Mile markers, again, with pictures

Please excuse the continuation of this wearisome topic.

In the Omaha, Nebraska (US) area, there are three separate, very long (miles long) concrete walking/biking suburban “paths,” and each path has mile markers every 0.1mile.

I get at least a few of these to review in every session. What is your reading of Niantic’s current ruling on these? Each does contain the path name, but they are mere steps away from each other. I find them duplicitous and not in the spirit of what a wayspot is. Thanks.


Comments

  • Gendgi-PGOGendgi-PGO Posts: 3,534 Ambassador

    The spirit of Wayfarer includes outdoor exploration and an active and healthy lifestyle. Exploration & exercise are two of the eligibility criteria.

    I would much rather review & nominate trail markers all day than another "artistic" fire hydrant in front of somebody's house.

  • Jtronmoore-PGOJtronmoore-PGO Posts: 1,581 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It would depend for me. If it pops up every .1 of a mile and I see them all being nominated i would be pretty harsh when reviewing. I would let a few in but not all them just off of visually uniqueness

  • 26thDoctor-PGO26thDoctor-PGO Posts: 4,925 ✭✭✭✭✭

    If they are eligible does it really matter to you or I if they are added.


    Accepted - People go out to green areas and get some exercise and enjoy the game more.


    Rejected- People don't do the above.

  • TheFarix-PGOTheFarix-PGO Posts: 5,063 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Unless the marker represents a uniquely identifiable section of the trail, then it is not eligible. If you cannot identify that section of the trail as distinct from any other parts of the trail, then it is not eligible. Remember that the trail markers unto themselves are not eligible. If you take the trail marker off the trail and put it another random location, it would no longer meet the criteria because it longer represents the trail. It's one of those forests and trees situations. People get too caught up in the details about the trail markers (trees) that they forget that it is the trail (forest) that meets the criteria under the "Great place for exercise" and "great place to explore" and the trail markers are simply the physical objects that is used to placemark the trail.

  • Babarushki-PGOBabarushki-PGO Posts: 195 ✭✭✭

    Thanks to you all, especially @zebromussel-ING for providing important insights.

    The points made by @zebromussel-ING , who uses these trails and attests to their role in truly encouraging exercise and exploration, will stay with me as I continue to review and recommend approval of these mile markers.

    Excellent points made by all. I appreciate your time as you considered my question and gave me insights I did not get from the rules themselves.

  • Eneeoh-PGOEneeoh-PGO Posts: 749 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2021

    So, let’s say the Midland lake was a loop trail 2 miles long. There would be one marker at the start of the trail, identified as 0.0, and then a string of 10 markers identified as 0.1 E., 0.2 E. etc., and another string 0.1 W. and so forth going the other way. So all in all there would be 20-ish markers all more than 20 m apart.

    Is this a bad thing (since the individual markers aren’t very interesting), neutral (the markers can each be distinguished from each other) or a good thing for the Wayfarer system?

    To me, it seems neutral, unless there is a large downside that I am missing. Or are these like the Australian survey markers that are every hundred feet in all directions throughout the district?

  • Babarushki-PGOBabarushki-PGO Posts: 195 ✭✭✭

    There are 120 paved miles in the Omaha metro area, thanks to a major effort that started in 1990. The three major trails for which I get these nominations are the Papio (Big Papio—10 miles, West Papio—13 miles), Midland (not sure how long) and Keystone (24 miles). (@zebromussel-ING please correct me if I am mistaken). There are also shorter trails.

    All of these trails have markers every 0.1 mile

  • zebromussel-INGzebromussel-ING Posts: 56 ✭✭✭

    @Babarushki-PGO the Midland trail is technically not even in Omaha, but is in either Papillion or Bellevue IIRC. Anyway, not all of the trails have mile markers on them, and many only have mile markers on certain sections of the trail that pass through "busier" areas. In addition, some trails have the markers spaced every tenth of a mile (0.1), others are every quarter of a mile (0.25), and some every half a mile (0.5). It is very dependent on the trail and the area.

  • Babarushki-PGOBabarushki-PGO Posts: 195 ✭✭✭

    @zebromussel-ING Ooohhhh gotcha. I don’t live in Omaha anymore but grew up there. I’ve only seen the 0.1 markers, and now I know! Thanks so much. We gotta rely on each other for good information when questions like this come up, and I am fortunate you chose to respond to mine. 😀

  • AisforAndis-INGAisforAndis-ING Posts: 1,072 Ambassador

    You make a lot of claims @TheFarix-PGO. Can you back them up?


    Unless the marker represents a uniquely identifiable section of the trail, then it is not eligible.

    This is not correct, except in the case of duplicate signage. Nowhere does any guidance say this. Trail markers with varying distance markers do signify uniquely identifiable sections of a trail. Can you provide a source for this claim?


    If you cannot identify that section of the trail as distinct from any other parts of the trail, then it is not eligible.

    This is not correct. Nowhere does any guidance say this. It is very easy to identify distinct sections of a trail when they are marked with a signs that separate certain segments of a trail by distance. Can you provide a source for this claim?


    Remember that the trail markers unto themselves are not eligible.

    This is not correct. Nowhere does any guidance say this. Trail markers encourage exploration along a trail. They may encourage you to explore certain distances along a trail. They may encourage you to take different paths along a trail. Trail markers with distances, even if they are of 0.1 mile increments, also encourage exercise. Markers that help you accurately track your distance may encourage you to run further, exercise longer, or to push yourself just a little bit more than you ever have before. Can you provide a source for this claim?


    If you take the trail marker off the trail and put it another random location, it would no longer meet the criteria because it longer represents the trail.

    This is a laughable semantic. If I took a community bulletin board and put it at another location, it would no longer represent the community. This mentality literally applies to every object, considering every nomination is tied to real world objects and locations. Trail markers are eligible because they do represent their respect trails, which are great places to explore and/or exercise.


    It's one of those forests and trees situations. People get too caught up in the details about the trail markers (trees) that they forget that it is the trail (forest) that meets the criteria under the "Great place for exercise" and "great place to explore" and the trail markers are simply the physical objects that is used to placemark the trail.

    You yourself outlined exactly why the markers are eligble. They are the proxy for the trail, just as signs for pretty much any other eligible nomination act as a proxy for the place that the sign represents.

Sign In or Register to comment.