[Tagging] service vs. unclassified, conflicting definitions

[stevea]

Makes sense to me, too, Greg.  I don't know if it helps or hinders wider understanding, but I understand what Greg is saying here, and while his perspective is "Eastern USA" (and mine is "Western USA"), these don't seem far apart or even different at all, and there may likely be a further possible refinement here:

"unclassified" roads, as a "real legal roads" are "in public," and subject to traffic rules/laws/ordinances, and

"service" roads, as "private driveways, parking lot aisles and other roads not in the public grid of road network" are "on private property" and not (as) subject to traffic rules/laws/ordinances.

That's admittedly rough, but it does add something that I believe is true here.  Maybe it helps, maybe not.

> On Oct 1, 2022, at 3:13 AM, Greg Troxel <gdt at lexort.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> Peter Elderson <pelderson at gmail.com> writes:
> 
>> Unclassified, by definition, is a road on the traffic grid suitable
>> for motorised vehicles. It is not necessarily paved. Access
>> restrictions may apply, and usage may change in time, e.g the road
>> still connects, but is legally closed for cars except emergency
>> vehicles and people who live along the road. Or, a new railway
>> intersects the road and no crossing is provided. In those cases,
>> usually the road is still seen as an unclassified road.
> 
> Agreed.
> 
> And, I see a huge distinction between a "real legal road" that to first
> order anyone may drive on (even if some have access=destination rules)
> and "service roads" which are often entirely private and do not have
> legal road layouts (as reflected in the registry of deeds/cadastre).
> Around me there is usually no right of access to service roads.
> 
> As another data point, if you have a car crash on a real road, you are
> required to file an accident report with the police but if it is in a
> parking lot etc. you are not.
> 
> So I don't know about the OP's country's laws, but I would suggest
> looking at legal definitions of roads, and tending to unclassified for
> legal roads and service  for things that are not legally roads, if that
> makes sense locally.  In Massachusetts, US, it totally makes sense.