New to OSM May 2024. I have a GIS background.

I would like my focus to be on cycling infrastructure (bike lanes, bike parking). However, I think most of my mapping will be general items (lots of shops), since I want to help make OSM useful to many people.

While most of my mapping is based on the available air photos, I am usually only mapping something if I have done a site visit and took reference photos.

Current ongoing projects:

• Adding and updating shops in Lower Lonsdale, North Vancouver, Canada.
• Adding bike racks.

Some things I noticed about OSM as a beginner:

• I was surprised that I could edit anything. This is both empowering and a bit frightening. OSM places a lot of trust in new users.
• I am using GPS less than expected. A camera and notebook (if good air photos are available) is enough for most mapping, and the GPS can be pretty inaccurate.

When starting I found https://learnosm.org and https://multimob.be/uploads/osm-handbook.pdf useful.