Again this is where by American suburbia bias shows up…
I obviously don’t understand so I’ll definitely need to go Ireland to explore and learn 
1 Like
Let me know when your coming over and we’ll go bushing.
Just to clarify “bushing” would be a adult orientated activity including alcoholic beverages so may not be eligible under criteria.
2 Likes
I’m of legal age and do have Gaelic as my language choice in both Rosetta Stone and Duolingo… How often I employ these apps is not something you should ask me.
Well we both fit criteria then.
Don’t worry, you’ll probably be able to speak more Irish then I can after a few drinks. There are a few key phrases you need to have in your arsenal, once you have those you are practically fluent.
3 Likes
Why don’t way spots need to live up to the eligibility criteria. Just because people want thing that aren’t eligible doesn’t mean they should be accepted l.
4 Likes
A meeting point for a walk is not a great place to be social or a place to exercise. You could meet every week at the trash can on the corner. Would that meet any of the eligibility criteria? A great place to be social is a place to go socialize by design and considered great by the community.
People do amazing gymnastics trying to make arguments for how something kinda, sorta, might maybe in the right light at the right angle be snuck in as eligible, but that doesn’t mean it is.
6 Likes
City and Neighborhood signs are really a judgement call. No one is “Wrong”
No one is “Correct.”
Some see them as Explore worthy. Some dont. It like everything else is a judgement call and depends on your review area.
It’s cool to say your beliefs to the wayforum in hope you convince others, just realize its just an opinion and not one that is absolutely correct.
2 Likes
Fountains … getting a lot of mentions as they are sort of regarded as automatic inclusions. Around where I live decorative fountains are disappearing. These days – seen as a waste of water.
Quite curious as originally they were part of a town’s water supply and residents were able to draw their water supplies from public fountains. One up on a town with only a well.
Going back in time a bit – people always used to meet at a crossroad. It was an important social spot without the need for other decorations etc.
In some places the neighbourhood sign becomes a bit of a landmark (some in my district are massive) and does draw people for social discourse. Just like a crossroad, fountain or well in the past. Meeting at the river bank to do washing also involved lots of social discourse …
No blanket rule – if the nominator says the sign is popular for social reasons – why should we doubt it meets this criteria?
Too difficult to withdraw those non existent fountains from the games under current guidelines. But that is another discussion …
Oh … and whether we like it or not neither the company, wayfarer or the games will survive without customers – as in active players … and they do need places to play
1 Like
There are differences in opinion here and that’s ok because there is no set yes or no. There is nothing here that is an automatic rejection or accept for the actual object.
What is being put forward is that a meeting point = socialising.
For me a place to meet is just that. You meet and move on.
A socialising place is where you go to stay and socialise.
Be it the head of the road or a neighbourhood sign these boil down to a junction with standing space. A road junction is an obvious meeting point for people coming from different directions, to meet and go. It does not follow that road junctions are social spaces.
That in some places there is enough space for people to spend time hanging around does not in itself make it a great place to socialise.
So i do not think we should be conflating meeting point to mean socialise.
Use other reasons about a particular point if you want to demonstrate that it should be included.
7 Likes
This central point makes a lot of sense from a certain perspective.
There seem to be multiple agendas that are difficult to reconcile.
Niantic wants to fill out a map with specially curated points that seem to fulfill some criteria of theirs. They don’t share the entire database with us, nor tell us the reasoning behind their posted criteria. We eventually arrive at a sort of consensus with which we can move forward.
However, Niantic’s agenda may not be our own. Walking trail markers require us to exercise to visit them, yet Niantic has seemed to wage war against them. Sports fields do not make us play, and churches do not make us pray, but we have learned that they are pretty much slam dunk nominations because someone could interact with them for exercise or socializing. We are only pretending to know how players will interact with these features. They aren’t inherent in the same way trail markers are.
The U.K. recognizes pubs, scenic vistas, and postboxes. You lot seem to be comfortable that way. But in the U.S., eat and drink places face an extremely high bar, and Wayfarers seem to believe the owners should purchase sponsorships. Scenic vistas require a sign or plaque proving that a governmental organization recognizes the view. Antique stuff is merely old.
In the end, every region needs to reconcile three perspectives:
Local usage and custom
Explorer culture and norms
Niantic’s criteria
If there were any risk that this would not be complex enough, people add in extra stuff like envisioning large and unruly crowds descending on their quiet neighborhood, claiming sidewalks to be unsafe, protecting wildlife that is safely ensconced forty feet above a sign in a city park, etc.
Sometimes I’m amazed we get any Wayspots accepted at all.
4 Likes
I see these differently. Sports fields can be a great place to exercise- they exist specifically for that reason. Many can also be a great place to socialize for the spectators. For churches, I don’t think praying has anything to with it. Churches are all about the social criterion - a place where people come together to socialize with each other.
I think the issue in the US about places to eat is that many, many places to eat are not about gathering and socializing say like a pub in the UK is. US food culture is largely fast…grab and go. There are places where people gather to enjoy a meal/drink with family or friends, but there are lots of places where this is not the atmosphere, which is why so many restaurants get rejected.
And I do think the isssue about private SFRP is a legit issue. I see groups camped out in the park during raids. I absolutely would not want them sitting in my front yard to do the same.
I agree there are ambiguities that require local knowledge and some interpretation, but I don’t think it is quite so chaotic or dire as some might.
1 Like
I believe they are good enough for a “stop” and could even be considered for a gym. They more the merrier. Get people out and about in their neighborhood.
1 Like
Whether a Wayspot becomes a Pokestop or a Gym is part spacing rules, part random chance - not based on quality of location or appropriateness as a great raid spot.
So I live in a suburban area myself. At the time my subdivision was established, developers weren’t really marking their for-sale property blocks with flashy signs - mostly they built a bunch of houses on old farm lots, sold them, and went on to the next plot. When my neighbors want to meet up for group activities, we’ll meet at a particular intersection. The corner of, say, Pine and Elm streets is marked with a street sign, so there’s your location pin right there. Why would a sign left (and paid for, as it’s a form of advertising) by the developers of a subdivision be a better GREAT spot for socialization or exercise? I can gather at Pine and Elm, or chat with my neighbors, just as efficiently as I could at at sign that marked “PineElm Estates”. If that sign was super-artistic, or had amenties like shelter from the elements/benches/a fountain, well, then I might consider it superior to my simple street intersection. Without additional features, though, I’d likely consider both meeting places ineligible.
12 Likes
Perfectly said.
1 Like
“Neighbourhood sign is a Featured Showcase”
Surely these featured wayspots are displayed as examples of what is considered the ideal.
Its the first tab on the Wayfarer home page.
it says: “Featured Wayspots”
And that is the problem. This Wayspot that does not meet criteria is Featured, so people will submit even more of them, thinking they are good. But being featured absolutely does not mean Niantic officially approved it as an example, and in fact, I have reported some Featured Wayspots for removal as absolutely ineligible. And I know people do look to the Featured Wayspots as guidelines, because this one became a topic of discussion locally.
5 Likes
Many Thanks @cyndiepooh
If you are correct it is up to the company to make another comment.
So far they have featured it as an example and have commented they should be judged on a case by case basis. Is that not enough for you to accept?
One poster has said that he, his children & friends consider their local sign as a great place to socialise.
Should we just disbelieve if it we disagree?
So far – the fact that it is a “featured wayspot” does indicate it is officially approved.
I consider that only Niantic can change it now.
Niantic has not commented on this post.
I even tagged the staff member I thought was most likely to reply.
2 Likes
It is on the front page as in mine lands on the featured spots when I log in. I would have to interpret this as meaning these are supported and approved by Niantic. They would look pretty stupid if they are not.
Appearing as a featured wayspot is official approval for me. Why else are they featured?
1 Like