Wording is confusing: Cycling quest (sidewalk)

[RubenKelevra]

Currently the wording in the cycling quest (for roads) is a bit confusing:

One answer talks about the "sidewalk" while the other one talks about a "path".

This sounds like these are different things, which they are not. Both means, from my understanding, that there's a sidewalk which allows cycling. One time as shared use path, one time with a "cycling is OK, but pedestrians have priority".

How to Reproduce
Select a cycling quest for a road and tap on one side of the road.

Expected Behavior
I think "path" should be replaced with "sidewalk" to avoid confusion.

Versions affected
v59.2

[westnordost]

But before choosing this wording, I checked with native US-English speakers. And according to them, "Shared-use path" is exactly a "Gemeinsamer Rad- und Fußweg", i.e. a path designated for both.

[RubenKelevra]

Yeah, the term is correct. But for any mixed use way, not specifically for a sidewalk which runs along a road.

So the term would be right if we talk about a path along the shore line or through a park.

In this case we want to ask the users specifically if the sidewalk can be used by bicycles, and thus we should switch.

Especially since we ask specifically for info about the sidewalk in the other answer.

[westnordost]

Really can't say if the mention of "path" is really an issue. After all, look at the wording for cycleway=track. Native speakers would need to take a look at this.

[RubenKelevra]

Alternatively we could also use "sidewalk is shared-use path", or something similar.

I don't want to sound like the current use is wrong: It's correct, just not specific enough (I think).

So user may be lead to select the "cycling on the sidewalk is ok" instead of "shared-use path", because there's no mention of the sidewalk in the "shared-use path" option.

[RubenKelevra]

Here's a rural design guide showing "shared-use paths":

https://ruraldesignguide.com/physically-separated/shared-use-path

And there's a clear destinction from "sidewalks":

https://ruraldesignguide.com/physically-separated/sidewalk

And "sidepaths" which have physical separations, but are mixed use:

https://ruraldesignguide.com/physically-separated/sidepath

[westnordost]

I asked for opinions in the OSM slack US language channel.

[westnordost]

In the OSM slack US #language channel, someone wrote that they'd call the first "shared-use sidewalk".

[RubenKelevra]

Yeah, that's also what I would call them.

[RubenKelevra]

Thanks!

[RubenKelevra]

The improvement didn't made it into the German translation.

Here's now "sidewalk" (=Bürgersteig) mentioned for the "it's okay to cycle" case, and otherwise there's no mention of the sidewalk.

This could lead to users erroneously choosing the case where the sidewalk is mentioned:

[matkoniecz]

The improvement didn't made it into the German translation.

see https://github.com/streetcomplete/StreetComplete/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md#translating-the-app

(you can search for "fuzzy" translations, it should find cases where original was tweaked, you can fix them and/or switch of fuzzy marker)

[westnordost]

Ich seh kein Problem mit der deutschen Übersetzung.