Mapping roads in ISSOM

[andypat]

Noticed that both Sheffield and Lincoln maps used different colours for roads but neither seeming to conform to ISSOM. Sheffield used darker brown (ISSOM rural) for main roads and Lincoln used the same for roads with traffic. Not particularly against this in principle but didnt feel either really made it any clearer in running. Didnt notice any explanation in the final details.

[Strider]

Hi Andy

Re Lincoln map: Steve mapped originally back in 2007 using the two shades of urban colour to differentiate between main/traffic roads and pedestrianised roads/curbs. This isn't strictly ISSOM, I agree, and we've had the occasional debate about it ever since and whether it aids map interpretation for runners or not.

[andypat]

S
Thanks for the explanation. Actually think it makes more sense than the ISSOM system. It did confuse me a little esp down the SW end of the map though - particularly with the big difference in shades.

[Spookster]

Hi Andy

Re Lincoln map: Steve mapped originally back in 2007 using the two shades of urban colour to differentiate between main/traffic roads and pedestrianised roads/curbs. This isn't strictly ISSOM, I agree, and we've had the occasional debate about it ever since and whether it aids map interpretation for runners or not.

I think it works well (and in the same way, Venice uses darker brown for busier pedestrian traffic on the streets), and I guess it's within the allowable range of densities according to ISSOM (which is anything between 0% and 50% brown screen).

[awk]

Hi Andy

Re Lincoln map: Steve mapped originally back in 2007 using the two shades of urban colour to differentiate between main/traffic roads and pedestrianised roads/curbs. This isn't strictly ISSOM, I agree, and we've had the occasional debate about it ever since and whether it aids map interpretation for runners or not.

Chatting to Steve about it today (he brought the topic up, not me!) he also mentioned that it was partly done to keep the police happy - they wanted to make certain that competitors knew where they were likely to encounter road traffic.

[ianandmonika]

Re Gleadless/Sheffield, we decided to use a darker brown (the non-urban brown) for the couple of main traffic roads, keeping the other quieter roads to the ISSOM spec for urban roads. Not strictly ISSOM, but we thought it useful.

[maprun]

Maybe different shades according to the level of paved area levels around the Barbican would help in the London event.

[Gnitworp]

.. with alternate coloured stripes where they overlay each other, and both (or all 3 ) are accessible.

[andypat]

Re Gleadless/Sheffield, we decided to use a darker brown (the non-urban brown) for the couple of main traffic roads, keeping the other quieter roads to the ISSOM spec for urban roads. Not strictly ISSOM, but we thought it useful.

I suppose my comment to you (and the organisers for the weekends events) from a competitor's perspective would be that both maps used different conventions so it might have been helpful to have this clarified in the final details since neither used the standard for ISSOM (which by the way is daft - you dont need a different shade of brown to tell you a path is in the woods do you??)

From a personal perspective I found the two very different shades for pedestrian and vehicular access on the Lincoln map made it that wee bit harder to process route choice decisions (the lighter shade being almost white on my map) and the brain had to adjust to process. It took me a bit longer to get used to it than it did for Sheffield.

[Scott]

the standard for ISSOM (which by the way is daft - you dont need a different shade of brown to tell you a path is in the woods do you??)
[...]
(the lighter shade being almost white on my map)

Which is why you need a darker shade for paths through white woodland that you do for a road through buildings/olive green OOB. In urban areas you want a lighter shade to avoid having too dense a block of strong/dark colours.

[Spookster]

the standard for ISSOM (which by the way is daft - you dont need a different shade of brown to tell you a path is in the woods do you??)

The ISSOM spec allows for six different shades of brown to be used. (0,10,20,30,40,50% brown). The lightest shade of brown (0%) is white, and you certainly wouldn't want to use a white path in a white wood, even with the associated black dashes marking the edges.

[andypat]

Thanks - suitably educated.