While I understand the history, as those were invented long time ago before any proper indoor mapping appeared (and that’s why border_control is a barrier as it was thought as barrier on a highway), I think today it doesn’t represent reality well any more. Here are the issues I see with all of those:
There is no even common “parent” tag. So are controls/checkpoints amenities, barriers or “military”? I strongly think regardless of the type, they can be all classified as something common, so they should have some common tag.
military=checkpoint is IMO very badly chosen, as checkpoints might be not only military. Regular police checkpoints on the road? Internal private checkpoints on the entrance of the industrial areas? As well as, of course, military checkpoints.
What I want to map:
Passport control booth(s) in the airports, indoors, separating “international” zone from “domestic” and so on. So far this is the easiest one, I use barrier=border_control as it’s quite well used (even though I personally don’t like “barrier” here)
Security control in the airports. This is a tricky one. So far I used either amenity=security_control, but that’s not rendered afaik. Or additionally add barrier=border_control so it’s visible on the map (even though it’s not really “border”)
What I have thought, is some kind of parent tag like checkpoint (and it even already exists, but unfortunately in completely different meaning Key:checkpoint - OpenStreetMap Wiki), so it can be used for any of:
You may have more success defining amenity=checkpoint and using checkpoint for more precise tagging. This way it doesn’t interfere with the established tagging for trail checkpoints.
Then, what exactly do you map? Is it supposed to be used as a node on a highway? As a relation containing all the different parts? Something else?
amenity=checkpoint might work indeed as well. But that would still create tons of confusion with “hiking” checkpoint (and while I’m really surprised, checkpoint= is actually more used than all of those border controls and military checkpoints).
Can be control alternatively…
Haven’t I described it above?
Can be both on nodes and ways (in airports often there is a big row of passport control booths, for example; police checkpoint on the big road can cross the road, so it would be better represented as a way rather than two nodes). And even on areas (where the control occupies the whole building)
And I’m not a big fan of relations, so not even thinking in this direction.
No, I don’t see it as such. For me “checkpoint” here is something that prevents moving [along the highway=*], something you cannot avoid if you follow this road. barrier meaning is actually quite close to that. Check-in counters would be maybe amenity.
I see a distinction between the buildings (probably amenity=security_booth) and physical barriers (barrier=gate/turnstile/door/etc.), or an abstract representation of “here commence checks”.
A checkpoint isn’t a barrier in a physical sense, but as you put it
The fact that there are also other kinds of checkpoints does not mean that military=checkpoint is necessarily badly chosen or unsuitable for military checkpoints. The tag is for military checkpoints, other checkpoints should get a different tag. I agree that paramilitary checkpoints are probably very similar, so I somehow agree that the tag was not the very best choice, something more generic like “security checkpoint” would have been better.
These do not (only) occur at borders, they can occur whereever it seems necessary. Looking at the current wiki definition: A military checkpoint is a permanent feature where access by civilian visitors and vehicles will be controlled by a military authority, such as at a point of entry to a restricted or secured area, or a checkpoint on a public highway within areas under military or paramilitary supervision.
I agree this definition could be improved. Why are “civilian visitors” even mentioned, couldn’t it just say “people”? IMHO a checkpoint has not to do with “visitors”, and it can control military vehicles or personell as well, it is not restricted to civilians.
I would use “passport_control” (have not thought whether this should be a property/key or a value though). If we can identify specific actions / scopes for such checkpoints / control areas, let’s be specific with the tags.
There can also be borders in places that are not publicly accessible, e.g. cargo ports or cargo areas of airports.
Exactly. So today I’m struggling with having no idea how to map general “security checkpoint” (e.g. the ones in airports like TSA for US folks; or road checkpoints by armed police, but not by military, e.g. on the city entrances in some places in Chechnya, Ingushetiya or North Ossetiya; or regular traffic police checkpoints which I’ve seen in Syria or Argentina or Russia)
Exactly. So today I’m struggling with having no idea how to map general “security checkpoint” (e.g. the ones in airports like TSA for US folks)
i.e. a place where it could be checked that you don’t carry dangerous items? Such controls are also found in embassies, or even in some churches (e.g. in Rome, Saint Peter’s has it and Santa Maria Maggiore as well).
Yeah those would fall into the same category as well. Just in case of airports it’s somehow more important to map, as they’re often not directly on entrance (like in embassies or churches), but deep inside the building and blocking only some part of the building. While in embassy it’s rather “integrated” into entrance itself, so one just cannot enter without passing it. Anyway, yes, it would be same/similar, yes.
(but “not carrying dangeous items” is not the only reason why “general security checkpoint” might exist. They also might check ID/passports or even some permits if it’s some restricted area, think of permit to be in 5-km border zone inside of Russia, one needs such a “border” permit to go to Samursky Forest in Russia for example. Or, of course, military ID on the entrance to military base)
in a similar context, there are also facilities which have armed guards standing in front. If the guards are sent from the state, they will be either military or police guards (or both). These are mostly military installations, embassies, but also some religious buildings (e.g. synagogues in Berlin), or important railway stations (and airports naturally, where they are omnipresent through the whole facility). Or government buildings, parliaments, etc. Mapping these (how many guards, number and kind of vehicles) would be quite telling and suitable to find important places, i.e. provide a basis for the algorithmic quantification of importance
yes, there are different possibilities, and we should distinguish these. Checking id documents and checking for dangerous items can both occur separately. Whether specific permits are required would merit more thought how to do it (or if there are groups of cases).
In any case, I’ve created a wiki page for amenity=security_controlTag:amenity=security_control - OpenStreetMap Wiki, but in the meantime I’m still looking into a good way to e.g. also make such things visible on the renderer (afaik today security_control is not being rendered at all)
