In article .com,
wrote:

Now let me ask a question. What if ATC clears you direct to the VOR
and then clears you for the "straight-in" approach? Isn't the
controller's instruction in conflict with the AIM? Who wins,
hypothetically speaking (say you can't contact him for clarification)?

I had almost exactly this same situation happen the other day with NY
Approach. We were coming into White Plains (HPN) from the north, IFR.
Controller gave us something like, "direct FARAN, cleared ILS-16". FARAN's
not an IAF, the route from FARAN inbound is not marked NoPT, we hasn't
giving us vectors. By strict interpretation of the rules, he gave us a bum
clearance. On the other hand, not only did I know that he wanted us to fly
the approach straight-in, but there was no practical reason why anything
else would make any sense, so we did it.

The bottom line is that the AIM just hasn't caught up with real life.