I feel that this might be a little bit of a follow on from the recent discussion surrounding What actually constitutes a Private Road?, however my questions surround what is defined as a long driveway, and what is actually a private road.
I primarily live and edit in a very rural area, with many farms and other residential houses some distance away from a normal ‘road’. Within my area, some of these have been mapped, for example, this, and some have not. Interestingly enough, these two examples are within a very short distance of each other.
I believe i have already mapped several of these roads, but here is another example of the general type of area. If these private roads were not mapped, it would make navigating to these farms considerably more difficult. However, i fully believe that we should not be mapping properties with extensive driveways like this one. From local knowledge i know this is gravel with electric gates near the road.
From a map user perspective, and currently working as a delivery driver, i would prefer both to be mapped. I understand that we shouldn’t be mapping people’s driveways, but where exactly does the line lie in relation to this?
I’ve had a look at the various examples. For most of the farms, I would question the statement “If these private roads were not mapped, it would make navigating to these farms considerably more difficult”. For most of the farms, the access roads are more-or-less at 90° from the main road and the farm buildings are not closer to other segments. So without the access road, Waze will direct drivers to the main road more-or-less at the point the access road starts anyway.
As mentioned in the previous discussion, it actually makes little difference what attributes are set on the access road. If the destination is on there, Waze will route there; whether it’s unpaved, private, PLR. There is a suspicion that off-road/4x4 may not be routable or may become unroutable, so I’d avoid that. Generally, I don’t use private unless there’s a visible gate (or at least gateposts) or a sign saying private. If the road isn’t paved, I don’t normally set a speed limit.
Part of the influence for whether or not to map is Street View. In your first examples, the GSV car drove up the road that is mapped, but not the one that is not. This doesn’t necessarily mean much - GSV cars are very inconsistent in this respect. But if there is GSV, you can be sure that what you’re mapping does exist and is driveable.
Another influence is the Ordnance Survey. The UK map came mostly from a “base map import”. Back before I started (2012), Waze bought a complete map of segments from OS to import. If the segment was on the OS map, then it was imported into Waze and has probably been left in existence since them. If access roads weren’t on that OS map, it’s likely nobody will have added them since.
I would say the main points to consider are:
Is the location at the end of the access road closer to another segment? If so, adding the access road will be of benefit to routing.
Is the destination likely to receive any significant number of Waze users? A private farm may get very few visitors, some of whom will know where they’re going. If there’s a farm shop of some sort, then there may be more visitors worth mapping for - particularly if the location can be found via Google.
What does the access road look like where it joins the main road? I would say that, if there are road markings (give way line * triangle, centre lines), then it should probably be mapped as users will otherwise regard it as missing from the map.
As regards “properties with extensive driveways” like your example, they definitely shouldn’t be mapped unless - as mentioned above - the end of the driveway is closer to another (wrong) segment. With your example, the house location would take a Waze user to right in front of the house. You can see where you’re going from there.
I was fixing the geometry of a local private road the other day, which featured a GSV image of an angry resident telling the GSV car to go away :lol: The remainder of the road lacked GSV for some mysterious reason
Just to add my thoughts on this. As both a delivery driver and an editor, you are in a unique position. Apply a simple test.
You search for an address, if Waze takes you there all is good.
If Waze cannot find it or takes you somewhere other than where you wanted to go, even by a small amount, it needs fixing. Imagine trying to find the place in the dark and rain. Can you clearly see it at the point Waze says “You have reached your destination”? Add the place/s or road/s needed to Waze.
If where you want to go is free for all to go, it’s a street. Add it.
If where you want to go is on private land or has any other restrictions for the general pubic, it’s private. Add it if it helps with navigation.
The more detail you can add to the places and streets - names, cities, road type, speed limits, the better.
I am doing a lot of editing in Ireland at the moment and have realised that the more rural the area, the more important it is to map every road and even some unmade tracks. Even if you do not need to go along it, it is a useful reference to where you are, when trying to find an obscure address.
This is a great test. It’s an unusual one where 95% of the really isolated addresses that are likely to be down a crazy narrow winding road, are going to be named properties. Which makes things a little difficult with specifically searching for that name, rather than a postcode.
Unfortunately i feel I spend most of my days delivering in the dark and the rain! Which means lots more edits to be getting on with! :lol:
Generally, I don’t use private unless there’s a visible gate (or at least gateposts) or a sign saying private. If the road isn’t paved, I don’t normally set a speed limit.