[Tagging] Proposed change to Tag:access=designated page

[SomeoneElse]

On 24/08/2014 11:43, Friedrich Volkmann wrote:
> For me, "designated" means that there's a respective sign, e.g. a cycleway
> sign => bicycle=designated.
>
> For compulsory use, *=official was introduced, but that tag is rather
> useless without a relation to the way where access is forbidden.
>

I'd tend to use "designated" rather than "yes" where there's a sign 
saying "go this way" where there wouldn't normally be one; where it's 
somehow an exception.  For an example of this, have a look here:

http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=18/53.36141/-1.25996

(it's a brand new road, so no background imagery I'm afraid)

The footpath from the south is a "public footpath" (an English/Welsh 
legal term which means that you're allowed to walk on it, despite it 
being across private land, where you wouldn't normally be allowed to 
go*).  I've interpreted that as "foot=yes" rather than 
"foot=designated"***.

The road is a dual carriageway with an armco barrier, but with no 
signage at either end saying that you can't walk along or across it.  
There is a wide cycleway/footway at each side of the road****.

There is signage at the north end of the southern footpath pointing 
pedestrians to the right (to cross the road at the crossing near the 
roundabout).  I've interpreted this as "foot=designated" on the southern 
and northern bits of cycleway to the crossing.

Footways (and even bridleways) crossing dual carriageways in the UK 
aren't rare; other than the bit of the highway code**  that says "follow 
the signs", there isn't anything that says that it's "foot=no" across 
the road, which is why I've used "=designated" on the route via the 
crossing.

That's my interpretation, anyway.

Cheers,

Andy

* I love our legal system
** The "user friendly" summary of all of the various bits of road 
legislation
*** There are UK mappers who add "foot=designated" to all public 
footpaths, but they're very much in the minority.
**** and arguably could in the future be mapped as separate ways.