French trail markers

[MegaWatt143]

Hello ! This is my very first post on this forum, so if I do something the wrong way or If I forget to mention something don’t hesitate to tell me

To start off, I have a question :

• for you what this Wayspot is missing to be eligible :
  

  
  
  
  

• compared to this one :
  

  
  
  
  

I get it, the second one is cleaner, more detailed, with a bit of text on it and it is screwed to a tree.
But, the first one is also permanent (I can ensure you, even though it’s ‘just’ painted it’s been there for years and even if the painting wears itself off there are volunteers from the official French associations for hiking and trekking who make sure that these markers are always there), and I think this is the most important thing : the trail path itself : it’s nearly the same between these two trail markers, because they are around 0.5 km appart from each other (each one is associated with a unique trail route, it’s just a shared path between the 2 trails), so the path itself is great (lots of trees, great landscapes, it’s truly nice to have a walk there), I believe both of these trails markers promote exercise.

That’s it, even though the first trail marker is just a painting on a tree, I think, it should be evaluated on what it represents : a part of a nice trail path surrounded by trees and big open fields.

By the way, nearly all of the French trails are represented by markers that look like the first submission I shown (the trail marker of the other submission is way less common), their meaning is described here :

Waymarking of hiking routes

Charte%20officielle_balisage_signaletique_ffrandonnee_Edition%202019_d.pdf

So even though these are just symbols without text, they have a specific meaning and they guide you through the trail.

And also I even linked a url representing the trail path in the first submission I shown to help validators to check if the location of the Wayspot was indeed on a trail route (because there is no Street View there) : Chabriès - Rando Aubrac

What do you think guys ? Maybe I’m wrong and it is indeed an invalid submission, but I’d like to hear from you

[DTrain2002]

Unfortunately, you may have to appeal the 1st one and explain to the appeals team how these are permanent, and provide the info you’ve provided about them being trail markers, even provide the websites.

A good deal of trail markers like these tend to get rejected by reviewers, even if the submitter has provided info that they are permanent and part of a trail. This isn’t an issue with French trails, as there are trails in other parts of the world that use paint for their markers instead of signs. I remember during the last global challenge getting trail markers painted onto a trail somewhere in Oklahoma, and I was able to verify that it was a trail and these were the markers.

[cyndiepooh]

I remember a post from @HikeLadyLDK explaining about the painted trail markers so tagging her to help.

[MegaWatt143]

Thanks for the response ! Unfortunately I already used 2 appeals within 20 days so I guess I’ll have to wait a bit ahah

[MegaWatt143]

Thank you so much ! Maybe she can help

[DTrain2002]

It’s actually 2 appeals every 15 days now.

Change in frequency of Contribution Appeals

Hello Explorers, We have some exciting news regarding the Wayfarer Contribution Appeals process! After careful consideration and listening to your valuable feedback, we have decided to increase the frequency at which you can submit appeals. Effective immediately, you will now be able to submit 2 appeals every 15 days, rather than the previous 2 appeals every 20 days. This change is a direct result of your input and our ongoing commitment to continually improve the Wayfarer experience. We und…

[elijustrying]

Hello and welcome @MegaWatt143

Yes hikelady has been helpful in the past
This topic might have useful insights.

Hiking Trails in Germany - do we have bots rejecting Pokestops?

[staticmap]

[MegaWatt143]

Thanks for the help ! I’ve checked the other forums posts and it seems like I’m not the first one facing this issue !

At least for now I’ve gotten back my 2 appeals so I’ll use one for this nomination and see if I can change something

[Xenopus]

Salut et bienvenue! Je suis tout à fait d’accord avec toi que des marqueurs de ces deux types pourraient être éligibles, mais en pratique les résultats (pour moi aussi) sont très variables. Je ne peux que proposer de fournir toutes les informations que tu donnes dans le post aussi dans tes informations supplémentaires pour avoir des preuves en béton, d’avoir la meilleure photo supplémentaire possible si la localisation n’est pas claire sur la seule base de satellite ou Street View (c’est peut-être ce qui a été un peu difficile pour les votants avec la première proposition que tu montres), et d’utiliser les appels quand c’est nécessaire. Courage

[MegaWatt143]

Hello, merci beaucoup pour ton message ! Effectivement c’est une sacrée galère ! J’avais mis des balises l’an dernier (du même style que celle qui avait été acceptée que je montre sur mon post) et l’IA les avait validées mais de ce que j’ai compris l’IA ne fait plus d’acceptation automatique donc c’est un peu galère j’ai l’impression les reviewers connaissent pas trop les balisages de randonnées et à chaque fois le motif de rejet c’est « peut être non permanent » donc bon, là pour mes toutes dernières nominations j’ai mis en photo de support un panneau indicatif au début de la randonnée qui précise bien le type de balisage, donc peut être ça arrivera à passer cette fois ! Tu en penses quoi ?

[cyndiepooh]

I remember a clarification on the old forum that painted markers were not to be accepted but I couldn’t find it in the “Wayback Machine” to link. So getting the message across that these are indeed permanent and better markers that are acceptable, is going to take some time. I hope with every one accepted on appeal, it gets easier.

(I did find a reference to paint not being eligible on reddit that shows this mindset: Reddit - The heart of the internet)

Oh! I found it: This joke stops being funny - trail markers — Wayfarer

NianticOtoStar Posts: 261Niantic › admin

September 9

Hey there, @onecino-ING! The direction markings painted on the trees are generic directional signs which is ineligible. To know more about our eligibility criteria, please go through our criteria clarification posted in Wayfarer Criteria Challenge announcement**:** https://community.wayfarer.nianticlabs.com/discussion/35560/wayfarer-criteria-challenge Thank you!

I am not suggesting that this is or should be the current stance on paint trail markers, just making you aware of why reviewers may be rejecting these.

[HikeLadyLDK]

As I’m tagged here I’ll try to help a little.

Trailmerkers in general are tricky, as a lot of the community doesn’T really know hoe to rate them ans dees them as non-permanent or not distinct.

This is especially true for painted markers, they’re even hit and miss when it comes to the Appeals team.

Anyways, theres some good argument that they’re not just as permanent as other trailmarkers, they’re even more permanent and have lots of benefits over plastic plaques.

I wrote a longer post aboput this topic wich you can view here:

I don't agree with this Appeal decision, please have a second look. (Hike trail)

I just got the answer to an Appeal i submitted, and i’m actually not pleased with it, because I feel I have not been listened to: Title: Westerwaldsteig Windelbachtal [Screenshot 2025-03-26 153529] Here, the Westerwaldsteig passes the Windelbachtal [Screenshot 2025-03-26 153547] The Westerwaldsteig is a hike trail crossing multiple regions, wich at this point passes the Windelbachtal- Hike Trails are good POI, because they invite to hike together and to explore. The existence of the trail…

You might have to gather some Info about how this is done in France, but theres a lot of info in here that should apply all over Europe or even globally.

In case of painted markers, Its likely that you have to submit them multiple times (with different Pictures, as Emily doesn’t like pictures she has already seen)

I can only suggest to put in as much info as you can while keeping the supporting text as short as possible.

If you do an appeal, you can write a longer text with all the Info, but as said, its not guaranteed to work, sadly.

I wish you the best of Luck and hope you keep up marking hike trails around you country even if it can be quite frustrating.

I can give you some general tips what’s helpful in getting them Approved:

• always try to find a Map of said trail, where you can see the trail sign and verify that said trail actually is where you submitted the wayspot.
• I normally emphasizie on how trails encourage hiking together (sport and socialisation) and also exploring, wich makes them great wayspots.

The sign itself isn’t the wayspot, its an Anchorpoint for the wayspot like a sign at a park wich may in itself not be a good wayspot, but hints that that Area is one.

My hope is always that submitting more of them and getting them approved will over time educate reviwers on how to rate them properly. To achieve that, its very helpful to put some effort into those submissions. Reviewers need info to rate them. I really don’t like lazy hike trail submissions where you can’t verify the location or the trail sign beeing officially belonging to said trail.

Have fun hiking and improving the Map and the play experience for people who love to hike! Keep up the good work, theres few things more fun in PoGo than going for a hike while having fun playing Games at the same time. I already mapped a few trails around my city, and its really enjoyable to play on them now. So it might be fristrating, but also very rewarding, because it opens up whole new play areas and play experiences having Trails marked as wayspots.

[MegaWatt143]

Oh indeed, for sure it’s something that doesn’t help now ! Feels like Niantic have done a lot of back and forth about trails markers being valid Wayspots or not

[MegaWatt143]

Thank you so much for taking time to write this much advice !

I completely agree, love hiking and that would be amazing to be able to play PoGo at the same time, by the way I live in the middle of nowhere (not even a village lol my house is surrounded by trees and fields) so it’s my only solution to get some Wayspots !

The appeal is sent, we’ll see how it goes !

[Louis71500]

Salut! Pourras tu nous faire un retour ? Je vis également au beau milieu de nul part. Concernant les marqueurs de sentiers en général pour moi il sont acceptés et réussissent à passer en appel lorsque ils sont rejetés. En revanche je n’ai jamais osé proposer les marquages en peinture.

[HikeLadyLDK]

I actually got one af those painted markes approved through an appeal, so it can work if you make your case well enough, but its about 50/50 on appeal in my community. I got a few o those through, but not all.

[Xenopus]

Re-salut! J’aime beaucoup le niveau de détail dans ton texte mais j’ai peur que tu ne te tires une balle dans le pied avec la photo supplémentaire choisie: tu es visiblement en forêt, c’est déjà bien assez difficile pour un votant de confirmer la localisation exacte de ta proposition, et ta balise n’est pas du tout présente dans la photo supplémentaire, ce qui rend la confirmation impossible et soulève toutes sortes de suspicions. Je comprends pourquoi tu veux apporter une preuve supplémentaire du fait que le balisage jaune est bien présent sur cette randonnée, mais c’est le genre de détail qui serait secondaire par rapport à la confusion qu’un tout autre objet dans la photo supplémentaire génère. Je reprendrais donc une photo montrant la balise plus clairement dans son environnement, quitte à créer un lien de type imgur avec ton image décrivant le Raissadou et l’utiliser en tant que lien pour preuves supplémentaires ou peut-être faire un collage de 2 photos supplémentaires?

[MegaWatt143]

Hello, merci pour ton message ! C’est vrai après réflexion je sais pas si c’était la meilleure idée… mais bon on verra bien ce que ça donne et si jamais ça passe pas non plus j’aime bien l’idée du montage + lien vers imgur, j’essayerai

Je finirai par les avoir mes balises

[Xenopus]

C’est pas facile, c’est normal