Trike Map - in development
12 Jan 2024This page updated 02/04/2024
- Trike Map for the UK - in development
Trike Map for the UK - in development
I ride a recumbent trike, and have found many barriers to me riding cycle paths which have caused me problems. This map is an attempt to allow other trike riders (& me!), to plan our rides with some idea of what obstacles we will encounter, and whether to plan an alternative route.
I’ve been involved in updating OpenStreetMap (OSM) for many years, and have found it works on the basis of I update the area I live in to the best I can, then go on holiday and benefit from someone elses efforts. Adding information to OSM is very simple, and I’ll create some guides and include them on this site so you can carry out updates yourself - if it needs doing, then do it! I often carry out surveys whilst on holiday, and update OSM later.
Trike Map Download
trike_gb_latest for the latest .img & .tdb files, and
https://daphne-nick.uk/nextcloud/index.php/s/6cQesAz38DWRWBo to download via torrent links the .exe & .gmapi files for use in Windows or Mac computers.
As usual, these files are supplied for you to use at your own risk. There are guides available on the OpenStreetMap wiki explaining how to install these ‘maps’ on your garmin device.
I aim to update the map from the latest OpenStreetMap data at least once a month, and frequently more often. The map is in the early stages of development as I’m still trying to get it to show the barriers I need to avoid to my satisfaction.
Trike Map - What it does (Date implemented, or TBD if still to be done)
- Great Britain showing National, Regional & Local cycle routes (12th January 2024).
- Other Countries / Regions - please contact me if you would like another Country - it’s my hobby, there is no charge, but it would be good if you updated OSM. (TBD on request)
- Steps are shown if there are 2 or more steps - arbitary decision by me - I can generally manage a kerb, which is step_count=1, but maybe not anything more than that - the number of steps are shown on the map and I can then decide whether to try or not. (12th January 2024)
- Any barrier tagged as either access=private or access=customers are not shown on this map. (Testing 12th January 2024)
- Cycle barriers will appear if either their width of opening or any other dimension makes it possible I won’t fit through with my trike widest trike, which is 101cm wide. (TBD)
- Any barriers that do not have size tags, and could therefor be a problem - there are a great many of these!
- Relief map shading on Garmin Basecamp & some devices.
Trike Map - can you use it? There are so many barriers shown on the map, with the majority of them not relevant to a trike rider, that at the moment I don’t feel this map is actually useful, however, you are welcome to download it, and try it yourself. In many respects its more useful on a computer for planning a ride before you do it, as you can see any potential problems. You could always help to update OpenStreetMap so that only relevant barriers appear on the next edition.
Trike Map - planned improvements
I’m currently starting to update an open source repository on Github at https://github.com/Nick-Tallguy/mkgmap-styles-typ and am planning to use a system of processing the OSM data, and then using that processed file to produce the trike map - it’s going to take a while to develop, but I’m doing what I can whilst also getting on with life. The key to the map is the ‘barriers’ - to help produce a usable map for trike, wheelchair and mobility scooter users, please update the barriers Street complete is a very useful app on your phone for most of the updates needed.
Each map is available in 3 versions;
- barriers_xxxxx_winexe-YYYY-MM-DD.torrent for downloading the Windows executable file for installing the map for use with ‘basecamp’,
- barriers_xxxxx_gmapi-YYYY-MM-DD.torrent for downloading the file which can be used with Windows or Apple Mac, or
- barriers_xxxxx-YYYY-MM-DD for downloading the .img & .tdb file for use with QMapShack, and garmin handhelds - this is in the trike_gb_latest folder.
Read on if you would like more details, or just download them and figure it out. Once a feature is correctly tagged it disappers from the Barriers Filtered map, so it’s an easy way of seeing your progress in updating barriers.
Dimensions - terms
The following tags are in common usage, with the dimension in metres unless you specify otherwise;
width https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:width
maxwidth https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:maxwidth This tag relates to a legal restriction not a physical one. Be careful, as the editing programmes don’t always reflect this (Dec 2023 and JOSM v18907 suggests this tag for a gate).
maxwidth:physical https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:maxwidth:physical The width of the opening.
opening, spacing, & overlap https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:barrier%3Dcycle_barrier are all used with some cycle barriers.
The Types of Barrier shown on the maps
highway=steps
https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:highway%3Dsteps
I can lift my trike up 2 steps, but a flight of 20 is beyond me. If you have a 2-wheeled cycle, you will want to know if there is a ramp. My daughter with her pram may still decide to take the pram over a flight of 20 steps if her partner is with her. My mother-in-law alone on her mobility scooter will avoid any steps, but may be able to negotiate a small single step. Some users need to know if there are handrails, and/or the width of the steps. At least step_count should be tagged.
barrier=cycle_barrier
https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:barrier%3Dcycle_barrier
Some of these have been placed to slow cyclists down, and some have been placed to stop cycling completely. Others have been placed to try to stop motorcycles using the highway. Depending on the design of the barrier, you may need several different measurements.
barrier=bollard, and barrier=block
https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:barrier%3Dbollard & https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:barrier%3Dblock
The width of opening is important. In parts of London and other big cities, large blocks have been placed to try to prevent terrorist attacks - some also stop me on my trike!
barrier=kissing_gate
https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:barrier%3Dkissing_gate
The tags in use for this feature need enhancing - although you can measure the opening, you really need to know the depth available. Some have been created with wheelchairs in mind, and there may be some you may be able to negotiate with a horse. Tagging should include the type of kissing_gate, and whether it is wheelchair accessible. I’ve been adding a tag for opening= as this may make a difference to some users.
barrier=stile
https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:barrier%3Dstile
Tagging should include the type of stile, any step_count, and also if there is a steadying post and/or a dog gate.
Filters used in the barriers_filtered map
This map shows only those barriers which I believe require their tags improved, using the following criteria;
- Barriers do not appear on this map if they are tagged as access=private, or access=customers,
- Steps appear unless they have a ‘step_count’ tag which is less than 2,
- Dimensions - I accept width, maxwidth, maxwidth_physical, and opening,
- Cycle barriers appear if they do not have tags describing their dimensions,
- Stile’s appear if they lack descriptive tags, and dimensions and are on a cycleable route,
- Kissing Gates appear if they are not tagged with their type, their dimensions are too small, and they are on a cycleable route
- Bollards and Blocks appear if they lack the size of the gaps (maxwidth:physical or opening).
The map features have altered over the years, and what was correct tagging 10 years ago, now may require updating. The terms used to describe the dimensions of the gap you go through on a barrier, also vary, so I’m happy to accept any of the following; width, maxwidth, maxwidth:physical, or opening.