European Post Offices

[+lumbricus]

Hi,

I'm thinking about an european solution with the post offices. A category for every european country make no sence, imho.

The UK category and the Norsk catgeory still exist.

What do you think?

-lumbricus

[+fi67]

It's a viable idea, but it could be difficult to convince voters when it comes to prevalence. But like you, I would not want to see a post office category for every country around here. UK and Norway can be excluded, it looks a bit arbitrary at first, but due to their seniority it would be a logical decision.

[+Torgut]

Amen. Count with my vote. I am all against national / state categories.

[+lumbricus]

Please help me with this category description.

It has to be good because it should cover whole Europe.

Thanks,

-lumbricus

 

European Post Offices

 

Managed By: European Post Offices

 

Description:

Our goal at European Post Offices is to locate and waymark post office locations, including licensed post offices. We are particularly interested in standalone, 'traditional' Post Office locations - past and present.

 

Expanded Description:

This category is a solution for all possible Post Offices waymarks in Europe. We have 47 countries in Europe. In avoidance of having 47 Post Office categories this category combines all together. We have two exceptions.

 

1. UK Post Offices

2. Norske postkontor (Norwegian Post Offices)

(These two categories continue because they already exist)

 

We are particularly interested in European Post Office locations including main branches and rural post offices. But please feel free to add LPOs or sub-agencies (e.g. post office counters inside a general store).

Our objective does not include Waymarking the many kiosk-type, privately owned post office locations or stamp shops.

 

Instructions for Posting an European Post Offices Waymark:

 

All posts to this category must include the GPS coordinates taken by the waymarker himself with at least two pictures, one of the entire building and one with the Post sign and ideally the name of the post office clearly visible in the photo. In the case of buildings no longer used as Post Offices, some form of signage indicating its past use as a Post Office should be included.

 

For naming please use the name, post code, state and country in the title. For example the Bernau post office would be "Bernau - 83233, Bayern, D" or the main Perth post office is "Brno – 62100, Řečkovice, Czech Republic". This will provide a consistent naming convention that will be uniquely trackable to an outside source.

 

If the Post Office is located inside a shopping centre or other similar indoor setting, you should also include the name of the centre in your waymark description so others may be able to find it if they desire.

 

A detailed description of your Post Office is always appreciated, such as when it was built, history, outstanding or unique features. If your Post Office has any other unusual or unique features or history that you feel others would enjoy viewing or knowing, additional pictures and information is always welcome.

 

Instructions for Visiting a Waymark in this Category:

To post a log to an existing Post waymark, you will need to post a unique picture of the Post office. Including your GPS device in the picture is not necessary!

 

Variables:

• State/Territory

• Zip Code

• Post Office Type

• Post Boxes

• Historical Significance

• Current use

[+lumbricus]

Please join the group:

 

http://www.Waymarking.com/groups/details.aspx?f=1&guid=dc9ada6b-00b1-4f93-a8e5-4d7a64967ed7

[+Torgut]

I have a few comments, which anyway, will not be determinant in my vote:

 

"In the case of buildings no longer used as Post Offices, some form of signage indicating its past use as a Post Office should be included."

 

1) As a general rule I tend to dislike the tendency to overcontrol waymarks. I mean, if the place is no longer a post office, it's not likely there is a sign saying so. If the submitter says so, why not trust his word, I mean, isn't the all system (just like Geocaching) based in the trust? Anyone can trick people in Waymark, in almost all ways. So why make things harder for the common waymarkers and in the way exclude a lot of potential interesting places?

 

"For naming please use the name, post code, state and country in the title. For example the Bernau post office would be "Bernau - 83233, Bayern, D" or the main Perth post office is "Brno – 62100, Řečkovice, Czech Republic". This will provide a consistent naming convention that will be uniquely trackable to an outside source."

 

2) I wonder... if I am traveling in Georgia (the country) and I spot a post office, how am I going to find out the postal code.

 

"If the Post Office is located inside a shopping centre or other similar indoor setting, you should also include the name of the centre in your waymark description so others may be able to find it if they desire."

 

3) Aren't the coordinates supposed to be the way to find places in these games?

[+lumbricus]

I have a few comments, which anyway, will not be determinant in my vote:

 

"In the case of buildings no longer used as Post Offices, some form of signage indicating its past use as a Post Office should be included."

 

1) As a general rule I tend to dislike the tendency to overcontrol waymarks. I mean, if the place is no longer a post office, it's not likely there is a sign saying so. If the submitter says so, why not trust his word, I mean, isn't the all system (just like Geocaching) based in the trust? Anyone can trick people in Waymark, in almost all ways. So why make things harder for the common waymarkers and in the way exclude a lot of potential interesting places?

 

"For naming please use the name, post code, state and country in the title. For example the Bernau post office would be "Bernau - 83233, Bayern, D" or the main Perth post office is "Brno – 62100, Řečkovice, Czech Republic". This will provide a consistent naming convention that will be uniquely trackable to an outside source."

 

2) I wonder... if I am traveling in Georgia (the country) and I spot a post office, how am I going to find out the postal code.

 

"If the Post Office is located inside a shopping centre or other similar indoor setting, you should also include the name of the centre in your waymark description so others may be able to find it if they desire."

 

3) Aren't the coordinates supposed to be the way to find places in these games?

 

1. ...should be included...

 

If there is no sign longer, no problem we would trust the waymarker. Is there an old sign it would be nice if a picture is added.

 

2. Google post office Georgia ,postal code/zip code and you will get it within 1 minute.

 

3. Yes, they are, but the name of the shoping centre/indoor setting in the description isn't a bad thing, isn't it?

 

Thanks for your comments!

[+fi67]

So far I think it's not bad. Now some nitpick questions!

 

What about mobile post offices? We have post office trucks in some rural areas. They have clearly designed locations, but they are only there one day every week then they move on to the next village.

 

What is Europe? Russia and Turkey have territories inside Europe as well as outside, even Kasakhstan has a European part according to some definitions. Are all of their post offices valid or only the European ones? Some Western European countries have oversea territories, do they count? Gouadeloupe, Melilla, Greenland and many others? Are Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Cyprus in Europe or in Asia?

[+Torgut]

1) Ok

 

2) I still have many doubts, the world is sometimes wild and different, and I've been in many places like this. Why make things harder when it's possible to simplify. In November I was in a place called Ma'arat al-Nu'man (designation accordingly to Google Maps). Can you find the code for the local post office there? In May 2010 I was in Georgia. If it is as simple as you described, do you think you can find the code for the small town of Stepansminda, where I am almost sure I saw a post office by then?

 

3) Well, yes, it doesn't harm... not probably.

[+Torgut]

So far I think it's not bad. Now some nitpick questions!

 

What about mobile post offices? We have post office trucks in some rural areas. They have clearly designed locations, but they are only there one day every week then they move on to the next village.

 

What is Europe? Russia and Turkey have territories inside Europe as well as outside, even Kasakhstan has a European part according to some definitions. Are all of their post offices valid or only the European ones? Some Western European countries have oversea territories, do they count? Gouadeloupe, Melilla, Greenland and many others? Are Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Cyprus in Europe or in Asia?

 

1) I think the text excludes mobile post offices, and I agree with it.

 

2) Groundspeak has its criteria for what is Europe. We can follow it. Just check the statistics - maps in a profile of a geocacher.

[+lumbricus]

...2) I still have many doubts, the world is sometimes wild and different, and I've been in many places like this. Why make things harder when it's possible to simplify. In November I was in a place called Ma'arat al-Nu'man (designation accordingly to Google Maps). Can you find the code for the local post office there? In May 2010 I was in Georgia. If it is as simple as you described, do you think you can find the code for the small town of Stepansminda, where I am almost sure I saw a post office by then?...

 

20 seconds

 

http://www.earthexplorer.info/Georgia/Qazbegis-Raioni/383080

[+Torgut]

Eh that was good. How is the Syria thing going? :-)

[+lumbricus]

Eh that was good. How is the Syria thing going? :-)

 

http://www.globalpostalcodesystem.info/Postal%20Code%20System%20of%20Syria.asp

 

Do we have a waymarker in Syria, who waymarks post offices? That would be great

 

-> okay, Syria could be difficult

 

http://youbianku.com/files/upu/SYR.pdf

 

So, if a country doesn't have zip-codes, they don't have to write one.

 

Good info site:

 

http://www.upu.int/en/resources/postcodes/looking-up-a-postcode/list-of-sites-by-country.html#s

Edited July 17, 2012 by lumbricus

[razalas]

I like the way that the idea is following, like that the category is not a national, but European.

 

I think that the UK and Norway should be excluded, since they already have their category.

[+silverquill]

I have several reservations about this category idea:

 

1). Interest and prevalence. This is just a question since I have not visited Europe. Are these really interesting? Or will you end up with a bunch of mundane sites? I find U.S. post offices, for instance, quite diverse. Korean post offices are all the same.

 

2). Since each country has its own postal system and way of identifying post offices, can a single category cover them all? That has been one of the considerations for the historical markers - every country (and every state in the U.S.) has a very different system for classifying these and so it is more logical to have them limited. The same has been true for post offices which is why we have categories for individual countries. I'm not sure that a huge, sprawling category covering dozens of countries is the way to go.

 

3). Do you need a country list or is "European" a clear enough definition? Our geography teachers in the U.S. always insisted that the Ural mountains were the eastern boundary of Europe, for instance.

 

Just questions.

[+lumbricus]

1. In Germany we have old post offices and we have new ones. We have interesting buildings and boring buildings. They are never 'all the same', that's for sure.

 

Limburg

 

Bonn

 

Lich

 

Berlin

 

Stockholm

 

...

 

2. I think yes. If i think about the case, that we could get a waymarker from all of, let's say 45 countries, 45 post office categories could be created. -> Post offices are not that interesting like historical markers, so a combination would be the best solution, imho.

 

3. I think "European" will be a good enough. If there should be problems with border regions in the Ural mountains (I doubt that) we could think about a solution. For the beginning it should not be to comlpicated.

 

At this time, no German, French, Portugal, Czech Republic,.... Waymarker could waymark a post office, that should be changed.

[+Torgut]

Lumbricus, myself, I say: go ahead, let me vote YES, submit the category, I am getting anxious :-)

[+fi67]

I support the idea for current post offices. I am not so sure about former ones. This could create unnecessary difficulties in the management of the category without a large additional benefit.

[+lumbricus]

Peer Review -> Thanks for your vote

[+lumbricus]

Europe could start now with Waymarking post offices.