[UK] We have these Cycle and walking routes all around the country
RobWaudby-ING
Posts: 185 ✭✭✭
Most of these have blue signs (which you can see in the first link) with the route number and an arrow point the direction - I get the sign it self doesn't really meet the criteria but the routes do, so one of the ones local to me reads - "Following part of the SUSTRANS National Cycle Network route 1, Regional Route 30 and the quiet lanes network of north-east Norfolk before heading to Great Yarmouth, this cycle trail is perfect for exploring the hidden gems of the Norfolk coast"
The 3rd link as soon as it loads up you are welcomed by this message:
The National Cycle Network is a UK-wide network of signed paths and routes for walking, cycling, wheeling and exploring outdoors.
Exploring outdoors being the main point.
Exploring hidden gems this is what Niantic wants us to do right?
Would love some advice on these.
Post edited by RobWaudby-ING on
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Comments
Blue Cycle Route signs are not eligible.
It's not about the signs it's about the route it self. The route it self is eligible correct?
No. I'm pretty sure we will see lot of comments along the lines of "but it's really the trail, not the trail marker you should be judging" but basic, generic numbered blue cycle route markers have always been rejected by the majority of reviewers.
Yes
Clearly shows that on ama
Times have changed and those routes are official routes for walking and biking in the UK. The sign maybe generic but the route isn't. It gets people exploring the area.
see my thread about his; not surprised we have the same problems in germany as in the UK.
https://community.wayfarer.nianticlabs.com/discussion/22273/we-need-to-go-back-there-into-the-woods#latest
A great place for exercise
A place you’d go to get some fresh air, stretch your legs, or exercise. Places that encourage walking, exercising, and enjoying public spaces. Or something that teaches or encourages us to be our healthiest selves.
Example of Wayspot categories
This is taken from new acceptance criteria in Wayfarer 3.1
Acceptance Criteria
Nominations and edit submissions must meet all of the following acceptance criteria:
ticks all my boxes. still people here that did thousands of reviews say "1*"
Think I'm going to give them a go and a good sell. I would also say to anyone in the UK at least if you have some of these routes close to you research them and sell them well they should pass.
yes, people should submit them, not hide them. They are a worthy wayspot.
I tend to just give the people the rundown of the information in the supporting info - exactly :
A great place for exercise
A place you’d go to get some fresh air, stretch your legs, or exercise. Places that encourage walking, exercising, and enjoying public spaces. Or something that teaches or encourages us to be our healthiest selves.
Example of Wayspot categories
The sustrans routes often have very decorative and ornamental signs on them that are much better to use than the generic blue road sign looking ones (certainly all the sustrans routes I've visited have had the ornamental signs). This is an example of one such ornamental sign (courtesy of a stock image photo website):
Whilst in principle, the blue signs provide the same functionality, they are basically generic mass produced road signs. If given the choice between using a generic road sign to mark a trail, and using a very decorative sign such as the one above, the decorative one obviously stands out much more as a focal point for the trail.
And next to acceptance criteria (from which they must match at least one) there are also the rejection criteria (from which none may match)
Ever read those as well?
"The object is mass-produced, generic, or not visually unique or interesting."
Which is the case for standardised markers.
The arty one as in HankWolfmans post would pass
I agree but the blue signs shouldn't be ruled out because they are generic mass produced signs.
They are trail - route - pointers that are on websites showing walking and biking trails.
A charity looks after the routes country wide and most of them go into historic towns and village's which do not have as many POI as the cities.
The POI is the route not the sign its self. The signs themselves are just a way of following the route. The route is not generic.
Keep in mind Niantic's clarification for trails and markers from November's AMA is this:
The new criteria lists hiking trails and biking trails as eligible examples under a great place for exercise. Are there any additional requirements for these locations to be eligible (e.g. survey markers, trail signs or other man-made objects)? Do they need to be named trails or paths?
This alone makes them acceptable POI
By that logic, we should reject all trail markers in general then, as they are all generic and not visually appealing. But we don't (well aren't meant to). I'm on the fence with the cycle ones tk be clear, I'm just pointing out the flaw in your logic
A great place for exercise
A place you'd go to get some fresh air, stretch your legs, or exercise. Places that encourage walking, exercising, and enjoying public spaces. Or something that teaches or encourages us to be our healthiest selves.
Examples of Wayspot categories
@NianticCasey-ING any input on these sort of walking / biking trails? Blue NCN signs ok or not?
This makes them eligible, not "acceptable". Learn the difference. They still have to pass the other hurdles, and it is going to be very difficult for generic signs to pass the visually distinctive hurdle.
Eligibility Criteria
It meets both of these
Acceptance Criteria
Must meet at least one of the three eligibility criteria
It meets all 3 of these
The only reasons you say it fails is the generic sign which I agree they are mass produced but if you look at Novembers AMA it has some good points
They go on to answer the two points and clearly say there would need to be some sort of visual indicator of the Wayspot. These blue signs are the visual indicator of the wayspot.
This would apply to trail markers, survey markers, trail signs, etc. Which these blue signs are
So there are many many more reason to pass this type of visual indicator than reasons to fail it.
The object is mass-produced, generic, or not visually unique or interesting.
1* reject. Easy agreement. Move on.
I see you still stuck in the old ways of reviewing
Its not an old way of reviewing as there are two sides to this argument.
Biking trails are valid, theres no question about that it says so in the guidelines.
However
The signs themselves are generic mass produced and akin to road signs and so can be rejected for that reason.
There is no specific definitive yes or no here.
If the sign was like the artistic one its a sure fire pass, but the normal road sign one is bland and uninteresting.
Both arguments have merit.
What would help would be if @NianticGiffard or someone would weigh in and give a definitive yes or no answer to ones that look like road signs.
While they look like road signs they clearly are not, they are made for people walking and biking. I've not said they aren't mass produced or generic as they clearly are what I'm saying is as they clearly mark a wayspot and route along a cycle/walking path that is posted online as a route/trail.
This is the website that tells us all about the NCN https://www.sustrans.org.uk/national-cycle-network/
It clearly states:
The National Cycle Network is a UK-wide network of signed paths and routes for walking, cycling, wheeling and exploring outdoors.
Im not disputing that in the slightest, i already said a bike trail is valid, you don't need to keep explaining its a bike trail and encourages exercise.
What I have said is that there are two diametrically opposed viewpoints on if its acceptable or not, and both have valid points.
It’s from the Rejection Criteria that’s live on the Wayfarer site. Don’t see how that’s the old way. 🤷
So because there are a lot of walking and cycle routes around the uk none of them should be accepted because they are Generic? Like I’ve said it’s not about the signs it’s about the actual cycle way or trail. The wayspot is just a point along that to guide people to a destination.
There’s plenty of different trailmarkers around the country with different makers and names , but there’s probably thousands of these generic blue bike signs across the country. More so than E II R postboxes I’d imagine.
I can see a case here for them, but not a strong one. It’s not going to be settled between us reviewers without Niantic input.
However, you tagged Casey for a response and they have moved on from Wayfarer. @NianticTintino may be able to provide answer though.
The only reason they could fail atm is the Generic or mass produced reason. To me a bike trail is a bike trail doesnt matter if it national or local. They do the same thing and the same goes for the signs these blue ones are national and yeah there is a lot of them. But
I agree it would be nice to hear from Niantic officially on these
I have to disagree slightly with;
We know that certain sects of Pokémon GO players (maybe some Ingress ones too) would try and squeeze them in with bad locations if they became acceptable.
Maybe not all, but certainly a lot more than would be appropriate.