I have stopped long ago messing with avionics/gadgets while I taxi because you can lose sense of speed & direction very easily
I find this to be a really tough one. For some reason a lot of ATC have zero understanding of what a one man cockpit means. Countless times I was asked to copy a clearance while taxiing. The larger the airport, the more likely. When we are at these airports, we tend to try to professional like the “big boys” and do what is expected of us. I believe AOPA should lobby for ATC education and make them aware that there isn’t always a second guy in the cockpit who’s got all the time in the world to talk to ATC while the other one taxies the aircraft.
Why is this such a problem? I still do it sometimes (copy clearance while taxiing, configuring avionics with clearance) but it’s risky business.
I still tell them I will copy at the hold for any meaningful clearances. But I agree it is tempting to do it at the same time as taxiing.
I think that “call you back” is very explicit. If they hadn’t before, they’ll get it. Making a big thing about such an issue is counter-productive.
I am wondering whether one of the reasons they offer the clearance while you are taxiing is that you might have another pilot next to you. Sometimes you do.
After having caught myself not entirely focusing on taxiing, I try to discipline myself into not doing anything else in that phase of “flight”.
Of course you’re right that it’s easy to tell them you can’t accept the clearance now and will call back. However, as Jason said, it’s very tempting and I have found myself doing and regretting it — more than once. Sometimes ATC are very busy and you believe you have to accommodate and fear that if you don’t accept the clearance now, you end up waiting.
It’s like ATC calling you when you’re in short final. They should know to never do this unless it’s a go around instruction and most of them adhere to that.
You can request clearance at any time. I thought this changed everywhere a couple of years ago. In the last years we first request clearance, then request taxi. The ATC usually also repeat the clearance before take off, but then it is already memorized or written down.
I’ll do most things whilst taxiing – power checks, pre-takeoff checks etc, but I won’t usually copy a clearance. They’ll ask “ready to copy”, I’ll stop on the taxiway and copy the clearance (unless there is something big behind me). As with all things it all depends. If its a familiar airfield and a familiar route its easy. Some clearances are very brief, however they all need to be written down and read back.
Countless times I was asked to copy a clearance while taxiing.
They ask: “Callsign xyz, are you ready to copy your clearance?” All you have to do is reply: “Negative”. No need to call AOPA or anybody 
I ask: “Nxxxx request start and ready to copy departure clearance” and then see what I get. Most of the time I get the DC before taxiing anywhere, or even before starting.
If I have to copy it during taxi, I stop taxi and put the brakes on. This happens quite often. It’s a bit dodgy in that if the person behind me is not paying attention, he might taxi into the back of me, so if I do this at my base (where I know ATC speak English) I ask if there is anybody behind me.
Pre takeoff checks should be done at the runway holding point, IMHO, so one is not moving anyway.
Even though I too am tempted to copy clearance when asked to as if we are two crew, many times I have replied, negative I will call you back.
The reasons are simple and you need to step back one level to see it in perspective.
ATCO sits in a office chair managing traffic. He has the trips/notes in front of him. NOTHING will change in the damn clearance if you delay the exchange of this information (within a sensible timeframe). Your only risk is that something has changed and you need to reprogram your avionics. So what ?! let it be so at the holding point.
You on the other hand are taxiing an aircraft in between valuable property and at larger/unfamiliar airports you have to follow some specific route which if you mess up …
So I (thinking of the guy sitting comfortably in his chair while I am already mentally in to the ground portion of the flight taxiing) respond that I will call back for the clearance.
Avionics/Gadgets I usually do them BEFORE I start taxi with PARKING BRAKE ON since the engine takes some moments to heat anyway before the power checks at the holding point. For me the PARKING BRAKE is the “mental clearance” I get by and to myself to switch from focus outside → focus inside
If ATC clearance is asked to be copied while still there at parking spot I copy it, if later I do it at the holding point before the power checks.
In cases where I had no other options than copying it while taxiing or setting up a GPS while taxiing, I slowed down taxi and at every fix entry or writing action on kneeboard I was/am looking out again to make sure I still taxi where I should by keeping the thumb in the paper or wherever I had stopped reading doing something else inside the cockpit.
The thumb trick I do it anyway in check lists, thumb remains at item checked until I move to next one.
The comment about the guy sitting comfortably in a chair while I fly is not undervalue the importance or stress of ATCO’s job but this is the way I see it to put all things in to perspective when it comes to our cooperation. I visualize their office image to compare our situation !
I do the same in the AIR when some ATCO’s have some “interesting” behavior. Many pilots are affected by the ATC’s tone of voice coming through their headset.
In such cases – as long as I am confident I have not done anything wrong – I say (think), relax, just another a anxious / trigger happy ATCO sitting comfortably in his chair while I fly single pilot (in between bumps/IMC/task saturated in need of multiple actions at once, whatever), let him do his thing and then I reply calmly without anxiety a negative or unable or whatever.
Even though I too am tempted to copy clearance when asked to as if we are two crew, many times I have replied, negative I will call you back.
Even when flying two-crew I often want all attention directed towards taxiing, especially at night, with bad weather and/or on unfamiliar airports. One guy looks at the taxi chart and outside, the other one outside only. No capacity for anything else. In low visibility conditions our operating procedures do not even allow us to perform checkist items,and I suppose that it is the same with every commercial operator. ATC never had a problem with that.
