OpenStreetMap
Using Overpass queries to support mapping bench inscriptions
Posted by Leigh Dodds on 10 March 2021 in English.I just added a new query to OSM queries called Mapping Bench Inscriptions.
It illustrates how even a simple OverpassQL query coupled with some conditional MapCSS styling can produce a nice map that can guide a local survey.
In this case its focused on mapping public benches and adding inscriptions and photos to OpenBenches.
There’s a more detail in the query description, but in brief it highlights benches that:
- don’t have a backrest tag (I see Street Complete also features this as an improvement)
- have a backrest but no inscription - some benches do and in some locations, particularly along the UK coastline, many do
- those that have inscriptions but aren’t linked to OpenBenches
- ..etc
Hopefully both a useful query and an nice illustration of MapCSS at the same time.
Discussion
Comment from Jez Nicholson on 11 March 2021 at 15:28
The query for backrest might actually be a way to spot where StreetComplete users hang out.
Also, I’d love to see StreetComplete work with sites (like OpenBenches and of course OpenPlaques) to do things like ask “does this bench have an inscription” and if so ask them to take a photo and submit it to OpenBenches. The traffic could be 2-way with StreetComplete receiving a nudge for “OpenBenches says there is a bench here, is there?”.
Personally, I don’t believe that inscriptions should be on OSM. Leave that to the specialist sites, but then again I am biased.