Date: 201902
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: ORD.Airport, IL
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Taxi
Airspace: Class B ORD
ATC / advisory: Ground ORD
Second aircraft: EMB ERJ 145 ER/LR
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness; Time Pressure
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Taxi
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Contributing factors: Airport; Company Policy; Procedure; Human Factors
Primary problem: Company Policy

Narrative: I was the Captain waiting for taxi clearance. The Ground Controller calls and rattles off 'Aircraft X; 22L via Alpha; […]; give way to the E-145.' Controller is then off talking to other aircraft; no time for read back from us. Having flown out of KORD for [many] years; I know it is expected at KORD to execute a taxi clearance without a read back. What troubled me was the; 'give way to the E-145' without telling me where or from what direction this E-145 is at or coming from. I've got miles of taxiways to transit getting to Runway 22L and a myriad of intersections with dozens of E-145s. I need to know where I am expected to be 'giving way.' I did not start the taxi. I remained stopped waiting for a chance to clarify with the controller. While waiting no E-145s passes by us on from either direction on Alpha. When my First Officer could finally get a word in on the radio to ask the controller where we are giving way to E-145; the controller replies 'Never mind it's gone now give way to Company 737.' Once again the controller never says where to give way; so we call ground back to again attempt to clarify. It takes two separate calls from us before ground states the 737 we are giving way to is 'North bound on Alpha.' I see the 737; let the aircraft pass and then begin a left turn out to join Alpha. I now see an E-145 coming up Alpha at a high rate of speed. No way; he can't see me turning out but I assume the E-145 has been issued a clearance that doesn't include giving way to anyone or anything. I stop my aircraft not wanting to 'play chicken' with the RJ. I let it pass and then fall in line behind this E-145. The E-145 is headed to a gate and ironically the gate is blocked; so we sit behind this E-145 stopped waiting for it to park.I can't read minds; will do my best to execute any ATC clearance either on the ground or in the air as precisely as possible; but I can't do this without complete information. Additionally we have so many RJs often taxiing at very high speed and in an aggressive manner; that great caution is required at all times; particularly during this time of year when an overly confident Captain taxiing very fast steps on the brakes and discovers braking action on the taxiway is not what was expected. Too many airplanes; moving way too many directions for Ground to issue ambiguous 'give way clearances' without being specific; it's flat out dangerous. I had [nearly two hundred] people on board today expecting me to keep them safe and I felt like this morning taxiing out to 22L; myself and my First Officer were on our own.




Synopsis: B737 Captain reported an ORD Ground Controller issued ambiguous taxi clearance.