Narrative:

It just turned nightfall and a normal landing was made on iad's runway 19R. I was the PF and as we turned off on the high speed taxiway Y7, I wanted to slow the speed of the aircraft down when I was sure the aircraft was clear of the runway. I wanted to glance at the map on my clipboard to verify my position on the airport. Being that it was night, I felt it was important to be at a reasonable speed before doing this. Also, I wasn't sure if the hold clearance lines were in front of me or behind me. I knew I was clear of the runway, but the hold lines as I remember were not clearly lit and as it turned out, they were further down the high speed taxiway than I realized. At that point, the controller implored us to move ahead faster and admonished us for not exiting more quickly. I would rather the controller would've had me telephone him after I parked and we could've discussed his and my concerns more calmly. Then, we taxied back to our gate via north on taxiway Y and right turn on taxiway a, taxiway A4 to our gate. I'm including this in my report because I can't be 100% sure that was the exact clearance as a result of the aforementioned diatribe/taxi instructions. I assume it was since subsequently, we weren't told otherwise. Also, I asked if we were 'ok' at taxiway Y and intersection a. There were no incursions, close calls, or otherwise abnormal incidents as a result of what happened. I would really like to see the runway hold lines better illuminated on this high speed turnoff.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9-30 CAPT AND ATCT GND CTLR BECAME INVOLVED IN A HEATED DISCUSSION AFTER THE CAPT DID NOT CLR THE RWY HIGH SPD TURNOFF AS FAST AS THE CTLR THOUGHT HE SHOULD AT IAD.

Narrative: IT JUST TURNED NIGHTFALL AND A NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE ON IAD'S RWY 19R. I WAS THE PF AND AS WE TURNED OFF ON THE HIGH SPD TXWY Y7, I WANTED TO SLOW THE SPD OF THE ACFT DOWN WHEN I WAS SURE THE ACFT WAS CLR OF THE RWY. I WANTED TO GLANCE AT THE MAP ON MY CLIPBOARD TO VERIFY MY POS ON THE ARPT. BEING THAT IT WAS NIGHT, I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO BE AT A REASONABLE SPD BEFORE DOING THIS. ALSO, I WASN'T SURE IF THE HOLD CLRNC LINES WERE IN FRONT OF ME OR BEHIND ME. I KNEW I WAS CLR OF THE RWY, BUT THE HOLD LINES AS I REMEMBER WERE NOT CLRLY LIT AND AS IT TURNED OUT, THEY WERE FURTHER DOWN THE HIGH SPD TXWY THAN I REALIZED. AT THAT POINT, THE CTLR IMPLORED US TO MOVE AHEAD FASTER AND ADMONISHED US FOR NOT EXITING MORE QUICKLY. I WOULD RATHER THE CTLR WOULD'VE HAD ME TELEPHONE HIM AFTER I PARKED AND WE COULD'VE DISCUSSED HIS AND MY CONCERNS MORE CALMLY. THEN, WE TAXIED BACK TO OUR GATE VIA N ON TXWY Y AND R TURN ON TXWY A, TXWY A4 TO OUR GATE. I'M INCLUDING THIS IN MY RPT BECAUSE I CAN'T BE 100% SURE THAT WAS THE EXACT CLRNC AS A RESULT OF THE AFOREMENTIONED DIATRIBE/TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. I ASSUME IT WAS SINCE SUBSEQUENTLY, WE WEREN'T TOLD OTHERWISE. ALSO, I ASKED IF WE WERE 'OK' AT TXWY Y AND INTXN A. THERE WERE NO INCURSIONS, CLOSE CALLS, OR OTHERWISE ABNORMAL INCIDENTS AS A RESULT OF WHAT HAPPENED. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE RWY HOLD LINES BETTER ILLUMINATED ON THIS HIGH SPD TURNOFF.

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.