Narrative:

I was flying east on an IFR plan in mixed WX, en route from agc to blm. My clearance had been modified earlier to 'direct bunts, then vectors.' the airways were very busy for a sunday afternoon. The controllers seemed quite busy. As I motored along, east of reading towards philadelphia's airspace, I noticed a particular male controller from reading approach who was being particularly snippy to many pilots, fairly sarcastic, and quite verbally aggressive. At 15 NM of bunts, I still had not gotten any further instructions. At 10 NM I called this controller for instructions after bunts (my groundspeed was approximately 178 KT). His answer was 'it'll be vectors, just like your clearance says.' I continued to bunts with no further instructions. As I passed bunts, I called him again. At 2 miles past bunts he handed me off to phl approach, who then handled me properly. Nothing bad happened, but this controller's attitude and radio behavior created a potentially dangerous situation. I was several miles past bunts on an IFR plan, entering class B airspace on a busy afternoon with many inexperienced pilots around, in marginal WX, and I was essentially uncontrolled for a number of miles. Certainly, they had me on radar, but radar does fail every now and again! When controllers intimidate, belittle, or treat pilots disrespectfully, they create potential trouble. This guy handed me off to another ATC facility in busy airspace without vectors, and no one (including me) knew where I was going! In the future, I will be more persistent, regardless of controller attitude!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A RDG APCH CTLR RPTED TO DISPLAY A VERY UNPROFESSIONAL ATTITUDE WHILE COMMUNICATING WITH PLTS DURING A BUSY PERIOD.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING E ON AN IFR PLAN IN MIXED WX, ENRTE FROM AGC TO BLM. MY CLRNC HAD BEEN MODIFIED EARLIER TO 'DIRECT BUNTS, THEN VECTORS.' THE AIRWAYS WERE VERY BUSY FOR A SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THE CTLRS SEEMED QUITE BUSY. AS I MOTORED ALONG, E OF READING TOWARDS PHILADELPHIA'S AIRSPACE, I NOTICED A PARTICULAR MALE CTLR FROM READING APCH WHO WAS BEING PARTICULARLY SNIPPY TO MANY PLTS, FAIRLY SARCASTIC, AND QUITE VERBALLY AGGRESSIVE. AT 15 NM OF BUNTS, I STILL HAD NOT GOTTEN ANY FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. AT 10 NM I CALLED THIS CTLR FOR INSTRUCTIONS AFTER BUNTS (MY GROUNDSPEED WAS APPROX 178 KT). HIS ANSWER WAS 'IT'LL BE VECTORS, JUST LIKE YOUR CLRNC SAYS.' I CONTINUED TO BUNTS WITH NO FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. AS I PASSED BUNTS, I CALLED HIM AGAIN. AT 2 MILES PAST BUNTS HE HANDED ME OFF TO PHL APCH, WHO THEN HANDLED ME PROPERLY. NOTHING BAD HAPPENED, BUT THIS CTLR'S ATTITUDE AND RADIO BEHAVIOR CREATED A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIT. I WAS SEVERAL MILES PAST BUNTS ON AN IFR PLAN, ENTERING CLASS B AIRSPACE ON A BUSY AFTERNOON WITH MANY INEXPERIENCED PLTS AROUND, IN MARGINAL WX, AND I WAS ESSENTIALLY UNCTLED FOR A NUMBER OF MILES. CERTAINLY, THEY HAD ME ON RADAR, BUT RADAR DOES FAIL EVERY NOW AND AGAIN! WHEN CTLRS INTIMIDATE, BELITTLE, OR TREAT PLTS DISRESPECTFULLY, THEY CREATE POTENTIAL TROUBLE. THIS GUY HANDED ME OFF TO ANOTHER ATC FAC IN BUSY AIRSPACE WITHOUT VECTORS, AND NO ONE (INCLUDING ME) KNEW WHERE I WAS GOING! IN THE FUTURE, I WILL BE MORE PERSISTENT, REGARDLESS OF CTLR ATTITUDE!

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.