Wayspot looking generic at first glance
OelBoy-PGO
Posts: 30 ✭✭
I'm having some trouble with this Wayspot. It very much looks like a mass-produced generic sign at first glance but it is far from being one. This sign was set up by the Deutsche Verkehrswacht Georgsmarienhütte e.V. which is a local traffic/ drivers club operating on a voluntary basis. It is placed in front of a bridge in order to warn drivers of icing hazards on bridges during the winter. It also isn't mass-produced as far as I know as I have never seen another sign like this and couldn't find similar signs via Google Images or Google Lens.
In my submission, I called the Wayspot "Kraftfahrer, fahrt vorsichtig" and put "Die Deutsche Verkehrswacht Georgsmarienhütte e.V. hat dieses Schild aufgestellt, um Kraftfahrer auf die frostigen Gefahren der kalten Jahreszeit hinzuweisen. Insbesondere Brücken sind stark vereisungsgefährdet, aber oft unterschätzt." as a description.
A few hours after submitting it got rejected, rather unsurprisingly, by the automated filter. After the rejection, I appealed the decision providing details in the form of linking the website of the club and emphasizing the fact that a club volunteered to set up this custom sign. Unfortunately, the Niantic reviewer reiterated on the rejection reasoning that it would be a "regular signboard which looks highly mass-produced."
I can understand the latter part of this reasoning, however, I personally don't agree that a Wayspot merely looking like a mass-produced item at first glance should disqualify it if it is, in fact, not. I'd even say that such a Wayspot promotes exploring as you might otherwise overlook this sign which is an embodiment of local volunteer culture.
I can definitely see both sides to this particular spot so I'd like to get your input on the matter. I feel like resubmitting it could be a fruitless endeavor and I also don't want to clog the system in the case I am missing the mark here.
Thanks in advance!
Comments
I can see why it may appear to a possible candidate.
But I can see why it is rejected. It is a warning sign. And in a colour and font aspect that is common. Remember Part of the Niantic criteria is a visual aspect. Does it look unique. Is it interesting. And I don't think it is. It looks like a standard sign.
To have any chance of passing your have to prove its uniqueness. Having travelled around a bit (other countries). I have seen many similar signs to this. Now assuming others feel the same and remember, we see things quickly, we evaluate in micro seconds, it is possible to see why people processed it as a rejection candidate
It means you have to really really draw out what is unique and special. And provide absolute evidence of that uniqueness. So you can point it very clearly.
So what do I think? I don't like your chances. And I would not waste an appeal. But lets hear others :-)
Interesting organisation and safety set up. I know you said it was volunteer. But it is operates under a government mandate and even its set up in each area was under direction from the government in around 1950. And is registered as a non profit organisation. But it is not a NGO. It was created this way to drive maximum impact by having local say and participation to help drive its effectiveness. IE Active Citizens for Traffic Safety. Where everyone has the right to be safe on the road. I believe all state governments have the same set up. Very interesting model I have to say :-) I can see why it may work better outside of gov and as part of society. Thank you for sharing.
And good luck
I can't see that it's somewhere great to explore.
Your nomination is a sign that warns drivers of ice during the winter.
How does it fit any of the three eligibility criteria?
It is a custom made sign set up by an NGO club comprised of volunteers. That club also put their name on the sign (Verkehrswacht Georgsmarienhütte e.V.). You can read up on e.V. and what it means here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Registered_association_(Germany)
This isn't a simple traffic or warning sign set up by the government. This sign only exists because of local club and volunteer culture, so it meets the first eligibility criterion of "[teaching] us about the community we live in."
This sign isn't a traffic sign or warning sign set up by the government. It was set up by a non-profit NGO comprised of volunteers. They even put their name on the sign (Verkehrswacht Georgsmarienhütte e.V.), otherwise I wouldn't have submitted it. You can read up on club and volunteer culture and e.V. in Germany here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Registered_association_(Germany)
So since this sign is a result of local club culture and promotes the club's name it fits the first criterion because it "teaches us about the community we live in."
Sorry for the double post. My first one went invisible after editing and I thought it was gone.
I would disagree with that assessment. Whether the sign was installed by the local authorities, this club, your aunt, or anyone else, it is still a generic warning sign that isn't a great place to socialise, exercise or explore. If I'm visiting from out of town, I'm not going to want to visit a sign that warns people of potential ice on the road.
Thank you for your assessment.
My point is that the club's name is clearly written on the sign and I'd argue that it informs players about the existence of clubs in our community. The message is also meant as a public service announcement rather than a warning specific to that spot. But I can definitely see it not leading to exploration and that socialization (via advertising the e.V.) might be a bit farfetched.
The criteria are, a great place to:
- be social
- exercise
- explore
You have not convinced us, the experienced Wayfinders, that this sign meets any of those criteria. If you want to let people know about the volunteer organization, then nominate their headquarters. A random sign with the name of the organization on it, isn't a great place to explore.
No need to get snarky. I was just asking for the community's input and felt that the commenters so far misunderstood my point and thus clarified.
I'm totally fine with this spot not becoming a Wayspot. I'm just trying to get a better understanding of the criteria as I felt the sign partly fulfilled criterion 1 as it is phrased on https://niantic.helpshift.com/hc/en/21-wayfarer/faq/2770-eligibility-criteria/.
Nothing that I wrote was snarky. You kept mentioning "tells you something about your local community" as a criterion. But that's not one of the main criterion. The criteria are what I listed. When people post here, we have no way of knowing what they do and don't know about Wayfarer. Many have just heard bits and pieces from their locals. So we always go back to the basics and ask someone to align their submission with one of the official criterion.