Flight crew has to abruptly turn to avoid vehicle.

Attributes
ACN	546283
Time
Date	200205
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	546283
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe excursion : taxiway ground encounters : vehicle non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Landing in sea runway 16R, rolled to taxiway P, cleared to cross runway 16L and join taxiway B. Ground gave us clearance to taxi to gate X. Joining taxiway B, I saw a ramp patrol vehicle heading south about to cross our entrance to the ramp. It appeared that he was slowing to allow us entry to the ramp. I maneuvered just south of the yellow line to avoid him. It was then that he accelerated sbound again, so I had to abruptly turn north of the yellow line to avoid him. I am submitting this as a safety advisory to be on the alert for these vehicles. Most ramp vehicles obey right-of-way rules and I am not sure these 'ramp patrol' vehicles do. Aircraft speed was approximately 20 KTS clearing the active and slowing to 10 KTS prior to the ramp area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC HAS TO ABRUPTLY TURN TO AVOID VEHICLE.

Narrative: LNDG IN SEA RWY 16R, ROLLED TO TXWY P, CLRED TO CROSS RWY 16L AND JOIN TXWY B. GND GAVE US CLRNC TO TAXI TO GATE X. JOINING TXWY B, I SAW A RAMP PATROL VEHICLE HDG S ABOUT TO CROSS OUR ENTRANCE TO THE RAMP. IT APPEARED THAT HE WAS SLOWING TO ALLOW US ENTRY TO THE RAMP. I MANEUVERED JUST S OF THE YELLOW LINE TO AVOID HIM. IT WAS THEN THAT HE ACCELERATED SBOUND AGAIN, SO I HAD TO ABRUPTLY TURN N OF THE YELLOW LINE TO AVOID HIM. I AM SUBMITTING THIS AS A SAFETY ADVISORY TO BE ON THE ALERT FOR THESE VEHICLES. MOST RAMP VEHICLES OBEY RIGHT-OF-WAY RULES AND I AM NOT SURE THESE 'RAMP PATROL' VEHICLES DO. ACFT SPD WAS APPROX 20 KTS CLRING THE ACTIVE AND SLOWING TO 10 KTS PRIOR TO THE RAMP AREA.

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.