<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16939" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=343200708-08122009><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>I wouldn't try to argue whether legal status is a more or
less important attribute than any other. However, where known, it is a useful
piece of information. In countries that do not have 'right to roam' and where it
is therefore illegal (at least a trespass) to walk on a path across private land
unless it is legally designated as a 'public footpath' it is useful for a walker
to know whether or not (s)he has any right to be there - for example if
challenged. So in such countries the legal status is as much a part of "whether
you should use a certain path" (to quote your words) as the physical
condition.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=343200708-08122009><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=343200708-08122009><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Some people may choose to ignore the legal status ... but
that is a personal decision and other people might at least like to know when
they are doing so!</FONT></SPAN></DIV><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> tagging-bounces@openstreetmap.org
[mailto:tagging-bounces@openstreetmap.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Steve
Bennett<BR><B>Sent:</B> 08 December 2009 00:43<BR><B>To:</B> Tag discussion,
strategy and related tools<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Tagging]
bicycle=no<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=gmail_quote>On Tue, Dec 8, 2009 at 11:23 AM, Roy Wallace <SPAN
dir=ltr><<A
href="mailto:waldo000000@gmail.com">waldo000000@gmail.com</A>></SPAN>
wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=gmail_quote
style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(204,204,204) 1px solid">In
Australia, we ARE tagging paths generally with "unknown (or no)<BR>legal
status". Should we *guess* the legal status and use<BR>footway/cycleway
etc., or use highway=path + surface + width?<BR>
<DIV>
<DIV></DIV><BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR>Or ignore the legal status
entirely and map on the basis of common practice. Why was "legal status"
chosen as the most important attribute to map? Surely what matters most is
whether or not you should use a certain path, regardless of what the "legal
status" is.<BR><BR>(Hopefully I'll find some example where it's "illegal" to
walk/ride somewhere, but everyone does it.)<BR><BR>Steve<BR>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>No virus found in this incoming message.<BR>Checked
by AVG - www.avg.com<BR>Version: 9.0.710 / Virus Database: 270.14.98/2551 -
Release Date: 12/07/09 19:34:00<BR></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>