Allowed Access tags on trails

GaryTucson · 2024-08-26T21:49:17.694Z

Currently the tag for Allowed Access just lists Motor Vehicles as one of the options. On a trail this really needs to be broken down further. Motorcycles, <50 Inch, 4WD. Needs to be standardized with US National Forest GIS descriptors. Example, OpenStreetMap is Motorcycle Only. Thanks, side note, just watched the presentation on Advancing Trails Webinar Series, excellent.

ezekielf · 2024-08-27T02:54:19.493Z

Hi Gary, welcome to the forums. I don’t really follow what you mean about just motor vehicles being an option, but I think all the access tags you’re looking for are in use and documented on the access key wiki page. Access tags for the examples you mentioned are:

Motorcycles - motorcycle=yes/no
<50 inch off road vehicles - atv=yes/no
4WD vehicles only - 4wd_only=yes

dieterdreist · 2024-08-27T08:41:32.000Z

but I think all the access tags you’re looking for are in use and documented on the access key wiki page. Access tags for the examples you mentioned are:

Motorcycles - motorcycle=yes/no

<50 inch off road vehicles - atv=yes/no

4WD vehicles only [4wd_only=yes](https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:4wd_only)

besides the 4wd tag these are legal access tags, right? (excuse my ignorance, but neither 4wd nor atv are vehicle classes in my area). If it would be legal but physically impossibile or dangerous to use such vehicles, the value would be “yes”?

(I checked the wiki and 4wd_only is not a restriction but a recommendation)

julcnx · 2024-08-27T09:59:41.351Z

dieterdreist:

If it would be legal but physically impossibile or dangerous to use such vehicles, the value would be “yes”?

Yes. Legal access tags have nothing to do with difficulty. Use the appropriate smoothness for that purpose.

SomeoneElse · 2024-08-27T12:29:01.035Z

I’m guessing that this question is mostly about the “Allowed Access” box that the iD editor displays:

Screenshot 2024-08-27 132644

In the editor, below that you’ll see a “tags” section where you can add any other valid legal access tags, and you can also add things like “smoothness”.

GaryTucson · 2024-08-27T13:22:47.453Z

Thanks, that is what I was looking for.

ezekielf · 2024-08-27T16:44:54.546Z

As I understand it 4wd_only is not a typical access tag. I believe 4wd_only=yes specifies that motor vehicles lacking 4-wheel drive are prohibited. This represents signage warning of a legal restriction. If you drive a vehicle that is not equipped for off road use past these signs there are legal penalties, especially if you get stuck. On the other hand, 4wd_only=recommended is for cases where the signs just specify a recommendation or warning, not a legally enforceable restriction.

I think the reason this is not a normal access tag despite the legal penalties is that you can’t always tell just from looking at a vehicle if it is “properly equipped for off-road” use. The same model of pickup truck is often sold with and without 4-wheel drive. If you drove the non-4wd version past a 4wd only restriction sign and didn’t get stuck, it wouldn’t be obvious that your vehicle is not allowed. If you got stuck and called for help, then it would become clear and you’d be penalized. This is fairly different than the access tagging vehicle classes (motorcar, hgv, agricultural, etc) that are easier to distinguish at a glance.