[OSM-talk] Path vs footway vs cycleway vs...

[Anthony]

On Sat, Nov 28, 2009 at 8:15 PM, Roy Wallace <waldo000000 at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sun, Nov 29, 2009 at 10:33 AM, Anthony <osm at inbox.org> wrote:
>>
>> When is there a path and when is there not a path?  I walk through an
>> area of grass every time I go to the park near my house.  Isn't that a
>> "path" which is part of "reality"?
>
> An area of grass is - to me - not a path.

Never?  Or just not generally?

What if the grass is slightly bare?
http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/18/97/189701_92c9a5d5.jpg

Cut short?  http://www.agrigarden.co.nz/Data/Media/Images/Path%20through%20grass%20resize.jpg
http://img2.allposters.com/images/PTGPOD/GPBO05-00003171-001-FB.jpg

Through an otherwise impassible area?
http://www.chimacumwoods.com/images/Path%20to%20south.JPG

Marked by a sign?  http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/images/5/52/PathSnowmobile.jpg

> A path, IMHO, is something
> that exists independently of people walking or not walking on it (i.e.
> usually you can *see* that it resembles a path).

Usually, or always?

Usually, fine, I agree.  Always, that just doesn't coincide with my
definition of "path".  To me, the fact that you can usually recognize
a path is an effect, not a cause.

If there were some other tag for me to use (say highway=grass), fine.
But none of the other highway tags are appropriate, and the routing
information needs to be designated somehow.  The area of grass I have
in mind exists in a legal right of way.  It's not like I'm talking
about cutting through someone's backyard.  It's a perfectly legitimate
path of travel.  It should provided in walking directions.  And that
means having some sort of highway tag.