[OSM-talk] Software goes on, brain goes off...

[Nic Roets]

On Tue, Jun 1, 2010 at 5:22 PM, Anthony <osm at inbox.org> wrote:
>> Ideally, yes. But routing software can't possibly process the logic
>> correctly in cases like these. Some roads may not have a pavement, but
>> they are safe for pedestrians due to the lack of traffic. In other
>> cases extreme footways should not be used because of crime.
>
> What does lack of traffic matter?  Unless you mean absolutely no traffic, I
> don't think that makes much difference.  If the road is unsafe to walk on,
> I'm not going to walk down it whether there's 1 car a day or 10,000.  If
> there's a low enough speed limit maybe.

By that logic you should never leave your house. What if a storm
suddenly appears and you get hit by lightning ?

As traffic volumes increase, following distances decrease and drivers
become overloaded with all the information. Their view may also be
obscured by the traffic. And if the oncoming lane is also full of
traffic, it gives less space for drives to take evasive action.

I've had a number of close calls where I was cycling and a driver
overtook the traffic on the outside at high speed i.e. on the left in
a country with left hand traffic. But I guess that's largely a
developing country problem.

> How about "foot=destination"? :)  I'm kidding, but it'd be better (and more
> accurate) than foot=no.

I won't argue with that.