Location (lat/lon): QMWR+4R (no lat/lon notation available)
City: Dordrecht
Country: Netherlands, the
Screenshot of the Rejection Email: Not applicable
Additional Information (if any):
This is an example of trail markers that have been disappearing en masse, I would like to present this case to find out why seemingly valid trail markers are removed:
Note that the trail has a name, “Dordwijk route” written in the red line. The routes are well-documented on the official site of the city: Fietsroutes - Dordrecht and are, despite their resemblance to traffic directional signs, trail markers, always pointing the way to the next one along a definded route.
The city’s description of the route states “The Dordwijkroute is a green route to the ‘Viersprong’ in the Dordtse Biesbosch. There you can have a nice picknick, take a walk and swim. Cycling along the route you will pas the following places: Dordwijk Estate; the Dubbelmonde park; Zuidendijk; Schenkeldijk; reclaimed lands and recreational area Louisa- en Cannemanspolder”
All routes are to be followed by bike, and almost all of them also have pedestrian access.
These trail markers:
Have names
Are permanent and even documented by the city
Are always accessible by bike, and almost all of them by foot
Lead people past the best parts of cities, surrounding greenlands and recreational areas
Encourage exercise and exploration
Are extremely usable in Niantic games as routes, missions, etc.
The obvious question here is: based on this information, would Niantic consider restoration of this trail marker?
If they are not considered eligible: could Niantic state the reason, so people might not re-nominate them?
Thanks for the appeal, @Jeroenix. These signboards are directional signs to the next node which are similar to general directional signs as has been established through different discussion on this forum. These are not part of a defined trail. As a result, we are unable to restore these.
@NianticAtlas are these public footpath arrows part of a defined trail? Or are they simple directional signs pointing out a pedestrian walkway? If so, then why are they listed as an example of what’s eligible in the criteria clarifications?
And why are these signboards rejected and removed over and over again when they hit all the same points as those public footpath arrows?
The distance between these nodes is so large, one could not possibly follow the route without these ‘directional signs’. In my opnion, the directional signs are clearly trail markers that define the route. If they were not in place, the route would actually become undefined as the nodes could then be visited using any road one would choose.
To give you an impression of the distance between nodes:
I disagree that these signs are the same as “general directional signs”. These trail markers frequently go through unpaved, sandy/muddy roads and/or take the long way round to whatever the end of the trail is. These trails are not intended to get you from A to B as fast or comfortably as possible. These are intended to show the local surroundings. The Netherlands has special “bicycle highways” that are more similar to what you’re describing, but these trails are not that.
Same. Looks very similar to the two I had accepted under the trail marker clarification on the old forum. I don’t understand the difference, and stopped submitting or reviewing this kind of marker.
This. The rules concerning trail markers used to be crystal clear to me, but now that these are getting removed all over the Netherlands I am confused and no longer understand when trail markers are or aren’t eligible. I’ve tried asking for clarification, but was promptly ignored. Several times. We nominate and review as volunteers. We deserve more respect than we’ve been getting lately. People often meme that Niantic hates its players, but I’m starting to think that they may be right. For example, someone in my community had their Pokémon Go account threatened to be deleted because Niantic didn’t agree with the quality of their last nomination (a fountain inside a park). They are a day 1 player. They’ve stopped volunteering for the Wayfarer program because of this.
