[Talk-GB] [OSM-talk] Improving ref=* documentation

[Colin Smale]

> On 08/04/2021 11:43 PM stevea <steveaosm at softworkers.com> wrote:
> 
>  
> +1 here:  I say "on-the-ground truth" overrides a database (whether government, private or otherwise), every time.
> 
> Is it possible I'm mistaken in some particular corner case?  Sure, but I (we) have yet to be presented that (here).
> 
> 
> On Aug 4, 2021, at 2:34 PM, Brian M. Sperlongano <zelonewolf at gmail.com> wrote:
> > If the sign on the ground doesn't match the government's database, then the obvious answer is that the government database is wrong.  I don't see why we would replicate demonstrably wrong data into OSM.

I would say they are both right, but in different frames of reference. Neither are demonstrably wrong.

The government database gives an authoritative answer to the question of what the road number *IS* - this is their prerogative, they issue the IDs. Nobody can argue otherwise.

The on-the-ground signage gives an authoritative answer to the question of what the road *IS SIGNED AS*, and the question of what is written on the sign present at a certain location. Asking a sample of local residents or regular users might provide an answer to the question of what the road is *KNOWN AS* which is yet another different semantic.