Narrative:

Flying a C172, I had just completed an ILS approach to bur runway 8 (tower en route guidance, therefore no 'flight plan' per southeast). On the landing roll, I requested to taxi to the approach end of runway 8, and the controller instructed me that, when I departed the runway, I was to turn right and 'put my nosewheel on the solid yellow line.' his instructions included sequellae related to passing one set of hold short lines and such, these sequellae are not relevant to the thrust of this report. Following his instructions exactly, I turned right (southerly) and saw dashed yellow line and, immediately past it (to the south) and parallel to it, a solid yellow line. These lines were approximately parallel to the runway and were situated in the general orientation of a typical taxiway. I visualized this solid yellow line when it was perhaps 10-15 ft ahead of me. There were no interceding lines. Since this was the first solid yellow line I saw, I aligned the airplane with the nosewheel on the solid yellow line and proceeded to taxi in a westerly direction. The controller informed me that he had wanted me to taxi on a different solid yellow line -- one perhaps 30-50 ft further south. I immediately transitioned to this second solid yellow line and proceeded to taxi westerly along it. I noted to the controller why I had originally taxied on the first solid yellow line, and he said, 'I guess we'll have to discuss adjusting our phraseology' (for enhanced clarity). His attitude was positive, and he gave no indication that he intended to pursue the matter of my taxi on the first solid yellow line any further. In the interest of aviation safety, and in particular in the service of helping reduce potential runway incursions, I telephoned bur tower. The lady with whom I spoke said that she was present when the matter I have described occurred. I called to recommend alternate phraseology: that pilots be told to taxi on the taxiway centerline. I said that the solid yellow line onto which the controller had actually wished me to taxi looked like a taxiway centerline. The lady stated that it was actually a line on the ramp and not a taxiway. I noted the reason for my call (to enhance safety and to recommend alternate, more useful phraseology). The lady gave no indication that she intended to pursue the matter of my taxi on the first solid yellow line any further. Recommendation: when a controller wishes an airplane to taxi onto a solid yellow line that will appear after another solid yellow line (given the airplane's taxi ground track), he/she should say either 'cross the first yellow line and taxi on the second yellow line,' or 'put your nosewheel on the solid yellow line approximately 50 ft south of/beyond/past your position,' or something like that.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 RECEIVED CONFUSING TAXI INSTRUCTIONS FROM BUR TWR DURING TAXI CLRNC FOR RWY 8.

Narrative: FLYING A C172, I HAD JUST COMPLETED AN ILS APCH TO BUR RWY 8 (TWR ENRTE GUIDANCE, THEREFORE NO 'FLT PLAN' PER SE). ON THE LNDG ROLL, I REQUESTED TO TAXI TO THE APCH END OF RWY 8, AND THE CTLR INSTRUCTED ME THAT, WHEN I DEPARTED THE RWY, I WAS TO TURN R AND 'PUT MY NOSEWHEEL ON THE SOLID YELLOW LINE.' HIS INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDED SEQUELLAE RELATED TO PASSING ONE SET OF HOLD SHORT LINES AND SUCH, THESE SEQUELLAE ARE NOT RELEVANT TO THE THRUST OF THIS RPT. FOLLOWING HIS INSTRUCTIONS EXACTLY, I TURNED R (SOUTHERLY) AND SAW DASHED YELLOW LINE AND, IMMEDIATELY PAST IT (TO THE S) AND PARALLEL TO IT, A SOLID YELLOW LINE. THESE LINES WERE APPROX PARALLEL TO THE RWY AND WERE SITUATED IN THE GENERAL ORIENTATION OF A TYPICAL TXWY. I VISUALIZED THIS SOLID YELLOW LINE WHEN IT WAS PERHAPS 10-15 FT AHEAD OF ME. THERE WERE NO INTERCEDING LINES. SINCE THIS WAS THE FIRST SOLID YELLOW LINE I SAW, I ALIGNED THE AIRPLANE WITH THE NOSEWHEEL ON THE SOLID YELLOW LINE AND PROCEEDED TO TAXI IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION. THE CTLR INFORMED ME THAT HE HAD WANTED ME TO TAXI ON A DIFFERENT SOLID YELLOW LINE -- ONE PERHAPS 30-50 FT FURTHER S. I IMMEDIATELY TRANSITIONED TO THIS SECOND SOLID YELLOW LINE AND PROCEEDED TO TAXI WESTERLY ALONG IT. I NOTED TO THE CTLR WHY I HAD ORIGINALLY TAXIED ON THE FIRST SOLID YELLOW LINE, AND HE SAID, 'I GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO DISCUSS ADJUSTING OUR PHRASEOLOGY' (FOR ENHANCED CLARITY). HIS ATTITUDE WAS POSITIVE, AND HE GAVE NO INDICATION THAT HE INTENDED TO PURSUE THE MATTER OF MY TAXI ON THE FIRST SOLID YELLOW LINE ANY FURTHER. IN THE INTEREST OF AVIATION SAFETY, AND IN PARTICULAR IN THE SVC OF HELPING REDUCE POTENTIAL RWY INCURSIONS, I TELEPHONED BUR TWR. THE LADY WITH WHOM I SPOKE SAID THAT SHE WAS PRESENT WHEN THE MATTER I HAVE DESCRIBED OCCURRED. I CALLED TO RECOMMEND ALTERNATE PHRASEOLOGY: THAT PLTS BE TOLD TO TAXI ON THE TXWY CTRLINE. I SAID THAT THE SOLID YELLOW LINE ONTO WHICH THE CTLR HAD ACTUALLY WISHED ME TO TAXI LOOKED LIKE A TXWY CTRLINE. THE LADY STATED THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY A LINE ON THE RAMP AND NOT A TXWY. I NOTED THE REASON FOR MY CALL (TO ENHANCE SAFETY AND TO RECOMMEND ALTERNATE, MORE USEFUL PHRASEOLOGY). THE LADY GAVE NO INDICATION THAT SHE INTENDED TO PURSUE THE MATTER OF MY TAXI ON THE FIRST SOLID YELLOW LINE ANY FURTHER. RECOMMENDATION: WHEN A CTLR WISHES AN AIRPLANE TO TAXI ONTO A SOLID YELLOW LINE THAT WILL APPEAR AFTER ANOTHER SOLID YELLOW LINE (GIVEN THE AIRPLANE'S TAXI GND TRACK), HE/SHE SHOULD SAY EITHER 'CROSS THE FIRST YELLOW LINE AND TAXI ON THE SECOND YELLOW LINE,' OR 'PUT YOUR NOSEWHEEL ON THE SOLID YELLOW LINE APPROX 50 FT S OF/BEYOND/PAST YOUR POS,' OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

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.