Additional Information (if any): * No Pedestrian Access: The gate is located directly over a narrow active driveway (Yu-nong Rd Lane 291) with NO sidewalks. Players must stand in the middle of the road to interact with it.
Obstructing Emergency Services: The attached photo shows an official ‘Fire Lane - No Parking’ (消防通道禁止停車) sign. Gathering players directly obstruct this emergency access point, which is illegal and dangerous.
I am not staff to decide this appeal, but the presence of a crosswalk to here does indicate that this area is accessible to pedestrians. Why would there be a crosswalk leading to a place they can’t walk? You may wish to address this for the appeal.
While there is a crosswalk, it is meant for pedestrians to cross the road quickly, not as a safe area to stand and play a mobile game.
The Wayspot (the gate) is located directly above the active driveway. As shown in the “Fire Lane” photo, this area must remain clear for emergency vehicles. There is no actual sidewalk for players to stand on without obstructing traffic or risking their safety. The crosswalk itself is part of the active road for vehicles turning into the lane.
A crosswalk is a path for movement, not a designated area for standing or gathering. The presence of a crosswalk does not change the fact that this specific spot is an active driveway and a designated Fire Lane, as indicated by the government signage.
Standing at the gate pillar to play a game forces players to occupy the driveway, which directly obstructs potential emergency vehicles and creates a severe traffic hazard. The safety risk comes from the intended use of the space (standing/playing) versus the legal requirement (keeping the fire lane clear).
Hello @SilentAoi13334 we are trying to understand an aspect of this, and if we dont understand than there is a good chance the reviewers wont. So please bear with us
Vehicles are not allowed to park or obstruct.
And the may plant pots seem to leave a clear space.
So this leaves the roadway clear for traffic.
People are allowed to walk in this area - they can access the buildings?
it seems a pleasant place to walk.
Is there an instruction that you cant stop if you are walking? Stop and then continue?
it looks as though there is space at the edges for someone to stand.
Wayspots do not have to have room for a large crowd to gather to be eligible.
They have to be safely accessible for people on foot, so that a person can walk up to the POI and stay there without any concerns about being run over or obstructing emergency services.
I must emphasize that this is not a subjective matter of “feeling safe,” but a matter of legal compliance and emergency logistics in Taiwan:
Strict Legal Penalties: Under Article 56 of the Act Governing Management and Punishment of Road Traffic, any stationary presence (including temporary stopping) in a designated Fire Lane (消防通道) is strictly prohibited 24/7. Staying here to play a game is a punishable offense under local law.
Criminal Liability: According to Articles 182 and 189-2 of the Criminal Code, obstructing emergency escape routes or fire lanes can lead to criminal charges if it hinders rescue operations. Niantic should not encourage gathering in a zone where stationary presence is legally restricted.
The Math of Danger: This lane is approximately 3.5 meters wide. A standard Taiwanese fire truck is 2.5 meters wide (reaching 3 meters with mirrors). This leaves only 0.5m - 1m of total clearance. Emergency vehicles require this entire buffer zone to maneuver safely at speed. Any person standing by the pillar physically eliminates this vital safety margin.
The “space” you see is a legally protected emergency clear-zone, not a pedestrian standing area. Maintaining this Wayspot directly conflicts with public safety laws and Niantic’s own safety criteria.
Niantic gets many requests to remove gyms from people trying to manipulate gym locations. I am not saying that you are doing that, but I am trying to explain why it is so important to make it clear that this needs to be removed, and it is not clear to me from the evidence you have presented. You don’t need to convince me.
If Niantic does not grant your appeal, you can contact your local authorities. They can ask for its removal directly. Niantic complies with property owners and managers. Our city recently had raids turned off at a gym where they were getting nuisance complaints from citizens about Pokemon Go players gathering there.
I fully understand that a vehicle should not stop.
There is space either side it would appear.
The game warns everyone as you open it to respect local laws.
so they are clear that the object is here but if playing it is your responsibility as a player to stay within the law.
Respectfully, Niantic’s loading screen warning does not override the fundamental requirement for Safe Pedestrian Access.
No Safe Margin: As shown in the photos, this lane is only about 3.5m wide. When a standard 2.5m - 3m wide fire truck or vehicle passes, there is no remaining space for a person to stand safely. The space on either side" is not a sidewalk, it is part of the active driveway.
Physical Impossibility of Legal Play: In a designated Fire Lane, local law (Article 56 of the Traffic Act) prohibits any stationary presence. If playing the game requires a player to stand still, the game is inherently encouraging the player to violate the law at this specific location.
A location should be eligible based on its intrinsic safety, not by relying on a warning message to shift the risk onto the player.
Standing behind the pillar is not a solution for safe pedestrian access; it is a major safety hazard for the following reasons:
Visual Blind Spot: The pillar creates a massive blind spot. Drivers and scooter riders turning into this narrow lane cannot see a player standing behind the pillar until the turn is completed. In Taiwan’s high-density traffic, being hidden from view while stationary in an active driveway is a recipe for a collision.
Illegal Obstruction: This entire area—including the space behind the pillar—is part of the designated Fire Lane. Local law (Article 56) does not grant an exception for standing “behind an object.” Any stationary presence in this lane is a legal obstruction that can impede emergency maneuvers.
The Buffer Zone Requirement: A 2.5m - 3m wide fire truck needs every inch of this 3.5m lane to clear the turn. The space behind or beside the pillar is within the “inner wheel path” and the necessary clearance zone. Expecting a player to “hide” while a massive emergency vehicle passes is the opposite of Safe Pedestrian Access.
If a Wayspot requires a player to play hide and seek with traffic to avoid being hit, it fundamentally fails the criteria for safe and unobstructed pedestrian access.
