After periodically emerging from my continued hiatus, I came upon this renewed and thought I would comment on some things I have read above...

In regions where I think I have some authority for decision (that is -- we ought to always consider regional preference by Champs, AMs, documented state standards, etc.), I have developed a "default" approach that is:

STAFF - Up to Waze
6 - Some major construction areas being controlled by a Champ, areas that need protection from vandalism, etc.
5 - Highways/Ramps
4 - Major Highways
3 - Minor Highways
2 - Primary Streets
1 - Streets

Why this? It is easy to remember. It kind of works many places. It can be adjusted.

It is default because I may adjust this based upon other factors. As your discussion has pointed out, there are many factors and a particular editor's view may be biased toward their interests and understanding. What I think we're trying to do here is raise awareness to a more regional and USA based perspective so we have more commonality, consider the impact to the benefit of the map, impact to editors, reduction of frustration, etc.

Remember that a higher-rank editor could reduce the lock level for a whole region so everyone can fix it and then relock as needed afterwards. This happens all the time in WME Chat. My preference is to unlock an area and then relock it after the local editor has finished, looking over their shoulder as needed.

What are the factors? Here's my perspective after listening to this debate for a while and listing to the Waze staff at meetups...

Factors

• Waze doesn't want to lock out editors from editing things. They are probably more forgiving of chaotic edits that damage the map than some editors (my impression--may be wrong).
• Having re-edited things multiple times due to new editor damage, established editors can get very frustrated and even give up editing if their valuable work has a half-life of doom from chaotic or rude editing of others. This is not just Rank-1 editors making mistakes, it is Rank-5/6 editors, CMs, Champs, acting with impunity and indifference to others, editing things their way rather than how local populations have agreed to edit. It discourages editors, makes them quit, and therefore further indirectly damages the map.
  • Corollary: By seeking to impose universal, USA-wide order too much, you please people who like order and uniformity but destroy and miss the great ability of Waze editing to have regional differences. It is a balance. Don't focus on absolutes, but rather guidance and some local preference or variation. Forgive and move onto bigger issues.
• We cannot lock everything too high, or new editors will have nothing to edit.
• Consider impact to users of Waze. Some roadways and Places are really critical and should be locked higher. We don't want a mistake from a new editor to damage critical routing.
• Some parts of the country have less attention, less editors, more infrequent reviews of CMs and Champs. This is particularly rural areas with lower population, western states, etc.
  • If you have a higher lock things are that fixed then it might last longer without damage, but is harder to change for a long time until a higher-level editor comes along or an unlock request is made. This is also a balance because other items may not be fixed more quickly by lower-ranking editors.
• Some locations, intersections, etc., are just very complex including turn restrictions. This is something that needs to be locked higher or its functionality can be destroyed.
• Some locations just attract more new editors that continually make mistakes there. Those sections should be locked higher.
• Differences between the areal images and the real roads cause havoc. Even higher ranking editors can come in without care and change roads that no longer match the areal images. These should be locked higher. I have locked some of these to Rank-6, but it is a temporary thing that can be reduced when the areals match the road network.
• The amount of time put into an edit, the amount of research put into a ramp name, the details of a Place, and other items increase its value. More valuable items should be locked higher or risk being erased by accident by a lower-rank editor making a mistake.
  • I took many hours to go along interstates in Google Street View and make ramp names close to the signs as to not confuse editors. People would go through and delete these when not locked at 5. Even a couple Rank-5 CMs I have experienced have edited without care and damaged the map in this way.

So... If you look at all those things above, I came to the conclusion that you cannot make an absolute rule. You need guidance and then allow variation. When I authored the New Mexico page, I put my thoughts down there in this guidance about locking, including locking Places. For roads it is:

(A) Use my 1-6 locking guidance above as baseline.
(B) "Please use local editor discretion in either increasing or decreasing this guidance temporarily or permanently. If outside of this guidance, do not unlock roads permanently unless you first attempt to contact the last editor of those road segments to determine the reason for the lock. It is our intent not to prevent new editors from editing the map, so do not lock areas down unnecessarily.
If you need to edit a road locked above your rank, please contact a more senior New Mexico editor or check the Unlock Forum."

I think that one could provide more simplified guidance for lower/higher locks from your ideas and the list above something like this:

• Lock it higher if (a) it is a complex area, (b) It is a critical routing path it is an area that attracts a lot of new editor mistakes, (c) the information in the item, like ramp name, took a lot of time to research and get right, (d) temporarily higher if the areals do not match the roads.
• Lock it lower if (a) it is an area with few bad edits and rural so editors can, (b) if the unlock is temporary to allow a team of lower-rank editors to fix the area before it is re-locked appropriately.

irowiki wrote:

Poncewattle wrote:
As for the SM issue, there seems to be an easy fix to that one to me. The flip side to it is -- if they are trusted to edit an entire state, why aren't they all just promoted to rank 5?

This is exactly what I was thinking, kill two birds with one stone, keep freeways at 5, and just promote SM's to 5.

This is exactly what OrbitC is proposing on this thread, and I agree with it given a discussion with him:
viewtopic.php?f=338&t=123545&start=10#p1007911

AlanOfTheBerg wrote:I've read all the previous discussion. I will reiterate my opinion that except for areas of known issues, special circumstances, etc., if we have state managers at L4 whom we are supposed to be trusting with edits across the entire state, that the general standard maximum lock level should be 4. If you have a L4 that you don't trust to edit freeways, then demote them.

I agree with Alan, but with a caveat, one similar to other posts I've made... it depends because there are so many variations we consider here. Also, this may not matter at all because all SMs shuold be Rank-5 anyway by the other discussion going on, or so it seems. I thought SM would be independent of rank, so it could be 4 or 5. My interpretation of the other thread is that SM would be 5, and someone would only be SM if they deserved a 5. Maybe I am wrong.

What I agree with within Alan's post is that the maximum lock level within a region may depend upon those VERY ACTIVE editors in that region that are watching over things. If damage is done, they can fix things. That is why I think a general guidance of Street =1, PS=2, mH=3, MH=4, Hwy/Ramp =5 is a good thing along with guidance that this is adjusted based upon local needs and other factors I've already listed. (There is a thread on this for a SW Region lock standard too.)

I would amend Alan's recommendations that Highways and Ramps would not be lowered below 5 at any time (other than in real time, such as WME Chat, by a watchful Rank 5/6 and relocked immediately) because of the significant routing damage and loss of information (ramp data collected and property updated).

Don't forget Rank-6 locks... I think these are quite valuable to use for a number of things but that are temporary. This includes stopping vandalism and also sometimes in major construction zones where the areals don't match the real roads.