[OSM-newbies] Some questions on tagging for cycles

[Richard Weait]

On Mon, Sep 13, 2010 at 2:37 PM, Alex Mauer <hawke at hawkesnest.net> wrote:
> On 09/13/2010 11:58 AM, James Ewen wrote:
>>
>> You have to make sure that the map you are looking at isn't under
>> copyright before basing any OSM tagging on data referenced from the
>> map.
>
> Is that really true?

This is really true.  The OpenStreetMap community elects to take a
"high road" when it comes to deriving data from other maps.  It is far
better to leave data out of OSM, than to take data from an encumbered
source without permission.  When there is a question, we omit the
source.

> It seems to me that it whether the city designates a
> path as a cycle route or not is purely a fact.  Tracing the routes from the
> map would probably be a no-no, but if this is the only way in which the city
> publishes which routes are designated bike routes, surely there’s no other
> source to go to in order to find them.

The factual data, or not, and best and only source, or not, issues
don't change the position of the community.  Those arguments may
motivate you or other mappers to discuss permission for the data with
the data publisher.  Check their map and web site for terms of use;
they might have published a license, and it might be compatible.  If
not, look for a point of contact, and ask here if you want help with
drafting a letter to contact them.