Deprecate `crossing_ref=zebra` to `crossing:markings=zebra`(?)

[tordans]

Deprecated OSM Tag(s)

crossing_ref=zebra

Replacement OSM Tag(s)

crossing:markings=zebra

Link to OSM Wiki page

It looks like there is no official deprecation documented.

Further Information

Disclaimer: This is more of a question than a statement / proposal. I am not following the discoure on this topic closely enough. I hope that we can share our views on the current state of the community consensus in preparation of a possible crossing refactoring.

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The id-tagging-schema does have no mention of crossing_ref, crossing_ref=zebra ATM. However, the tag is still widely used. However, it has 1.000.000 usage (https://taginfo.openstreetmap.org/tags/crossing_ref%3Dzebra#map)

The wiki https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:crossing_ref%3Dzebra does not mention any deprecation ATM. The german version https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/DE:Key:crossing#Weitere_gebr%C3%A4uchliche_Werte does not recommend anything clearly but mentions everything. The general https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:crossing_ref page marked as controversial in general. The German version leaves the decision open, again https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/DE:Key:crossing_ref.

In terms of numbers: 600k crossing:markings=zebra, 1.100k crossing_ref=zebra
https://taghistory.raifer.tech/?#***/crossing_ref/zebra&***/crossing%3Amarkings/zebra
(Which does not factor in double tagging.)

(It looks like https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Crossings#Street_crossings suggests the new tagging as a replacement.)

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What is your take on deprecations? Is the discourse at a place where a deprecation would be possible?

Or should the id-tagging-schema instead have a unsearchable copy of the crossing:markings=zebra version until the numbers changes enough?

[tordans]

Ping @1ec5 because you talked about the topic in #408 .

[1ec5]

As I understand it, crossing:markings=zebra is named after crossing=zebra and crossing_ref=zebra, for the sake of familiarity, but it isn’t necessarily being used to mean the same thing as crossing_ref=zebra in every region. Since crossing_ref=* is primarily intended to refer to a comprehensive configuration, some mappers have taken it to also imply other things like signage. I would tread more carefully with this tag than with crossing=zebra.

[tordans]

@1ec5 how to you think this repo should handle the tag? As it does not handelte it at all ATM.

[1ec5]

Since crossing_ref is defined to vary by region, much like designation, I’m not sure a global rule or preset field would be very useful. But maybe a country-specific preset could set crossing_ref if desired. A mechanism for country-specific deprecations could help in this case, but then again, a countrywide bulk edit (with community approval) would accomplish the same thing more effectively.

[osmuser63783]

Because the meaning of crossing_ref is country-specific, I think country-specific presets make sense.

I suggested this in the UK community here and here and so far the response has been positive. But I haven't had time to work on a PR yet.

[k-yle]

See also: #1403

I'm sure this has been discussed extensively, but just adding this info to the github issue: Changing crossing_ref=zebra to crossing:markings=zebra would be wrong in AU & NZ,

because a "zebra crossing" is not the same thing as crossing:markings=zebra:

• There are zebra crossings which are not painted as zebra stripes
• There are crossings painted with zebra stripes which are not "zebra crossings"

[tordans]

AFAIK we don't have the ability to make deprecations country specific, so I think this it's save to close this issue for the foreseeable future.