New Mexico/Other/Main Discussion View history

Locking Roads & Places in New Mexico

We need balance in protecting the integrity of roadways and other content that has been put into the map and providing access to as many lower-level editors as possible. This guidance really needs to be locally driven because one answer does not fit all situations. General guidance for locking roads to editing ranks for New Mexico is as follows. Lower-level editors can always ask for unlocks from other state or national editors.

What affects how we might lock roads?

When higher lock levels are usually needed:

• When areal images do not match actual ground conditions. This includes construction areas.
• Higher value routes that would inconvenience many users if damaged.
• Particular locations that are frequently damaged by new editors.
• Areas of the map that are well developed but not frequently visited by editors to check condition, and error reports.
• Items that have had significant research in creating data in the item such as the naming of a Ramp and the creation and information of a Place.

When lower lock levels are possible:

• Areas where few mistakes or acts of vandalism occur.
• Areas that will be frequently visited by AMs or other higher-ranked editors, such that they can keep an eye out for problems.
• Areas that are purposefully unlocked or reduced in lock level so a lower-level editor can manage and watch over them for an extended period.
• Items that are briefly unlocked under the real-time oversight of a higher-level editor, then locked after adjustment by a lower-level editor.

Basic Road Locking Guidance

Consider and adjust these lock levels up or down based upon the actual situation and locality. Always have Freeways and their Ramps locked at Rank-5. This set of rules is selected because it is easy to remember and generally useful.

1. Default lock level,  Street  (S)
2.  Primary Street  (PS)
3.  Minor Highway  (MH)
4.  Major Highway  (mH)
5.  Freeway  (F) and  Ramp  (R), some construction areas
6. Some construction areas, problem areas as a temporary measure

Roads locked at a "Staff" level may need to be unlocked via a request to staff. Contact a senior editor in New Mexico for help with that.

Please use local editor discretion in either increasing or decreasing this guidance temporarily or permanently. If outside of this guidance, do not unlock roads permanently unless you first attempt to contact the last editor of those road segments to determine the reason for the lock. It is our intent not to prevent new editors from editing the map, so do not lock areas down unnecessarily.

If you need to edit a road locked above your rank, please contact a more senior New Mexico editor or check the Unlock Forum.

Basic Place Locking Guidance

1. Default lock level - many Places or those that are not complete and need more input from everyone. Default Gas Stations that need to be located or named properly.
2. Well-established Places that are edited with new information but may need updates.
3. Refined Places that have important information
4. Refined Places that have critical information.
5. High-value Places, those that do not match areal images, etc.
6. Rare use for critical Places, special projects, acts of vandalism, etc., usually only as a temporary measure.

Responding to User Problem Reports (URs)

User Reports (URs) are problem reports that Wazers typically enter from the client when they notice a problem on the map or in Waze routing. These reports come with a category, potential reporter GPS track, potential Waze navigation route, and sometimes with a text message from the reporter. The UR system allows for text dialogue between map editors and the reporter. Editors may leave URs open or close them as resolved or unresolved.

We suggest editors in New Mexico consider an etiquette process for communicating and closing out URs.

Suggested Approach - Responding to URs

No fixed approach will be appropriate because of the large number of situations associated with URs. Here is a general approach:

1. If a UR already has a response from another editor, think carefully before inserting your comments to make sure they are helpful, not confusing. You might want to contact the other editor by Private Message (PM) first if the situation seems complicated.
2. If the UR is open and there are no comments from other editors, see if you can fix resolve the UR. If you can resolve it as clearly "Solved" or "Not Identified" then , move to a final closing response (see below).
3. If the UR is open, and you need more information, write the reporter with a question. See templates below.
4. if there is no response in about a week, prompt the reporter again with a request for information stating you will close the report out in about a week.
5. If there is no response a second time, close out the report as "Not Identified."
6. Provide a final closing response when you resolve the UR as "Solved" or "Not Identified." Examples:
   • Report solved and problem fixed! Thanks for submitting a report! [Explain resolution if you wish.]
   • Report solved. There was not a map issue we could find. [Explain the likely issue if you wish.]
   • This report was not resolved because we could not find a specific issue or cause. Issue not identified. Please report again if you see another issue or have more information.

Suggested Response Templates

Following are suggested templates for your response. Use these, modify, or create your own. You may want to personalize your response.

Type of UR	Suggested Template	Optional Suggestions
Little information Provided	Hello, I am a volunteer map editor! Thank you for the report. Sorry that you encountered an issue. To investigate further, we could use more detail about the problem you encountered and what you expected. Please help by providing details about the map problem.	Add comment about type of UR. Add speculation and questions about the issue.
(short) Little information Provided	Hi. This is a volunteer editor. I am uncertain about the problem. Can you elaborate?	Add comment about type of UR. Add speculation and questions about the issue.
Problem not likely a map issue	Hello, I am a volunteer editor. This may be an issue with your phone or device running Waze. Contact Waze Support or check the Waze App subforum on the Waze forums for more information.	Example: If you notice the GPS path of the user is erratic, it might be poor GPS signal or phone issue.
Follow up when no reponse received in 7 days	Hello, again, Wazer! Map editors are still willing to help resolve this report if you're interested, otherwise we'll close it out in about a week. Please provide as much information as you can.
Closing out the UR	I am closing out this report because [insert reason]. Actions taken were [explain what you did].	If appropriate, thank reporter again for helping to resolve an issue.