I’ve tried to upload a ride-sharing bench, which originally got rejected by the system (if I remember correctly). Recently I’ve tried to appeal, but in the appeal rejection the staff called it a regular bench. I don’t think it is. I specifically mention that it is a ride-sharing bench, says so on it and even has DB BahnPark branding (DB = Deutsche Bahn, which I did not mention in my text). I feel like my arguments have not been read. Or are ride-sharing benches always considered regular benches and thus ineligible? I just like their social aspect, which regular benches don’t have.
Title: Mitfahrbank
Description: Wenn eine Mitfahrgelegenheit gesucht wird, ist man hier richtig.
Supplemental: Erfüllt den Punkt “Kontakte knüpfen”. Beschreibung davon sagt “Ist das ein Ort, an dem sich Freunde oder auch Fremde treffen können, um gemeinsam […] am öffentlichen Leben teilzuhaben?”. Die Bank ist für exakt den Zweck. Man trifft Fremde, die der Gemeinschaft etwas gutes tun und jemanden mitnehmen. Dabei knüpft man evtl. Kontakt, aber denke noch eher lässt es einen am öffentlichen Leben teilhaben. Außerdem heißt es unter dem Punkt “Erkunden” auch “Ist dieser Ort deiner Meinung nach von Bedeutung für die örtliche Bevölkerung”. Erfüllt auch das aus den gleichen Gründen.
Appeal Notes: I think the ai made a mistake on this one. It’s not an ordinary bench. It’s a ride-sharing bench. Even says so on it. I think I’ve made valid arguments in my original submission of this.
Niantic Note: Thanks for the appeal, Wayfinder! The nomination in question does not meet the Wayfarer criteria, as this is a regular bench. We recommend you review the Wayspot Criteria and Forum Criteria Discussions Library sections before submitting your next Wayspot contribution: Wayfarer — Niantic Technical Support and Help Center and Forum Criteria Discussions Library — Wayfarer Help Center
Eligibility criteria says that something must be a great place for exercise, exploration, or being social (https://niantic.helpshift.com/hc/en/21-wayfarer/section/166-wayspot-criteria/).
I did translate your text:
Title: Ride-sharing bench
Description: This is the right place to look for a ride.
Supplemental: It fulfills the “Making connections” criterion. The description for this asks, “Is this a place where friends or even strangers can meet to participate in public life together…?” The bench serves exactly this purpose. You meet strangers who are doing something good for the community by giving someone a lift. While you might make a connection, I think it primarily allows you to participate in public life. Furthermore, under the “Exploring” category, it asks, “In your opinion, is this place significant for the local population?” It meets this criterion for the same reasons.
But it is just a place to wait to get a ride, which is just infrastructure. A place where you “might make a connection” is not a place designed to make social connections. I agree with the appeals team on this one.
I might be hung up on it not being a regular bench. I am aware of lots of benches in the area, but only 2 ride-sharing ones.
Maybe I am equating doing something for the social benefit/social well-being (unsure about what the correct term is) with being social.
To me the bench is about helping others, doing something good for the community and not just infrastructure. Might just have misinterpreted some things.
I have never said to a friend, “Let’s go hang out at the ride sharing bench.” Or “Let me show you this awesome ride sharing bench.” That is usually a good way for me to think about it - would I make a special effort to take a friend to see it.
I do see where you are going with this, but I don’t see a way to get you all the way there to successfully nominate this bench.
The idea behind these is getting a ride by a kind stranger (like an organized form of hitchhiking) which could sort of make it fit criteria.
I was just going to tag you since this is in Germany! ty for helping.
Social category also mentions Post Offices. Never thought about taking a friend there 
On this one it’s more about the strangers to me.
That is more of a grandfathered in thing, to be perfectly frank. People are always bringing that up and we don’t have a good answer except that they keep people connected. The Post Office did use to be the heart of the community, and still is in some towns. Back in my day, well actually my daddy’s day, a regular group would meet up at the Clemmons Post Office to have their coffee and smoke their cigarettes.
The friend thing is just one way to think about criteria. If it doesn’t help you, don’t use it.
I am not good at rules lawyering the criteria. I can point you to the link, tell you my interpretation, but then I am done. Hoping you get some meaningful feedback on this.
I do appreciate your insights on this, hope I don’t sound to argumentative. Just trying to really understand all the angles and possible interpretations for this and future submissions.
While I get the point you’re making, in theory the same could be said of bus stops. I’ve known various people who have made very good friends simply through meeting them while waiting for the bus, but in spite of that I don’t think I’d claim that a bus stop is a great place to go to be social, because that’s not its primary purpose.
I’ve seen a bunch of those accepted in Germany (Bavaria specifically in rural areas) by the community based on this aspect. The description on most of those explain what the initiative of “Mitfahrbank” is and how it encourages social engagement.
I feel like if this had made it into voting with a description that explains how it matches criteria without citing criteria explicitly, it probably would’ve gone through.
Generally I would personally try to explicitly mentioning criteria as little as possible and use the attention span of the reviewers to convince them themselves of it being a good social spot.
Sorry for bumping this again but I just realized that I forgot to add, that it could help adding a local newspaper article for the Mitfahrbänke.
