# Hi, Captures needed in the middle of nowhere? **URL:** \ **Category:** Contributing and equipment\ **Created:** [October 3, 2026, 11:38am UTC](https://forum.mapillary.com/t/hi-captures-needed-in-the-middle-of-nowhere/10714 "2026-10-03T11:38:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lowiekse](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.mapillary.com/lowiekse/32/72164_2.png) [@Lowiekse](https://forum.mapillary.com/u/Lowiekse)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 11:38am UTC](https://forum.mapillary.com/t/hi-captures-needed-in-the-middle-of-nowhere/10714/1 "2026-10-03T11:38:43Z")
Hi, I see here ‘Captures Needed’ , but there aren’t any roads there. [52.28022124302806, 4.645972107464767](https://www.mapillary.com/app/?lat=52.27962874239029&lng=4.643334716283107&z=14.612521382604568&pKey=1093148939751135&focus=map&x=0.24902252757492155&y=0.48359407140911426&zoom=0&panos=true&captures=needed) ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/mapillary/original/3X/3/1/31255c716791d51fcf1709ab9026395ff44595a4.jpeg) KR Louis ---
**Author:** ![GITNE](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.mapillary.com/gitne/32/70659_2.png) [@GITNE](https://forum.mapillary.com/u/GITNE)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 1:11pm UTC](https://forum.mapillary.com/t/hi-captures-needed-in-the-middle-of-nowhere/10714/2 "2026-10-03T13:11:53Z")
> **[Way: 1303503564](https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1303503564)** > > OpenStreetMap is a map of the world, created by people like you and free to use under an open license. > **[Way: 1303503563](https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1303503563)** > > OpenStreetMap is a map of the world, created by people like you and free to use under an open license. > **[Way: 1303503555](https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1303503555)** > > OpenStreetMap is a map of the world, created by people like you and free to use under an open license. Roads do exist there. 🧐 Look at aerial or satellite imagery. Apparently, these are private farm tracks. It is the good old “lacking `access` tag game” again. 😉 By the way, when you find such roads, **do not just assume** that they are private roads. Verify before you edit OSM. Ideally, provide evidence on Mapillary. ---
**Author:** ![Lowiekse](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.mapillary.com/lowiekse/32/72164_2.png) [@Lowiekse](https://forum.mapillary.com/u/Lowiekse)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 3:15pm UTC](https://forum.mapillary.com/t/hi-captures-needed-in-the-middle-of-nowhere/10714/3 "2026-10-03T15:15:58Z")
I live there; there are no roads. * * * > OpenStreetMap is a map of the world, created by people like you * * * I’m simply quoting the text; this isn’t an personal attack on you. This is the problem. People like you are mapping roads that don’t actually exist. If my garden path were mapped in OSM, would Mapillary then indicate that as ‘Captures Needed’? If you go there because Mapillary says ‘Captures Needed’, you’re entering private property. So that’s my point: these roads should be removed from Mapillary’s ‘Captures Needed’ system. ---
**Author:** ![ivanbranco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9e8a1a/32.png) [@ivanbranco](https://forum.mapillary.com/u/ivanbranco)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 6:46pm UTC](https://forum.mapillary.com/t/hi-captures-needed-in-the-middle-of-nowhere/10714/4 "2026-10-03T18:46:50Z")
If you have first hand knowledge, you can edit the roads in [osm.org](http://osm.org) and add the access=private tag. ---
**Author:** ![AmericanMapper](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.mapillary.com/americanmapper/32/73539_2.png) [@AmericanMapper](https://forum.mapillary.com/u/AmericanMapper)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 7:48pm UTC](https://forum.mapillary.com/t/hi-captures-needed-in-the-middle-of-nowhere/10714/5 "2026-10-03T19:48:02Z")
This is happening with private roads, but I have never seen it show roads that don’t even exist. (maybe they existed at one time though, Mapillary has a road on the map I saw that upon asking my grandparents has been closed for many years. ---
**Author:** ![GITNE](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.mapillary.com/gitne/32/70659_2.png) [@GITNE](https://forum.mapillary.com/u/GITNE)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2026, 2:19am UTC](https://forum.mapillary.com/t/hi-captures-needed-in-the-middle-of-nowhere/10714/6 "2026-10-04T02:19:00Z")
> [@Lowiekse](#): > > > OpenStreetMap is a map of the world, created by people like you Correct. Note however that OpenStreetMap is **created** by contributors. It does not magically materialize out of thin air. > [@Lowiekse](#): > > This is the problem. People like you are mapping roads that don’t actually exist. No, I did not map it. And, the OSM contributors who added these tracks may have not done anything wrong either because the tracks may have very well existed in the past, which aerial or satellite imagery suggests. Furthermore, since they may have been unable to determine the legal access status of these tracks, they left out `access` tags, which is the standard OSM mapping procedure for data objects whose properties are unknown at the time of mapping. > [@AmericanMapper](#): > > maybe they existed at one time though Exactly, the world evolves and maps trail behind. This is the whole point of OSM and Mapillary! We collect data from different sources to **update the map** with verifiable data. Sure, the tracks visible in the aerial or satellite imagery may no longer exist because top‑down imagery ages and becomes out of date too. This is absolutely okay and a normal thing. And, because of this the “Captures Needed” overlay exists. “Captures Needed” does not mean that you must go there at any cost and capture imagery while potentially also trespassing or breaking the law. It is a **tool** to visualize what **map data needs updates**. Nothing more, nothing less. It just tells the crowd mapping community what data objects need review. Sometimes, you can go there with a camera and capture the road. Sometimes, you cannot go there because it is a private or closed road. Sometimes, the road ceased to exist. And yet other times, it is simply a mapping error or a machine artifact. Each of these cases is an opportunity for you to **update the map**. Hence, I will say it again: The whole point of Mapillary is to collect data to **evolve** and **update the map**. Now, since you apparently know this area then there is nothing better you could do than survey it, potentially capture any evidence, update OSM, and move on with life. > [@Lowiekse](#): > > If my garden path were mapped in OSM, would Mapillary then indicate that as ‘Captures Needed’? If _your_ garden paths would lack the `access=private` tag then yes. This is how map data works. Mapillary is **not a map creator**. Mapillary is a project to provide evidence and survey data from public spaces and open sources for open data mapping projects, e.g. like OpenStreetMap. > [@Lowiekse](#): > > If you go there because Mapillary says ‘Captures Needed’, you’re entering private property. I will say it again: The world is governed by the precedence of laws and regulations. Mapillary contributors have to follow the **local** law and regulations first. Mapillary has to follow laws and regulations too. Mapillary cannot take responsibility for you, neither can the OpenStreetMap Foundation. Hence, no sane person who follows the law and regulations will end up in your or somebody else’s garden. > [@Lowiekse](#): > > So that’s my point: these roads should be removed from Mapillary’s ‘Captures Needed’ system. **You** can do it right now! I reiterate: It is **just a tool** to review a map data object, potentially collect survey data, and **update the map**. If it will make you happy Mapillary can surely relabel it to “Survey Needed”, “Update Needed”, or whatever else makes you happy. I am sorry but do we really have to descend to kindergarten level? 🫩 ---
**Author:** ![Lowiekse](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.mapillary.com/lowiekse/32/72164_2.png) [@Lowiekse](https://forum.mapillary.com/u/Lowiekse)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2026, 7:30am UTC](https://forum.mapillary.com/t/hi-captures-needed-in-the-middle-of-nowhere/10714/7 "2026-10-04T07:30:09Z")
> [@GITNE](#): > > No, I did not map it. And, the OSM contributors who added these tracks may have not done anything wrong either because the tracks may have very well existed in the past, which aerial or satellite imagery suggests. Furthermore, since they may have been unable to determine the legal access status of these tracks, they left out `access` tags, which is the standard OSM mapping procedure for data objects whose properties are unknown at the time of mapping. I think you’ve misunderstood this comment. I’m deliberately saying that it’s not about you. And I’m not saying anywhere that _you_ map them. > _ **I’m simply quoting the text; this isn’t an personal attack on you** _. ---
**Author:** ![Lowiekse](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.mapillary.com/lowiekse/32/72164_2.png) [@Lowiekse](https://forum.mapillary.com/u/Lowiekse)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2026, 7:31am UTC](https://forum.mapillary.com/t/hi-captures-needed-in-the-middle-of-nowhere/10714/8 "2026-10-04T07:31:53Z")
I don’t edit for OSM, so I can’t and won’t make any changes to it. ---
**Author:** ![bob3bob3](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.mapillary.com/bob3bob3/32/68393_2.png) [@bob3bob3](https://forum.mapillary.com/u/bob3bob3)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2026, 8:19am UTC](https://forum.mapillary.com/t/hi-captures-needed-in-the-middle-of-nowhere/10714/9 "2026-10-04T08:19:20Z")
If you are interested in doing something minimal, the OpenStreetMap main page has the ability to record an anonymous note. ie no need to create a login or worry about learning how OSM works. Just position a note where the problem lies, record some text and hopefully someone else will act on it. It depends of course on how active note responders are. If one checks back periodically its progress can be checked. Imagine an email thread placed directly on a map. That is what it looks like. Cheers ---
**Author:** ![Lowiekse](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.mapillary.com/lowiekse/32/72164_2.png) [@Lowiekse](https://forum.mapillary.com/u/Lowiekse)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2026, 8:35am UTC](https://forum.mapillary.com/t/hi-captures-needed-in-the-middle-of-nowhere/10714/10 "2026-10-04T08:35:03Z")
Hi @bob3bob3 Thank you, this is really helpful. I’ll do that. KR Louis