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Trail Status Updates
The traffic lights are here 
Anyone can add brief details on the condition of any trail areas on the site with the status entry form here.
Let's see how this goes. We might have to have an flag to show 'official' updates from rangers for places like the Dam, but conditions updates can be useful for other areas too.
If we make a habit of coming home and reporting back the conditions for others that would be great.
Enjoy
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Sounds good Rob.
So what section do these track reports end up in? Or do they go on the front home page?
Would be good if there was a menu on the L/H side of the forum, under the "Browse..." menu. With the list of tracks. So you could just click on the trail you are interested in and see straight away the latest reports. Maybe call it Trail reports or something. Also, maybe be able to click on the desired trail and submit a report just like leaving a post.
Tark
I just found the status upgrade link on the left. Which makes it easier.
... there will be the latest status on each of the ride detail pages. You know, like the Manly Dam page.
Just did a review of Manly Dam after my ride last night.
What a top idea Rob. Especially if everyone does as you suggest and put an update up after each ride. I'll be making sure I do... won't do much for the Sydney rides admittedly but at least I can help keep the Ourimbah track status updated regularly.
Colt
Great work on the trail status updates, Rob.
Just looking to throw in a thought...
I've noticed on the trail status section of the home page there's a number showing rather than a colour: 3=green, 2=amber and, I presume, 1=red.
What scope is there to chagne this to actually say "Green", "Amber" or "Red"?
Might make it a bit more obvious, removing the need for interpretation, or for folks to click through to the Notes to see what it actually means.
There is meant to be some CSS trickery going on to display traffic lights. Try a hard refresh.
This is proving popular so will probably move the lights to be on the left sidebar in place of random image on selected pages.
Yeah, having them on the sidebar is a better option I reckon. Personally when i come to the forums I never go via teh front page. I come directly to the forum section. I'm sure I'm not the only one to do that. Hopefully the system will help kerb the numbers riding closed/overly wet trails.
Good point. The trail status has been moved to replace random image on the left at various strategic places.
Had to change some more CSS so another hard refresh is in order if you notice things looking slightly odd.
That looks awesome Rob!
Nice work!!!
It's good you kept the pictures coming up too. As I often click on an interesting image and cycle through the associated pics.
Keep up the good work.
Tark
Indeed! That looks excellent, Rob. Great work, and exactly the right place to put it.
I'll miss my random images, though!
Love the traffic light system Rob. It's going to be a popular feature and having it so prominent on the homepage is great. (I have updated The Oaks and St Helena's entries this morning).
I do have one small criticism however. I find the traffic lights themselves are a bit hard to view at-a-glance. The 'off state' is too strong and distracting and overpowers the trails' status. This upsets the visual heirachy so my eye doesn't know where to look first.
Do we even need to show the 'off states' of a trail? Wouldn't just a single Red, Amber or Green light be enough?
Just my 2¢
Phil
Hi Rob,
Good work, as always - really appreciate your efforts!
I've been watching the iteration of the lights and my feedback is:
- use brighter colours so the red, green and yellow are more obvious
i.e. from the 256 colour safe list:
#FF0000 (red)
#FFFF00 (yellow)
#00FF00 or #33FF00 (green)
- as per the above comment, a single red green or yellow would be slightly more positive than the rows of colors to work out at a glance which is open, marginal or closed.
Whisperer
The single light is a really good idea, that way it's a statment.
RED MEANS NOOOO! haha
On the other hand, the traffic light setup gives a new comer an immediate identification marker. Rather than seeing a red light or a green light (yes to most of us, we'd pick up on the idea straight away. But some might not) might be a little confusing. But with the traffic light it's very symbolic. We all know a red light glowing when situated with red and yellow means stop. I'd leave the triple lights there and just as has been said, dull down the lights that are off and brighten up the light that's on. I wouldn't change the colour though. The colour looks really professional. It's like alot of thought and care has been taken, rather than just picking red yellow and green.
One other thing. Is it possible to have say, the list as you have it in the 'Trail Status' page. But instead of having say for instance three posts from Manly Dam in the list, have the latest post only next to the trail name as it is, then to see other posts you click on the highlighted trail name and it takes you to the trail description (as it does) and have the latest and the previous posts in there. And say leave them there for maybe 1 or 2 months then have them self delete. That way, whether you go to the trail status page or the trail description page you can get an update on the status. I don't know if that's possible or even if what I've written makes any sense.. hahah But it might stop from clogging up that status page with numerous reports for the one trail making it difficult to scour through them all. Just a thought.
Tark
Yeah - I've set them to expire after a month.
Notice in the sidebar only the latest for each area shows, but on the status details page all updates do. I am going to add them to the ride details page soon-ish
If the status details get too large will change that to only be latest per area as per sidebar as you say.
Ah sweet. Sounds tops.
Hopefully other forums model off your example Rob, it might just help the riding whilst closed problem a bit. It won't stop everyone, but hopefully it'll help.
Hey Rob, that's awesome, looks great
I have been riding around Manly Dam on a regular basis, so have many of you, and we all know there is nothing out there that would make the Dam Track an amber or red light.
The track is as dry as it ever gets, just a bit of seepage where it isn't a problem. And those recent track works, while atrocious and definitely requiring caution, are now part of the scenery.
I've been watching for two weeks but nobody has changed the light to green - we're still officially amber
Is it just too big a call for anyone to make? Is everyone too lazy? Or is this deliberate perhaps to try and keep the traffic down?
If so the traffic light system is corrupt and will eventually be ignored. How do we make this better?
Hey Cambo, the Dam is definitely not green light ready. I know the dam can be a lot drier than its current condition. In particular the section after the creek which is still terrible.
@cambowambo - I'd imagine the 'work in progress' by the council (eg. some sections closed or with half finished water bars, etc) was enough to mean it's not green.
Green doesn't have to mean perfect riding, but for Manly Dam it should mean that there's no works of any kind at the moment.
@Rob and @PhilB I await that wonderous day when there is absolutely nothing happening at Manly Dam.
Phil's wet rock will be perfectly dry (after another 7 year drought), and there will be no grass works being left to grow roots several weeks after being completed. I look forward to it all being perfect