Narrative:

Taxiing out of gate at sfo, it was night, clear WX. Clearance was taxiway B to runway 1L. Approaching taxiway T, we saw a brasilia clearing runway 28L on taxiway T, heading towards us. We immediately stopped on taxiway B. The brasilia stopped on taxiway T with his nose short of taxiway B. We could not ensure that our left wing would laterally clear the brasilia if we continued on taxiway B. We advised ATC that we were holding on taxiway B until we could guarantee that we could safely continue on taxiway B. Fom requires us to do this: 'if in doubt about clearance, stop the airplane and request guidance from authorized personnel.' the ground controller encouraged us to continue. We told him we were unable for safety reasons. The ground controller had to back-taxi 2 brasilias onto runway 28L (a second one stopped in the meantime on taxiway T behind the first one), causing an aircraft on runway 28L first to go around. When both brasilias were clear, we asked for and received clearance to continue on taxiway B. Bottom line: we were not sure if we could safely continue past the brasilia. We stopped as required by common sense (and the fom), and we worked with ATC and the air carrier crews to safely complete our taxi to runway 1L. Kudos to my captain for sticking by his gut feeling and not letting ATC talk us into something we weren't comfortable with.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 FO RPTED THAT SFO TWR IMPROPERLY ENCOURAGED THE CAPT TO GO PAST A BRASILIA IN VERY CLOSE PROX WHILE TAXIING.

Narrative: TAXIING OUT OF GATE AT SFO, IT WAS NIGHT, CLR WX. CLRNC WAS TXWY B TO RWY 1L. APCHING TXWY T, WE SAW A BRASILIA CLRING RWY 28L ON TXWY T, HDG TOWARDS US. WE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED ON TXWY B. THE BRASILIA STOPPED ON TXWY T WITH HIS NOSE SHORT OF TXWY B. WE COULD NOT ENSURE THAT OUR L WING WOULD LATERALLY CLR THE BRASILIA IF WE CONTINUED ON TXWY B. WE ADVISED ATC THAT WE WERE HOLDING ON TXWY B UNTIL WE COULD GUARANTEE THAT WE COULD SAFELY CONTINUE ON TXWY B. FOM REQUIRES US TO DO THIS: 'IF IN DOUBT ABOUT CLRNC, STOP THE AIRPLANE AND REQUEST GUIDANCE FROM AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL.' THE GND CTLR ENCOURAGED US TO CONTINUE. WE TOLD HIM WE WERE UNABLE FOR SAFETY REASONS. THE GND CTLR HAD TO BACK-TAXI 2 BRASILIAS ONTO RWY 28L (A SECOND ONE STOPPED IN THE MEANTIME ON TXWY T BEHIND THE FIRST ONE), CAUSING AN ACFT ON RWY 28L FIRST TO GO AROUND. WHEN BOTH BRASILIAS WERE CLR, WE ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO CONTINUE ON TXWY B. BOTTOM LINE: WE WERE NOT SURE IF WE COULD SAFELY CONTINUE PAST THE BRASILIA. WE STOPPED AS REQUIRED BY COMMON SENSE (AND THE FOM), AND WE WORKED WITH ATC AND THE ACR CREWS TO SAFELY COMPLETE OUR TAXI TO RWY 1L. KUDOS TO MY CAPT FOR STICKING BY HIS GUT FEELING AND NOT LETTING ATC TALK US INTO SOMETHING WE WEREN'T COMFORTABLE WITH.

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.