Let's consider two well known examples:
building=* => usually by default area=yes, a non-closed way may be
considered as invalid(?)
highway=* => usually by default area=no, even if a closed way
A common default value would lead to either
~56M area=yes on buildings
or
~52M area=no on highways
while both could be done by useful, well thought, but different default
assumptions.
About your example, Marl:
Am 28.04.2012 10:06, schrieb Marl:
Another point: A platform is a usually footway. They often work as
footways as well, so I think that in this case they should be tagged
highway=footway anyway. Different defaults for the area tag would
create an ambiguity.
Yes, and in this special example, I would say, area=yes is required for
correct tagging, as even the highway=footway should be interpreted as an
area (it's not a footway around the platform).
On the other hand, a fenced field is landuse=* (and in this respect
implicitly area=yes) and barrier=fence (and here implicitly area=no),
and that's fine.
If you would use one common default value, tagging would require to
override that, and therefore use two ways, as area=yes and area=no are
not possible on the same way - and not possible to match to the correct
tags they refer to.
regards
Peter
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