AND ADDED THAT 'WE HAD CONFUSED THE SIGNS SINCE WE WERE ALREADY HOLDING SHORT OF TXWY D BEFORE WE REQUESTED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS' AND I ADDED, IF HE WOULD LIKE FOR ME TO TURN R INSTEAD. HE WAS NICER THIS TIME AND AGREED ON A R TURN. THERE WERE NO CONFLICTS NEAR OR FAR (IMPENDING OR ELSE). TXWY SIGNS ARE CONFUSING. YOU MUST ASSESS AT ALL TIMES.

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.