[Talk-GB] External data on bike rental locations

[Cj Malone]

On Wed, 2021-04-21 at 14:54 +0100, Chris Hodges wrote:
> Rental locations for other schemes are already in there - here's one
> in Cardiff that I mapped; most of the other Cardiff ones were already
> done.  So this seems an unambiguously good idea; in Cardiff, OSM is
> more helpful than the official app at times.

Nice, I hope the same will be said for Beryl once this data gets added.
I've been adding them as I encounter them, but using this data would
save a massive amount of time. It might be worth pointing out, of the
ones I've mapped the locations are basically the same. Certainly good
enough to add from.

> The area is trickier - is there a framework for displaying it? Is
> there much point if not?

Currently I don't think public_transport=pay_scale_area has any
consumers, for rendering, or routing. But I think this is a chicken and
egg situation. The data is useful. I've been toying with the idea of a
relation of the rental spots, with or without the area. I don't think
this currently has any standardised tagging.

> If they gave you the data, can we assume they did so under a suitable
> license?

The data provided to me doesn't have an explicit licence, however beryl
gave consent for it be be included in OpenStreetMap under the ODbL
knowing that the data will be made available to third parties. I don't
believe there is an issue here.

> This would definitely be needed for mapping the usage areas as 
> unlike the docking stations there's no on-the-ground feature to
> survey (I assume - maybe they've got signs).

I don't believe the areas you can travel are physically signed, only
available via their apps and website (and this data).

> BTW looking at Norwich (which I know slightly) the areas don't appear
> to make much sense (e.g. Whitlingham Lane is a long dead-end,
> stopping short of the nature reserve unless you take a grassy
> footpath) but the shortage of ways to cross the rivers on a bike
> apart from the city centre may be part of the issue there.

I don't understand all their decisions either, on the Isle of Wight
they only allow you to travel along a main road between Newport and
Ryde. It's a road that I try to avoid as an experienced rider, and will
probably put off a fair amount of people who travel it. Although, there
aren't many alternatives for them. (We need more cycle infrastructure!)

Cj