Narrative:

During taxi northeast on taxiway B; ground controller issued a hold short of taxiway G clearance. They issued the clearance too late for me to stop the aircraft safely. I would have had to jam the brakes which would have likely caused my flight attendants to fall and possibly cause injury. Even if I would have done this; in my estimation I would have still been too far into the intersection for the other aircraft to clear through. When I assessed the situation; aircraft was almost at a stop and no collision danger was imminent. I decided to continue through the intersection which in my experience was the safer course of action. When accepting the clearance; my first officer just reflexively accepted it. I would have not have accepted this clearance. By the time he said it; I was reacting and it was too late to tell ATC before I made my decision to continue through. The ground controller did not seem too upset and just reissued further taxi instructions. But he was not overjoyed either. I thought this incident deserved a report.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EWR GND ISSUED A TAXIING BAE146 A TXWY INTXN HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTION TOO LATE TO COMPLY WITHOUT AN EMER STOP.

Narrative: DURING TAXI NE ON TXWY B; GND CTLR ISSUED A HOLD SHORT OF TXWY G CLRNC. THEY ISSUED THE CLRNC TOO LATE FOR ME TO STOP THE ACFT SAFELY. I WOULD HAVE HAD TO JAM THE BRAKES WHICH WOULD HAVE LIKELY CAUSED MY FLT ATTENDANTS TO FALL AND POSSIBLY CAUSE INJURY. EVEN IF I WOULD HAVE DONE THIS; IN MY ESTIMATION I WOULD HAVE STILL BEEN TOO FAR INTO THE INTXN FOR THE OTHER ACFT TO CLR THROUGH. WHEN I ASSESSED THE SITUATION; ACFT WAS ALMOST AT A STOP AND NO COLLISION DANGER WAS IMMINENT. I DECIDED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE INTXN WHICH IN MY EXPERIENCE WAS THE SAFER COURSE OF ACTION. WHEN ACCEPTING THE CLRNC; MY FO JUST REFLEXIVELY ACCEPTED IT. I WOULD HAVE NOT HAVE ACCEPTED THIS CLRNC. BY THE TIME HE SAID IT; I WAS REACTING AND IT WAS TOO LATE TO TELL ATC BEFORE I MADE MY DECISION TO CONTINUE THROUGH. THE GND CTLR DID NOT SEEM TOO UPSET AND JUST REISSUED FURTHER TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. BUT HE WAS NOT OVERJOYED EITHER. I THOUGHT THIS INCIDENT DESERVED A RPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 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.