[OSM-talk] Highway and Ralyway - tram_stops and the like

[Lester Caine]

Robin Paulson wrote:
> On 11/01/2008, Lester Caine <lester at lsces.co.uk> wrote:
>>> http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/Proposed_features/Tram_station
>>>
>>> it will be moved to the approved features and map features pages
>> Should it be used for the stops on the track of a bus_guideway ;)
>>
>> I do think that taking a lot of these features in isolation is missing the
>> whole picture.
>> Add the rich diversity world wide and things become even more complex.
> 
> totally right, absolutely.
> 
> this has been at the back of my mind for some time now. my gut feeling
> about it, is to create the tags the way we are doing now, in
> isolation, using the current top-level tags (they are quite
> inconsistent and overlap lots, IMO)
> 
> at the moment we are seeing a rapid rise in the number of tags
> proposed/accepted, and this is going to continue for some months,
> after which it will decrease, signifying we have created the vast
> majority (we will never fully complete, there will always be something
> new)
> 
> at this point, we will have a far better, more-rounded picture of what
> is happening with tags, how they could be improved, etc.:
> does namespacing need to be seriously considered?
> should we have such a shallow depth of tags, or a more nested approach?
> should railways and highways be joined into one category (this would
> remove a lot of arguments.....)?
> do we need to look at how we define permission son highways?
> and many more
> 
> at this point, i can see the tag system undergoing a major overhaul
> 
> i think trying to make changes like you are suggesting while we are
> going through such a period of rapid change, would be a mistake

My only point of detail is that guided bus systems are SPECIFICALLY defined as 
"using a special trackway physically removed from the public highway" and the 
misplaced suggestions that the public can USE these trackways is distorting 
the picture. It is specifically identified as an off road technology and the 
same rules apply to many routes as apply to a normal railway line.

I think that distinguishing track based systems from road based or water based 
is valid, the problem is defining facilities that are clearly of one type with 
a tag for the other is simply WRONG since you WILL need to use the correct 
related tags.

( And I see that my vote for that has disappeared :( )

-- 
Lester Caine - G8HFL
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