Hey y’all. A few months ago myself and a couple friends I play & bike with made submissions of the mile markers along a dedicated pedestrian & cyclists route through downtown Orlando. Most of them went have gone through, but several were rejected for strange reasons during the Global Challenge a couple months back.
Here’s a city article about the trail itself:
I have been slowly appealing my way through the decisions, but we have been getting strange results - some go through, some do not.
These submissions were made under the following two points, which have set my understanding of acceptance criteria:
(1) A quote from @NianticGifford in 2022 on the old forums, which read:
“As you are aware, we consider any marker on a hiking trail as acceptable since our goal is to have folks explore. Even a small marker on a trail will encourage players to cover more of the trail if there are more Wayspots on the way.”
(2) Trail markers criteria clarification state that mile markers and directional signs along trails are GREAT nominations, despite that they may seem “generic”:
Some of these have been marked as ‘unsafe access’ - which is patently absurd, as this is a trail through the city specifically built and maintained for pedestrians.
Others have been marked as ‘not distinct’, which contradicts the trail marker clarifications.
While I understand that some reviewers are unfamiliar with the criteria clarifications, I am shocked and appalled at the appeals team for upholding those rejections.
Example (1) of appeals not matching criteria clarifications:
Title: Cady Way Trail - 2.7 Mile Marker
Description: Mile Marker 2.7 along the Cady Way Trail, a pedestrian and cyclists route that traverses 7 miles through Orlando from Oviedo to Downtown.
Location: On the cyclists trail, directly next to a city park.
Example (2) of appeals team not matching criteria clarifications:
Title: Cady Way Trail - 3.6 Mile Marker
Description:Mile Marker 3.6 along the Cady Way Trail, a pedestrian and cyclists route that traverses 7 miles through Orlando from Oviedo to Downtown.
Location: On the cyclists trail where it runs between two neighborhoods
The appeals on these have contained the following text:
Three parts showing why this rejection is incorrect, please read all the way through:
(1) A quote from NianticGifford in 2022 on the old forums, which reads:
"As you are aware, we consider any marker on a hiking trail as acceptable since our goal is to have folks explore. Even a small marker on a trail will encourage players to cover more of the trail if there are more Wayspots on the way."
(2) This is a location and mile marker on a city bike trail. It indicates that it CAN be used to help in emergencies, but it does not obstruct emergency services in any way. Here's a city article about the trail:
https://www.orlando.gov/Parks-the-Environment/Directory/Cady-Way-Trail
(3) Trail markers criteria clarification state that mile markers and directional signs along trails are GREAT nominations, despite that they may seem "generic":
https://community.wayfarer.nianticlabs.com/t/trails-markers/12460
Here’s the rest of them:
What is going on here? Did something change in the trail market acceptances? Why are some of these getting through appeals, and others not? I understand reviewers don’t always know the criteria, but why are the results from the appeals teams so inconsistent?
I am genuinely bewildered and need some official clarification at this point.
now just wondering if I have to wait and do this for the rest of them.
