What I meant is that if this information (fact) would be truely copyrighted by Google then it doesn't matter where this information comes from (Google Street View, random website, local knowledge etc.), in any case you'd need permission from Google to use it. This is how copyright normally works.

Sorry, but I don't see that such consensus exists. Based on various opinions in help topic you referred above it rather doesn't. We need to use some common sense when interpreting policies and guidelines.

If the question is whether I can *trace* Google maps/imagery then sure, I'd derive my data from Google's data, likely my data can be traced back to Google, and permission is probably needed. But the situation here is completely different.