While hardly as dramatic, what you are describing is the set-up for a
chain-reaction automobile accident: one car suddenly stops, the car behind
crashes into the car ahead, the car behind that crashes into the car ahead,
and so on. Anytime a vehicle in traffic makes an unexpected movement, the
probability of a collision or an impairment of traffic movement goes up
markedly.

When you are taxiing, ground control knows where your are, where you are
going, the assigned route, and roughly how fast you are moving. They know
the same things about the other ground traffic, and they take all of this in
consideration when handling traffic.

You are moving on a taxiway; there is a crossing taxiway ahead of you. There
is another aircraft in motion 1/4 mile down the crossing taxiway and ground
intends to have this aircraft cross your taxiway behind you. If you slow
down or stop it will affect the movement of the other aircraft, which may
well affect the movement of still other aircraft, and so on.

Or there may be inbound heading for the runway you are supposed to cross. If
you stop, it may force another aircraft to go around, or a following
aircraft which is not expecting you to stop may rear-end you.

What might appear, at first glance, to be a safer method may in fact be a
far more dangerous method.

Common sense would tell you to look before crossing a runway or taxiway, but
stopping when not instructed to is not at all helpful...




"Effie Andree Wiltens" wrote in message
om...
"Morgans" asked...
It was my understanding that a "taxi to_ _ runway" gives permission to
cross all other runways, except the runway that you have been given
clearance to. Right, or wrong?

Uhm, perhaps I can venture a remark here. When I was flying at KHPN,
where multi-runway use is not uncommon, I was told that it was not
necessary to obtain crossing clearance on the way to the active runway
I was cleared for. I'm used to more stringent runway infringement
rules in other countries, I guess, and since it's no trouble to me I
always stopped short of any runway and asked for clearance to cross at
my position. It's a big busy airport, after all, and it is possible
for some light arircraft popping up from behind the trees not seeing
me in time.
Sometimes ATC was annoyed at having to deal with my "unnecessary
call", but I still think it's a good practice. Better safe than
sorry...

--FE