[josm-dev] Relation editor support for north/south and east/west similar to forward/backward

[SomeoneElse]

Paul Norman wrote:
>> No, these aren't compass directions. They're the directionality of the
>> road. For example, this way is part of the I-94 interstate going west,

... in the sense that if you carried on for long enough you'd eventually 
end of west of where you started ...
>> but a compass in a car driving on it would tell the viewer they were
>> pointing
>> north:
>>
>> http://www.openstreetmap.org/browse/way/39372612
>> So - North would be "straight on", east would be "left", west would be
>> "right" in 99% of the other countries?
> You'd have to ask someone with those other countries. That particular
> way is part of the I-94 with role west, and you'd tell someone to get
> on the I-94 west, even if they're physically driving north.
>
>

One other place where I've seen bits of roads routinely described and 
signed as "West" etc. is the A10 around Amsterdam:

http://www.wegenwiki.nl/A10_%28Nederland%29#Westring

Here "West" means "the part that is west of the city", so (if you're 
coming from the north) "the part that is actually going south".

Cheers,

Andy