Proposal:ElectricScooters
| Keys for Light Electric Vehicles | |
|---|---|
| Proposal status: | Draft (under way) |
| Proposed by: | Mueschel |
| Draft started: | 2019-10-20 |
| RFC start: | 2019-10-20 |
Rationale
Many new types of vehicles like electric bicycles or scooters came into use in the past years and access restrictions for them are getting more and more common. Up to now, we only defined keys for electric_bicycle=* and speed_pedelec=*.
This proposal tries to formalize a set of keys for vehicles going by the common name of scooters and what they are (not) allowed to do. Like all vehicle types that exist in OSM, these are keywords that can be used in combination with other features like shops, workshops, parking, rental [...] to specify that these kinds of vehicles are available/welcome/serviced there.
Like with already existing access keys it is obvious that it will be impossible to define global rules with definite classifications. Law is and always will be slightly different in different countries, so that the precise meaning has to be established by local communities. Hence, this tries to set up a scheme for tags that can be adapted to local law.
Heavier vehicles with electric motors (motorcycles, cars, trucks) are out of the scope of this proposal. Due to the vast amount of different vehicle types and uses a more generic approach is needed for them.
Ambiguous current situation with 'Scooters'
Currently there are several tags in use for vehicles that are called 'scooter':
- scooter=* (almost exclusively in the context of charging stations)
- electric_scooter=*
- kick_scooter=*
- amenity=kick-scooter_rental
- mobility_scooter=* (which seems not ambiguous, but should be listed here for completeness)
as well as several other spellings like 'e-scooter'.
Unfortunately the main term 'scooter' can refer to unrelated types of vehicles:
- Mopeds (like Vespas)
- Kick-scooters, the"skateboard with a handle" type mostly used by kids
- Mobility scooters, used by physically impaired people
It seems like most of the ~1400 scooter=* were added using presets from [beautified-JOSM-preset] which doesn't explain the intended meaning. This ambiguity also exists in other languages, e.g. French and German ("Roller"). Hence, I suggest to disentangle the types of vehicles and use different tags for them.
Proposed Tags
(the table includes some earlier discussed and discarded tagging options. They are to be removed from the final proposal)
| Key | Current Usage | Description | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| kick_scooter=* | Scooter, non-motorized. | ||
| small_electric_vehicle=* | Motorized scooters like those that can be rented in many cities. This legal category typically includes self-balancing vehicles ("Segway") and similar devices. German law calls this category "Elektrokleinstfahrzeuge", in France "Nouveaux Véhicules Électriques Individuels". | ||
| 3000 times on charging stations | Scooter, without distinction between engine types.
The key scooter=* is listed here for completeness and because it is already used many times due to an existing preset in the editors. There doesn't seem to be any indication what type of vehicle this tag is meant to refer to. Due to its ambiguity, it's proposed to deprecate this key. In most cases the established categories moped=*, mofa=*, motorcycle=* or small_electric_vehicle=* can be used instead. There is no need for a new key for this category.
|
||
| Scooters with an electric motor.
These keys should only be used as an access tag if there is a regulation that specifically covers mopeds and mofas with electric engines, but no other vehicles. This tag uses the same scheme as we already have for electric_bicycle=*. In any other case, use the dedicated tags moped=*, mofa=* and motorcycle=* instead. |
| ||
| not used up to now | Conditional tags do provide a lot of flexibility, but make tagging quite complicated. Tags like these might be required to properly address restrictions for "green" vehicles (low emission, battery-electric, PHEV, ...) but should be precisely defined in their own proposal. | ||
| mobility_scooter=* | Also part of the 'scooter' family are mobility scooters, usually used by older or physically impaired people |
|
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Tag Summary
This proposal defines the tags:
This proposal deprecates the tags:
- scooter=* (because of ambiguity) This tag seems to be added almost exclusively through the preset for charging stations in our main editors. This preset does not offer an explanation which kind of scooter it refers to.
Where to use
- These tags can be used on any object that can be combined with access tags.
- Like other vehicle types, they can be combined with other restrictions (e.g. maxspeed:bicycle=*)
- Combined with service tags on repair shops (e.g. service:moped=*).
- For rental amenities, similar to motorcycle:rental=*
When NOT to use
The new tags should only be used if one needs to refer to electric vehicles explicitly. If not, always use the basic names like 'moped'.
In particular they should not be used:
- ... if local law treats them identically to their base class.
- E.g. if slow electric moped are treated like normal mopeds, only the moped=* tag should be used on all roads that don't have special rules.
- ... if there is no ambiguity between electric and non-electric vehicles
- On charging stations the use of basic keys like moped=* is recommended because they are simpler and obviously refer to the electric variants.
Examples
| Image | Link | Description | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| This German traffic sign allows electric scooters, e.g. on pedestrian areas. The sign includes the whole group of "Elektrokleinstfahrzeuge", for example Segway-style vehicles are included as well. | small_electric_vehicle=yes | ||
| [Mapillary image] | 26383289 26383289
|
This pedestrian area is explicitly allowed for bicycles and scooters. Slow pedelec are included in the 'bicycle' tag and don't need to be tagged individually. | highway=pedestrian |
| A parking location dedicated to bicycles and small electric vehicles in Germany. | amenity=bicycle_parking | ||
|
232922168 232922168
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Dutch traffic sign G13 allows (besides bicycles) mofas without a combustion engine (or engine switched off). Thus, allowing electric mofas. | highway=cycleway |
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Comments
Please comment on the discussion page.