Pokestop Trailmarker for bike and hiking path rejected with reason "generic business"

Nomination Support
1

Hi,

I’ve come across this topic several times but fail to see how I can improve my submission.
In Belgium we have a very generic trailmarker system with numbers that basically makes it easy for you to create your own hiking or cycling route by simply connecting the different numerical waypoints. They are standard and numerous of them are currently Pokestops.

I have nominated a similar trailmarker, which ticks all of the criteria listed on wayfarer. Yet this nomination was rejected for the reason “generic business”.

I was lucky that the nomination process went pretty quick, it only took 3 days. Not sure how long an appeal will take and if it’s of any use.

If I want to submit the nomination again, any tips on how I can improve it? Submission is in Dutch though.

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2

I hate these because they are sooooo ugly. But I love them because they are the only eligible wayports I have left around here. (Germany and the Netherlands have roughly the same system).

They fit the criteria,because they invite to exercise and explore BIG time,and even be very social if you dont ride alone. So I always approve them, reluctantly. They are about the ugliest thing for postcards though, even worse then bad graffiti :wink:

I would not try to appeal, but just re-nominate and hope it goes through voting instead of ML.

3

Hello,

First off, you are not submitting POIs to be stops/gyms, but rather Wayspots. Wayspots that get accepted are added to the Lightship map, which each Niantic game uses for game play locations. Each game has different density rules, such as Ingress having a 20 meter rule, and PoGo using S2 cells.

Second, the main photo could be better, since there is more to the sign than just the trail marker. I would either try to take a photo that is closer up to the main trail sign and try not to include the other signs. It would also help with to see the text at the top of the trail marker better, as even zooming in I have a hard time reading. I would also not take the photo at an angle, another reason why the sign is hard to read.

The supporting photo is good, as it shows all of the signs and the trail, and while Street View is from 2009 and doesn’t have the trail marker, it can be placed there easily with the supporting photo and Street View.

The title is also very unofficial sounding, translating to Cycle route 40 through the fields. I would still include Cycle Route 40, but include the text at the tope of the sign, as it better places the sign. You can include where the route goes through in the description instead.

Lastly, if there is a website that marks out the route of the trail, this would be good to include in the supporting info.

I take it that your rejection email said “out team,” not “our community,” which means ML, the AI, rejected it. ML has been rejecting more trail markers as of late, and I do agree with the rejection here, as there can be improvements made. I would try resubmitting after implementing some improvements, and if it’s rejected again, you do have the option to appeal to the Niantic team.

4

Niantic hates these trail markers and will not listen to any reason whatsoever. I’ve tried multiple times to get dozens of these removed trail markers restored and they just don’t give a damn. All they do is stick their fingers in their ears and pretend they know best from their San Francisco bubble, thinking they’re more well-versed in how the BeNeLux cycling route network works than actual people who live there and use it.

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5

Please everyone be respectful here in the forums. The OP @lomarreke asked for help, not hinderance.

Trail markers are eligible, but there have been issues with them in some countries, mostly in Europe, which has required Niantic to remove them. Some of the reasons for removal are that they were submitted by bots, are in completely wrong locations, or giving certain players unfair advantages with how they were placed.

Trail markers have become hit and miss with acceptance; many are being rejected by ML and not being reviewed by the community. Many times, it has been found that improvements can be made with the nominations, and this is one such case. I outlined some of the improvements that the OP could take to make the nomination better, and give it a better chance of being accepted.

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6

I know it is frustrating and the inconsistency is mind-boggling at times, but it is their database…….

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7

And you’d think they’d want a gigantic cycling route network that spans multiple countries and is thoroughly mapped out to be represented in that database.

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8

Perhaps they never ride a bike? I probably wouldn’t, in San Francisco. Looks kinda hilly. Here I basically LIVE on one, being virtually without public transportation and gas costing almost 2 euros a liter…

9

Doesn’t EVERY player that lives in a city and has a healthy body have an ‘unfair’ advantage on rural players and players with physical disabilities (or both, like me?).

I don’t see how adding a trailmarker per few kilometer could even balance that out, let alone give them an advantage…

10

Many people with disabilities play Niantic games, and there may be some that even enjoy trails. I know of many in the US that are accessible to everyone, even those with disabilities.

I wouldn’t consider this area, where the OP is trying to nominate, as being urban. There are many fields, which they mention in both the title and description, so in a more rural area. Also, Street View here was last updated in 2009, which is very common for rural areas. I myself grew up in a rural town, and Street View there was last updated in 2012.

Niantic allows trail markers and has criteria clarification on them. While you may not personally like them, they are allowed, and we are not to let our subjective views on certain eligible POIs to influence our reviewing/submitting.

This really isn’t the thread to be debating the trail marker criteria, as the OP was asking for help with their nomination. Please consider looking for another thread on the topic, like this one: