[talk-au] Perth unusual edits

[4x4falcon]

Hi All,

As I pointed out here:

http://www.mail-archive.com/talk-au@openstreetmap.org/msg05776.html

in june last year there were a number of strange edits occuring.

Since then and particularly in December there have been a number of 
cases of vandalism by this user.

I have reported this and as yet osm will not put a block on the user 
involved giving them the benefit of the doubt as they are yet to answer 
any email sent to them.  Given their pattern of editing (month on month 
off) I suspect they are a fly in fly out type worker.

I have corrected most of the bad edits, streets and roads that don't 
exist dual carriage ways where there really is only one, etc.

Looking through their changesets they have made lots of minor changes 
then put in something that is vandalism.  So you will find that anything 
by this user that is version 1 is suspect.

eg:

http://www.openstreetmap.org/browse/changeset/6692493

In this changeset the Bannigan Avenue (way 90085986) (incorrect spelling 
as well) is totally fictious and therefore to me vandalism.  I have left 
it there for the moment to show to osm that the user is doing this.

Looking at the nearmap imagery of 8 Jan 2011 this road does not exist 
but was entered on 18 December 2010.

http://www.nearmap.com/?ll=-32.129823,115.847048&z=18&t=k&nmd=20110108

Nor does it exist on the Bing or Yahoo imagery or maps.


When you look at the rest of this changeset you also find that Cockburn 
Road has been made a dual carriage way where it is predominantly single 
carriage way with a few traffic island sections as depicted by the 
original primary way that was deleted as the first way of the changeset.

I believe this person is the same person that was user Brendan_Cherry as 
looking through their edits the previous vandal road names occur (eg 
Chloe Thurkle Road).

Now what to do.

A revert of all their changesets is not practical as I've already dry 
run it and most of them have already been modified.  I have also run a 
search on all their version 1 edits and most of them are suspect.  I 
have rectified some as that's how I found the errors in the first place.

As they have not responded to either Frederick or myself I suspect they 
are on their work cycle this month and will not be back until next month.

My suggestion is a block on their editing until they respond 
satisfactorily (apology for the vandalism and guarantee of not doing it 
again).  If they do not respond within a reasonable time (end of March) 
then a block on their IP and email address as well (I know there are 
ways around this but it's a start).

Cheers
Ross