Narrative:

After receiving my WX briefing; I started; taxied; departed VFR runway 27R at oak. Tower controller assigned 2500 ft as the initial altitude. Handoff to norcal departure was routine with a new altitude assignment of 5500 ft; own navigation. The problem occurred with apparent 'on the job' training by a very irritable voice that would override the other controller and would state in a heightened voice his/her demands. This caused considerable confusion. It must be added that in the terminal areas; I wear a noise canceling headset and request that my passenger restrict all conversations until we are at cruise altitude. Due to various conflicts and air carrier traffic; I was instructed to maintain 6500 ft although I did not hear it at the time. This was the first transmission I received from the controller. When queried by this clear; if I heard his/her instructions; I answered in standard nomenclature; 'negative; say again;' per the aim. This resulted in a missed clearance for maintaining 6500 ft. Luckily; I stopped my climb at about 6800 ft and quickly returned to 6500 ft. Several vectors were assigned during this phase of the flight due to a conflict with a B737 on arrival and other arrs. The controllers were literally yelling at me and others. By this time; both controllers were clearly irritated and emoting over the radio their inability to maintain control of the situation. When I was handed off to the next frequency; the speech was too quick to understand. I requested the controller repeat the final digit only to change to. The male controller then screamed; very slowly over the microphone; the entire frequency I was to change to. The switching off of 2 controllers at the same time; I believe; creates problems. This environment of yelling at pilots; playing the superiority card; and basically bullying is unsafe. This occurred at about XA30. I have been certified to pilot for over 30 yrs and hold a current instrument rating. I recently had a hearing test during my last physical and demonstrated that I have normal hearing. I fly into several terminal areas and have noticed this trend with norcal towards GA pilots. It is unprofessional; uncalled for; and most importantly; unsafe.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR BE33 DEP FROM OAK VOICED SAFETY CONCERNS REGARDING NCT HANDLING AND CTLR DEMEANOR.

Narrative: AFTER RECEIVING MY WX BRIEFING; I STARTED; TAXIED; DEPARTED VFR RWY 27R AT OAK. TWR CTLR ASSIGNED 2500 FT AS THE INITIAL ALT. HDOF TO NORCAL DEP WAS ROUTINE WITH A NEW ALT ASSIGNMENT OF 5500 FT; OWN NAV. THE PROB OCCURRED WITH APPARENT 'ON THE JOB' TRAINING BY A VERY IRRITABLE VOICE THAT WOULD OVERRIDE THE OTHER CTLR AND WOULD STATE IN A HEIGHTENED VOICE HIS/HER DEMANDS. THIS CAUSED CONSIDERABLE CONFUSION. IT MUST BE ADDED THAT IN THE TERMINAL AREAS; I WEAR A NOISE CANCELING HEADSET AND REQUEST THAT MY PAX RESTRICT ALL CONVERSATIONS UNTIL WE ARE AT CRUISE ALT. DUE TO VARIOUS CONFLICTS AND ACR TFC; I WAS INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN 6500 FT ALTHOUGH I DID NOT HEAR IT AT THE TIME. THIS WAS THE FIRST XMISSION I RECEIVED FROM THE CTLR. WHEN QUERIED BY THIS CLR; IF I HEARD HIS/HER INSTRUCTIONS; I ANSWERED IN STANDARD NOMENCLATURE; 'NEGATIVE; SAY AGAIN;' PER THE AIM. THIS RESULTED IN A MISSED CLRNC FOR MAINTAINING 6500 FT. LUCKILY; I STOPPED MY CLB AT ABOUT 6800 FT AND QUICKLY RETURNED TO 6500 FT. SEVERAL VECTORS WERE ASSIGNED DURING THIS PHASE OF THE FLT DUE TO A CONFLICT WITH A B737 ON ARR AND OTHER ARRS. THE CTLRS WERE LITERALLY YELLING AT ME AND OTHERS. BY THIS TIME; BOTH CTLRS WERE CLRLY IRRITATED AND EMOTING OVER THE RADIO THEIR INABILITY TO MAINTAIN CTL OF THE SIT. WHEN I WAS HANDED OFF TO THE NEXT FREQ; THE SPEECH WAS TOO QUICK TO UNDERSTAND. I REQUESTED THE CTLR REPEAT THE FINAL DIGIT ONLY TO CHANGE TO. THE MALE CTLR THEN SCREAMED; VERY SLOWLY OVER THE MIKE; THE ENTIRE FREQ I WAS TO CHANGE TO. THE SWITCHING OFF OF 2 CTLRS AT THE SAME TIME; I BELIEVE; CREATES PROBS. THIS ENVIRONMENT OF YELLING AT PLTS; PLAYING THE SUPERIORITY CARD; AND BASICALLY BULLYING IS UNSAFE. THIS OCCURRED AT ABOUT XA30. I HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED TO PLT FOR OVER 30 YRS AND HOLD A CURRENT INST RATING. I RECENTLY HAD A HEARING TEST DURING MY LAST PHYSICAL AND DEMONSTRATED THAT I HAVE NORMAL HEARING. I FLY INTO SEVERAL TERMINAL AREAS AND HAVE NOTICED THIS TREND WITH NORCAL TOWARDS GA PLTS. IT IS UNPROFESSIONAL; UNCALLED FOR; AND MOST IMPORTANTLY; UNSAFE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.