Proposal:Mounting block

mounting_block
Proposal status:	Proposed (under way)
Proposed by:	Warin61
Tagging:	man_made=mounting_block
Applies to:	,
Definition:	An aid to mounting a horse, usually steps.
Statistics:
Draft started:	2019-04-01
RFC start:	2019-05-25

Proposal

To map those features that are mounting_blocks traditionally used to mount horses.

Rationale

A feature that has currently differing ways map it. This is an attempt to dissuade certain tagging, and encourage a specific tag.

The values of horse_dismount_block, mounting_step and mounting_steps have no existence in the data base so may be discounted as entries for the value.

The question is then what key to use with it.

Taginfo had (in descending popularity)

• amenity=mounting_block 15

• historic=mounting_block 2

• horse=mounting_block 7

• bridleway=mounting_block 1

• man_made=mounting_block 1

• animal=*mounting_block 0

• leisure=mounting_block 0

Of these the following have some concerns;

• animal=* appears to be have many different uses e.g. access, specifying animals kept in a zoo.

• highway=bridleway may not be alongside a bridleway, but some other way.

• historic=* some may be 'old' and some 'new'. Not all of them are of historic interest even if old.

• horse=* is used for access restrictions.

• amenity=* is used for things of use to all the community, not just horse riders. Should amenity=* be used for this feature?

Examples

Tagging

The value of mounting_block looks to be infrequent but common use. The present problem is what key to use.

Applies to

May be applied to a single node or an area.

Rendering

Head view of a horse, a step and a rider about to mount?

Features/Pages affected

The Riding page and the relevant key page.

External discussions

Please comment preferably on the tagging list or if that is not convenient the discussion page.

What key for mounting_block. Endf of voting for the key.

There will be a later vote for the total tag.

The key with the most yes votes will be used for the final vote. You may vote against some key this could be done to state your reasons against that key to dissuade others from voting for it. There are 6 of them that you can vote for individually, or simply vote for your preferred key.

Listed in alphabetic order.

amenity=mounting_block

• I oppose this proposal. Not of general interest to the community, so I don't see it as an amenity for most people. A more specific key is avertible and should be used in preference to the general key amenity=*. Warin61 (talk) 01:01, 22 September 2019 (UTC)
• I oppose this proposal. Feature is too specialised for amenity=*. --SelfishSeahorse (talk) 07:22, 22 September 2019 (UTC)
• I oppose this proposal. It is not an amenity in and of itself. People don't spend hours getting on and off a horse (maybe the first time they learn to ride, not thereafter). It's not even a component of an amenity. --Brian de Ford (talk) 11:56, 22 September 2019 (UTC)

And they don't spend hours locking and unlocking their bike, but we have amenity=bicycle_parking. Someone who regularly traverses a tunnel or bridge where their horse needs to be led on foot will be quite happy to have a mounting block at either end. Ecatmur (talk) 16:56, 21 October 2019 (UTC)

• I oppose this proposal. --Luschi (talk) 19:54, 28 September 2019 (UTC)
• I approve this proposal. Horse riding is an everyday leisure activity and mode of transport open to the public. Sure it's a minority pursuit, but the same goes for many other tags under the amenity key - motorcycle parking? Baby hatch? Dive school? *Swinger's club*? The perception of how common an activity is should not be the sole criterion for whether its amenities qualify under the key. Ecatmur (talk) 16:56, 21 October 2019 (UTC)

animal=mounting_block

• I oppose this proposal. Presently used, but undocumented, to define what kind of animal in a zoo etc. Should not be used for anything else. Warin61 (talk) 01:01, 22 September 2019 (UTC)
• I oppose this proposal. For the same reasons as Warin61. --SelfishSeahorse (talk) 07:22, 22 September 2019 (UTC)
• I oppose this proposal. Should be used only to define types of animal, as in a zoo or boarding kennels. Might be needed as a key for use with mounting blocks, so we can define mounting blocks for elephants, but not to specify a mounting block. --Brian de Ford (talk) 12:00, 22 September 2019 (UTC)
• I oppose this proposal. --Luschi (talk) 19:55, 28 September 2019 (UTC)
• I oppose this proposal. --AgusQui (talk) 14:04, 30 September 2019 (UTC)

bridleway=mounting_block

• I oppose this proposal. Not always on a highway=bridleway, these can be in farm yards, tracks and paths used by horse riders that allow horses but are not bridleways. Warin61 (talk) 01:01, 22 September 2019 (UTC)
• I oppose this proposal. For the same reasons as Warin61. --SelfishSeahorse (talk) 07:22, 22 September 2019 (UTC)
• I oppose this proposal. I've mapped a couple of mounting blocks that are classified as listed buildings. Neither were on a bridleway, but adjacent to the end of a bridleway, where people mounted their horses to then ride on the bridleway. --Brian de Ford (talk) 12:02, 22 September 2019 (UTC)
• I oppose this proposal. --Luschi (talk) 19:58, 28 September 2019 (UTC)

horse=mounting_block

• I oppose this proposal. The key horse should be reserved for access=* tagging only. Warin61 (talk) 01:01, 22 September 2019 (UTC)
• I oppose this proposal. For the same reasons as Warin61. --SelfishSeahorse (talk) 07:22, 22 September 2019 (UTC)
• I oppose this proposal. Warin61 is right. --Brian de Ford (talk) 12:03, 22 September 2019 (UTC)
• I oppose this proposal. --Luschi (talk) 19:59, 28 September 2019 (UTC)

leisure=mounting_block

• I oppose this proposal. The key leisure=* is for 'places people go in their spare time'. I don't see a mounting block as a place I go, it may help you get to a place you'd go but not the place itself. Warin61 (talk) 01:01, 22 September 2019 (UTC)
• I oppose this proposal. For the same reasons as Warin61. --SelfishSeahorse (talk) 07:22, 22 September 2019 (UTC)
• I oppose this proposal. Warin has it right yet again. --Brian de Ford (talk) 12:04, 22 September 2019 (UTC)
• I oppose this proposal. --Luschi (talk) 19:59, 28 September 2019 (UTC)

man_made=mounting_block

• I approve this proposal. --EneaSuper (talk) 08:03, 30 September 2019 (UTC)

• I approve this proposal. The key man_made=* says what it is, a man made structure. Where a 'natural' feature might be used I think theyy would be 'modified' to suit the purpose and so are 'man made'. The amenity key is less specific and mounting blocks are not of general interest to the community. Warin61 (talk) 01:01, 22 September 2019 (UTC)
• I approve this proposal. I agree that man_made=* is best for this feature. --Jeisenbe (talk) 04:07, 22 September 2019 (UTC)
• I approve this proposal. Seems to be the best fit. --SelfishSeahorse (talk) 07:22, 22 September 2019 (UTC)
• I approve this proposal. Best of the bunch. --Brian de Ford (talk) 12:05, 22 September 2019 (UTC)
• I approve this proposal. but this should not be a area, because a mounting block is smal --Luschi (talk) 20:01, 28 September 2019 (UTC)
• I approve this proposal. Ortho is hot (talk) 14:51, 29 September 2019 (UTC)
• I approve this proposal. Best fit --TonyS (talk) 08:27, 30 September 2019 (UTC)
• I approve this proposal. --AgusQui (talk) 14:13, 30 September 2019 (UTC)
• I approve this proposal. --Dieterdreist (talk) 13:38, 4 October 2019 (UTC)
• I have comments but abstain from voting on this proposal. I have never seen such a thing, and the total number of 37 *=mounting_block in OSM indicates that few exist in the world today. But given the abundancy of horseriding in Europe till ~1900 in conjunction with the clothing fashion back then, I conclude that mounting blocks must have been everywhere at that time, and that historic=mountain_block is by far the most appropriate tag. On the other hand, I am not a horse riding expert. Neither are most of those who have voted here. Letting unqualified persons vote on an issue that requires expertise, is completely wrong. You'd better discuss this tagging issue among the horse riding community and the few mappers of the existing OSM objects. Please cancel the voting process and/or ignore its random results. --Fkv (talk) 09:05, 5 October 2019 (UTC)

As has been discussed on the tagging list, mounting blocks are being made and sold today, they do not fit the key historic key. I can see no OSM list for horse riders? At present there are a number of keys in use, this is an effort to chose the best key rahter than let the choice be made from one view e.g. historic. Warin61 (talk) 04:36, 14 October 2019 (UTC)

• I approve this proposal. --Klumbumbus (talk) 11:29, 6 October 2019 (UTC)
• I approve this proposal. --Highflyer74 (talk) 16:17, 8 October 2019 (UTC)
• I oppose this proposal. I consider man_made to be appropriate for structures that are used or maintained by specific professionals. A mounting block does not require any maintenance, and it is used by members of the public, so it is of general interest to that part of the community. Ecatmur (talk) 17:00, 21 October 2019 (UTC)