If this is true, how on Earth can I have missed it? Several SET staff
absolutely convinced that NR journeys do not contribute to the daily
cap.

Checking the fares on TfL, it's difficult to prove definitively that
they should.

Although this page http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14837.aspx offers a
link which appears to be linking to the cap for "Tube, DLR, London
Overground and National Rail", the page it links to only mentions LO,
not NR.

If you look at this page http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14414.aspx
although there's mention of capping on NR "through fares", there's no
mention of capping if you do an NR-only journey.

I am staggered. I really thought that PAYG capping was finally the
equivalent of a day travelcard, but if this is correct, then I have
been a fool.

Does it really explain what happened to me today? I can't really see
how. At lunchtime I had £5.80 credit.

Then I did one LU + NR journey @ £1.80
balance £4.00

Later, I went to Lewisham to get a train to Victoria, missed it and
went via Cannon Street and LU @ £2.80,
balance £1.20

After less than 40 minutes, I now realise, despite doing nothing
anoraky, but just picking up some stuff, I touched in at Victoria NR,
which bleeped open the gate showing a balance of £1.20.

I expected to be charged £1 up to the off-peak zone 1 - 2 cap, but
instead couldn't get out at Lewisham. The staff there checked my card
and claimed that I hadn't touched in at Victoria and that my balance
was -£0.30. They issued a penalty fare.

A printout from the ticket office shows that I did touch in at
Victoria and was charged £1.50, leaving the -£0.30.

When I worked out the 40-minute issue, I thougth "aha, I've been
caught out by the OSI journey timeout" but, given the adamancy of the
staff, I discovered the rather unsatisfactory information about which
journeys the cap applies to.

In the meantime, I've been hit with liability for the balance of a
penalty fare, having paid £2.40 towards it, under threat of
administration costs and legal action if I don't pay up pronto.

So now I've got to waste my life appealing the penalty, and wondering
if I'll ever get back the £2.40, let alone the 50p overcharge beyond
the cap. Given that I'm not going to pay the £17.60 balance in any
circumstances, I may end up facing lengthy legal action and threats,
all because I was stupid enough to believe the hype about capping and
use Oyster.

Really, why the hell should my life be ****ed up like this? I thought
I was one of the relatively knowledgeable people. Gawd help anyone
from out of town.

Can there possibly be any advice now other than "NEVER USE OYSTER; IT
WILL **** UP YOUR LIFE"?