The Wayspot was maliciously reported and removed

Appeal for restoring removed Wayspot

Wayspot Title: 彩繪特色電箱

Location (lat/lon): 24°06’53.1"N 120°40’40.1"E

City:Taichung City

Country or region:Taiwan

Screenshot of the Rejection Email (do not include your personal information):

Additional Information (if any):

The Wayspot has been maliciously removed due to false reports twice within the past 30 days.

Please help restore this Wayspot, which has been maliciously reported and removed multiple times. This Wayspot does exist in reality, but it has been repeatedly abused by malicious players to get it removed. It can be clearly seen on Google Street View https://maps.app.goo.gl/2uSmRQHSMVbwpUtSA , The painted utility box is a piece of art that can be appreciated, and it is connected to the sidewalk in an open space where anyone can explore it.

I kindly request that this wayspot be re-evaluated, as the removal appears to have been based on false or misleading information. Restoring it would help maintain the integrity of the system and support fair use for all players.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

1 Like

Thanks for the appeal, @starsunmoon888. We have taken another look but stand by our decision to retire this Wayspot.

Thank you very much for your response. Could you please let me know the reasons and justification for the decision to reject this Wayspot? In Taiwan, there are hundreds or even thousands of Wayspots that consist of painted utility boxes. This particular painted utility box was installed by the local government-operated power company, making it public property rather than private property. It is connected to both the sidewalk and the road, located in a public area where anyone can visit. It is not just ordinary graffiti.

You can view it on Google Street View at the following link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/o3GXhC9EDUANUiqU7. I believe this is a piece of street art worth exploring. These utility boxes are not mass-produced; each one is hand-painted by artists. Moreover, there have been numerous exhibitions and reports about the painted utility boxes in the area.

You can check out a news report via this link: 台電把變電箱變美了!全台首次變電箱主題展盛大展開 | 生活 | NOWnews今日新聞, and also refer to the local power company’s Facebook post here: Redirecting.... Additionally, I have attached images for your reference.



@NianticLC
I sincerely urge you to reconsider this WaySpot. This painted utility box is actually located right next to the sidewalk and has been in the local area for a long time. I hope more people can explore this piece of street art. Please take a closer look from various street view angles – it can be safely explored from the sidewalk and is not situated in the middle of the road.

I look forward to your response. Thank you.

Hello,

Looking at this on Street View, it’s not on the sidewalk, but on the street, hence the yellow/black warning markings for drivers can see it and not run into it.

It seems like it most likely was removed due to lack of safe pedestrian access, as it looks like it’s on the blacktop of the street, not the grey pavement of the nearby sidewalk. If it was on the grey pavement of the sidewalk, that could be considered safe for pedestrians.

1 Like

Thank you very much for your response. In fact, the arcade space beneath the building, which connects to the sidewalk, is legally designated for pedestrian use, and under local regulations, parking cars or motorcycles there is not allowed. The vehicles you see are illegally parked. The unsafe impression captured by Google Street View is due to these violations. However, illegal parking is neither a permanent nor a common issue, and it can be corrected through stricter enforcement by local authorities.


It is truly disappointing and regrettable that such a beautiful painted utility box cannot become a Wayspot due to the actions of a few violators. After all, we have no control over those who park their vehicles illegally. In Taiwan, roads are often crowded and narrow, which may contribute to this perception. If this standard were applied, I dare say that over 80% of the painted utility box Wayspots in Taiwan could potentially meet the criteria for removal.

Once again, thank you for your response! I sincerely appreciate it.

The problem is thay the utilitybox is not on the grey area, its a couple meters into the black.

1 Like

Wayfarer is global though, so they can’t make a certain statement about safe pedestrian access being one way in one area, and a different way in another.

Even in different parts of the US, where I am, some see the median of a street as safe, but it’s not meant for pedestrians to stand in, as it helps keeps vehicles separated by the direction they are going, and may also serve as a safety barrier just in case a vehicle accidentally crosses into the median.

1 Like

In Taiwan, a very crowded place where people and cars compete for the road, i want to say is: Such Wayspots are usually not rejected due to pedestrian safety. After all, such objects (painted transformer boxes) are very common and are mostly located next to sidewalks, so they do not pose a safety factor.

I have also encountered many Wayspots recently that clearly exist but have been deleted for unknown reasons. I don’t know if it was a malicious report or some other factor.

2 Likes

Unfortunately, we really can’t say why the other Wayspots have been removed. Sometimes they are removed by request, sometimes Wayfarer may remove them. If you feel that they are valid Wayspots, you’re more than welcome to ask for their restoration, like to did here.

1 Like

Yes, traffic in Taiwan is indeed very congested, and the Street View images may make the area seem unsafe. However, when viewed from a different angle, you can see that the painted utility box is connected to the sidewalk and has a safe space for people to stop. Almost all similar painted utility boxes in Taiwan are located next to roads like this. It would be unfortunate if this Wayspot were removed due to such concerns.



Unfortunately, many Wayspots in this area have been mass-reported and removed around the same time, not just this one. This has raised concerns about the possibility of malicious reporting.