[closed] discussions on taxi ranks?

https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:amenity%3Dtaxi

Is the current wiki page showing the approved way of displaying a taxi rank.

In fact I would suggest that this is far more complex than it is possible to display at the moment.

And it's important.

There are huge issues from public safety (taxis operating illegally, therefore not being subject to the same laws and regulations that cover legal taxis) to prices charged and simple ease of use. Speaking as a licensed Taxi Driver, I can confirm that all official Taxi Ranks in the UK have a maximum number of vehicles (Hackney Carriages) that can legally ply for hire at that stand at any one time. This covers things like insurance, health and safety and disabled access (subject to local variations), so although a rough estimation is fine, it should be noted that this is all it is, unless confirmed in which case that should also be noted (and source given). These are often fed by feeder lanes which are similarly subject to restrictions. Also, there is a distinction between Hackney Carriage Stands as licensed and operated by the local borough councils and taxi ranks on private land often operated by corporations (like shops, train stations, airports, etc.). These can often be licensed as well, but more often are not and if aren't are therefore not subject to the same laws and regulations and almost always (but not always) include use by Private Hire vehicles which cannot use a Hackney Carriage stand, and also often (not always - gotta love it :P) prevent the normal plying for hire of a Hackney Carriage vehicle. Which means it isn't a taxi rank. It's a Private Hire drop off and pick up point. All jobs need to be pre-booked to be legal. Might well have a taxi sign on it, but won't be an official borough council sign. Sometimes a rank will be restricted to particular times or days (where this is the case, it should always be displayed), and sometimes there will be Taxi Marshalls present, either employed privately by an individual or firm, by a Taxi Association or by the operator of the rank. Then there are regional variations, as well as the variations from rank to rank.

And that's just in the UK.

These issues affect virtually every member of the (UK) public at some time whether they know it or not. It literally is your lives in their hands and this information should be readily available on a map of this nature just because OSM should be THAT good. How useful would it be to know that a rank is pre-booked-only BEFORE you get there...? (apart from any of the other issues.. like... well ok, not a rank, but where there's a taxi sign and everyone uses it to catch taxis because it's outside asda, sooo - see above :P)?

Thoughts?

(apologies if this tread exists elsewhere - maybe point me to it if it does...?)