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Welcome to Australia!

Here you will find information on local Australian application and editing rules.

What The Australian Community Expects From You

This para serves as a guideline for all Wazers, willing to contribute to the Australian map.

Basically we follow general practicies, and as an english speaking country we don't need translation of general content. Nevertheless we here in Australia decided to state, how we would like to see the work done.

• Every Wazer, regardless of their rank or origin, is encouraged and welcome to contribute to the Australian map. Nonetheless everyone is required to act in the here-stated manner and to follow the rules as stated in the Australian Wiki. Any rules/guidelines not covered herein will be available in the global Wiki
  
  

• Contributers to the Australian map are also welcome to add the graphic to their (forum)signature to show their affiliation to the Australian Waze Community
  
  

• We expect all map editors to regularly visit the Australian forum. Though we would appreciate a post from you too, you're not required to participate in the forum, but to keep in touch with the thoughts and various projects running in our community (i.e Servos, that's what we call a Petrol/Gas station here)
  
  

• Always keep in mind, that everyone of us is voluntarily giving their time to Waze. No-one is a Waze employee, so please respect that everybody has a private life too and consider this when expecting an answer - be it in the Forum or PM.

• Work together and not against one another. Always look at the time stamp, when considering to change existing elements. If it has been edited recently, it might still be under construction by the last editor. If you think, something has to be done immediately please get in contact with the last editor via PM.

• Don't leave "loose ends". The last editor of a segment is responsible for it. So if you choose to create a new segment or edit an existing make sure that you make it ready by adding street- and city name, proper label, turn restrictions. We don't expect you to do all at once - sometimes you will have to look for additional information or a feedback from the editor before you, but ensure to make all necessary adjustments at least within a month. Just performing slight geometry changes to snap off some points and edits is not our style here.
  • Special note: Special note: In accordance with the implementation of Google search and to get a working road grid as soon as possible, guest editors, wide area managers and country managers may choose to use the "no name" option when naming a street (or lower) to make them routeable. To prevent smudged cities the city names are to be applied all times. Local editors are encouraged to add the proper street names as they see able to.

• We expect that all activities concerning Waze in Australia are carried out in a spirit of mutual respect and we want you to show it. So keep the wording nice and friendly - and don't be shy using the "thank you"-button if you get an answer to a question or help with a problem.

Update Request (URs)

As it turns out to be a matter on constant annoyance:

Pay particular attention to the etiquette of adding to the conversation, closing a UR that another editor is working on, and so on.

In the past, there have been a rash of editors giving long winded responses to URs. The average person is not going to read beyond the 3rd or 4th line. In this example:

"Many drivers think a report shows their destination and route information, it doesn't. It doesn't even tell us who filed the report. We volunteer map editors only see where you are when you start your report and short pieces of the recommended and driven routes. We need more information to fix your problem. Thank you for the report and all the WAZE you help. If you respond to my query and I do not acknowledge within 1 day, please e-mail me at xxxxxxxxx@waze.com with a repeat of the information. This report will be closed as 'not identified' if there is no response within 7 days."

and this example:

"Please provide more details so we can investigate the "General error" you reported. Volunteer map editors only fix map problem. We don't see what you see on your screen. We only see where you were located when you started your report and a short segment of the WAZE recommended route and a short segment of the route taken. To test the routing, we need to know the approximate start and end points of your route. Your routing options are important. Do you Avoid toll roads? Avoid major highways? Dirt roads allow/don't allow/avoid long ones? Have you selected 'fastest route' or 'shortest route'? Thank you for the report and all the WAZE you help. If no response within 7 days, this report will be closed as 'Not identified'."

the user will most likely either not get beyond the "We need more information to fix your problem" or they will skim through it and not pay attention to what is being asked of them. Please keep responses to URs at a minimum. Asking someone to explain more information about their issue does not require a novel, it should read like the box score to a game in the newspaper.

A shorter, more to the point response should suffice. An example:

"You reported a general error at ______________________ and ______________________ but left no info as to what's wrong. Can you please elaborate, so we may look into and resolve the issue? Thank you."

or

"You reported a missing road, but didn't tell us the name of the road. Could you please give us the name, so we may add it to the map? Thank you."

These are short, simple, to the point, and don't bother the driver with useless information about satellites, sun spots, the curvature of Earth's horizon in relation to Mars' gravitational pull, or other weird explanations from editors which have popped up on URs.