[Talk-GB] Private tracks through a farmyard

[Mark Goodge]

On 21/04/2022 18:28, George Honeywood wrote:
> I think this is a bit above my pay grade, hence messaging the list
> (and I won't be making any further edits). Obviously it isn't good to
> have people walking down dangerous private tracks, but I don't think
> removing them from OSM is the way to go. If any of you have
> experience with the OS Maps app then it would be good to know if it
> uses OSM data, and if so how it handles access=private.

If you mean this one:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.ordnancesurvey.osmaps

then it doesn't use OSM data. The free map is the same as the map here:

https://explore.osmaps.com/

and the paid-for version is OS Landranger. Neither of those use OSM data 
at all.

(I presume that the version on the Apple app store is the same 
functionality, but I haven't tested it).

> Their second message:
>> Dear George, There is no confusion. I have spoken to the OSMaps
>> team and their app is updated from the maps you have edited. 

This is, unquestionably, false. There are a number of possible 
explanations for this statement, ranging from simple misunderstanding on 
his part (has he maybe been looking at something like OsmAnd?), to 
deliberate misrepresentation. If you wanted to continue a dialogue with 
him, you could start by assuming good faith and try to tease out why he 
thinks the OS app is using OSM data. Or you could simply point out that 
he is wrong, and that deleting the track won't help anyway as other OSM 
contributors will simply reinstate it.

If it's the track I'm thinking of (it's hard to see from the changeset 
what it was before it was edited), then it still shows on the OS app, 
and every OS map I've checked. But it is, of course, not marked anywhere 
as a public right of way.

I think he'd be better off just putting up a sign saying "private" if 
he's genuinely worried about recreational walkers using it. But I have a 
sneaking suspicion that he's just one of those people who think that 
they have a right to decide which features of their property are mapped, 
and is trying to come up with reasons to justify that.

Mark