Narrative:

I cleared the runway at taxiway A5 and entered the ramp area going to gate X. Entering the ramp I noticed the ramp edge stripes, I thought the stripes were a taxi line into the ramp. I made a wide turn to miss the ramp edge then started angling back to the edge stripes thinking it was a taxi line. I was looking for the lead in line when I noticed my first officer was looking out the right window checking clearance from the edge of the ramp. I then realized my right main landing gear was very close to the ramp edge. I made an adjustment away from the ramp edge and taxied to the gate. My point here is that the ramp edge stripes can be mistaken for a taxi line. Although the commercial chart does not indicate, there is plenty of room to taxi between the gate and the ramp edge. I was expecting a taxi line in that area and erroneously picked the ramp edge stripes at night with a wet ramp, you could end up in the grass. Recommend taxi line in that area that will provide adequate clearance from the grass and parked aircraft at the gates. Need a comment on commercial chart about no taxi line in that area, 'do not mistake the ramp edge stripes for a taxi line.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he did see clearly a double yellow line indicating the edge of the taxiway, and a single yellow line on the center of the tie in high speed taxiway extending on to the ramp area. However, at first he thought that they were the centerline causing him to start to place the nosewheel on them which would have caused him to go off on the grass. For this reason he suggested that a centerline on the ramp area for taxiing would be helpful.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CAPT RECOMMENDS ADDITIONAL TXWY/RAMP MARKINGS AFTER LEAVING HIGH SPEED TXWY TURN OFF ON TO RAMP AT BHM.

Narrative: I CLRED THE RWY AT TXWY A5 AND ENTERED THE RAMP AREA GOING TO GATE X. ENTERING THE RAMP I NOTICED THE RAMP EDGE STRIPES, I THOUGHT THE STRIPES WERE A TAXI LINE INTO THE RAMP. I MADE A WIDE TURN TO MISS THE RAMP EDGE THEN STARTED ANGLING BACK TO THE EDGE STRIPES THINKING IT WAS A TAXI LINE. I WAS LOOKING FOR THE LEAD IN LINE WHEN I NOTICED MY FIRST OFFICER WAS LOOKING OUT THE RIGHT WINDOW CHECKING CLRNC FROM THE EDGE OF THE RAMP. I THEN REALIZED MY RIGHT MAIN LNDG GEAR WAS VERY CLOSE TO THE RAMP EDGE. I MADE AN ADJUSTMENT AWAY FROM THE RAMP EDGE AND TAXIED TO THE GATE. MY POINT HERE IS THAT THE RAMP EDGE STRIPES CAN BE MISTAKEN FOR A TAXI LINE. ALTHOUGH THE COMMERCIAL CHART DOES NOT INDICATE, THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM TO TAXI BETWEEN THE GATE AND THE RAMP EDGE. I WAS EXPECTING A TAXI LINE IN THAT AREA AND ERRONEOUSLY PICKED THE RAMP EDGE STRIPES AT NIGHT WITH A WET RAMP, YOU COULD END UP IN THE GRASS. RECOMMEND TAXI LINE IN THAT AREA THAT WILL PROVIDE ADEQUATE CLRNC FROM THE GRASS AND PARKED ACFT AT THE GATES. NEED A COMMENT ON COMMERCIAL CHART ABOUT NO TAXI LINE IN THAT AREA, 'DO NOT MISTAKE THE RAMP EDGE STRIPES FOR A TAXI LINE.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE DID SEE CLEARLY A DOUBLE YELLOW LINE INDICATING THE EDGE OF THE TXWY, AND A SINGLE YELLOW LINE ON THE CENTER OF THE TIE IN HIGH SPEED TXWY EXTENDING ON TO THE RAMP AREA. HOWEVER, AT FIRST HE THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE THE CENTERLINE CAUSING HIM TO START TO PLACE THE NOSEWHEEL ON THEM WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED HIM TO GO OFF ON THE GRASS. FOR THIS REASON HE SUGGESTED THAT A CENTERLINE ON THE RAMP AREA FOR TAXIING WOULD BE HELPFUL.

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.