ford icon not appropriate for non-car ways

[BorisHollas]

The ford icon is a car with a wavy line beneath, as in http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=19/51.09553/13.81686. However, in areas where no cars are allowed, eg the forest above, I don't expect to see a car icon. I propose only to use the wavy line without the car as ford icon, so that it is appropriate for both car and non-car ways.

[gravitystorm]

It sounds good to remove the car in non-car situations. I'm not certain that the wave alone signifies a ford clearly. Do you have any examples of other maps and how they represent non-car fords?

Does anyone fancy making a pull request to detect the difference? The icon can be finalised later.

[matthijsmelissen]

In the Netherlands, there exists this (unofficial) traffic sign:
http://www.breda-en-alles-daaromheen.nl/het%20fietspad%20langs%20de%20Mark_bestanden/image059.jpg
Without the bike, it probably also would not be clear, though.

[BorisHollas]

In Germany there are no special traffic signs for fords. Also, I have never seen a river crossing a way in Germany. What's the situation in other countries? Who will benefit from a ford icon?

[dieterdreist]

2013/8/30 BorisHollas notifications@github.com

In Germany there are no special traffic signs for fords. Also, I have
never seen a river crossing a way in Germany. What's the situation in other
countries? Who will benefit from a ford icon?

Maybe you have not been everywhere in Germany?
http://img.geocaching.com/cache/438b0175-8d7e-4a1e-a48f-e121c8d61d96.jpg?rnd=0.8237089
Everybody where fords exist will benefit from suitable icons and everybody
else won't be bothered because he won't see them.

[BorisHollas]

I know signs like these, but as I wrote above, there are no special signs (ie icons) for fords in Germany. Your picture shows a general warning sign with text below.

Maybe we can use a wavy water line with a pedestrian icon who has his feet in the water (but not on the water :) ? Smaller ways, that can be used by cars or bikes, can usually be also used by pedestrians.

[matthijsmelissen]

See also #118

[Klumbumbus]

See also #118

This is #118. I think you mean #267

[matthijsmelissen]

Yes, thank you!

[matkoniecz]

It seems that currently default style has no ford icon, at least I see nothing where fords are tagged.

[SomeoneElseOSM]

@mkoniecz There's no icon for "ford=yes" (not currently in the database I suspect), but there is for "highway=ford" (see http://www.openstreetmap.org/node/385948666 as an example).

"ford=yes" is now largely used instead of "highway=ford" because it allows you to specify the actual highway type on ways, whereas with "highway=ford" you're guessing.

[matkoniecz]

And rendering ford=yes is requested in #267

[matkoniecz]

I am not sure what would be better. Is there some more general icon that would be recognizable as ford? Even with current icon it is really hard.

In Poland fords are rare - except minor tracks in forests or small streams. As result fords are not marked on maps - except by lack of bridge symbol.

Is there some standard icon used in countries with fords on normal roads?

[BorisHollas]

Is it possible to use context-sensitive icons, ie the current car icon for fords on motor ways and another icon, maybe a pedestrian on a wavy line, for hiking trails?

I don't know if there's a general ford sign. Fords are rare here, the only sign I've seen is a warning sign with text on bike trail.

[matthijsmelissen]

Would anyone be interested in proposing a symbol?

Preferably as SVG in SJJB style, like http://osm-icons.org/images/f/f0/18004.svg

[nebulon42]

I tried but it is very hard to come up with a generic symbol for ford. What I tried was to represent the way and the water in some way, but nothing was easy to understand. Anyone has an idea?

[daganzdaanda]

My idea would be something like this:

[BorisHollas]

That's fine!

[DaveF63]

In blue daganzdaanda's proposal would be great. There's no need for a car/bike to be in the icon as they bear little relation to the actual entity - water flowing across a road.

[nebulon42]

The proposal looks good, but as always problems may arise for small sizes. I will start experimenting with it.

[lest69]

If the wavy white lines were simplified so that they didn't vary in width, like ≈, I think it might look a bit better and might scale more easily.

[daganzdaanda]

I'm happy that you like the idea!
Yes, the waves should be more geometric, ideally a kind of sine wave. And the black space around them and in between should also be cleaner, maybe have the same "weight" optically.
Unfortunately I have no idea how to construct a good wave in Inkscape. (In a pickle, I'd probably use the ≈ from a free font...) I guess @nebulon42 knows inkscape's secrets better than I do.