In message
,
peter writes

I, too, am a relatively recent recipient of the Freedom Pass. I have
found that in practice it seems to function purely as a gate opener.
For example, if I don't touch in at New Barnet (quite easy as it has
no gates) it will still let me out at Kings Cross.

If you don't touch in, an RPI might ask you to prove that you didn't
join the train before the start of Zone 6 (i.e. at a station at which
your Freedom Pass is not valid). Generally, RPIs just visually inspect
Freedom Passes, but I have seen them checked on hand-held readers
occasionally.
--
Paul Terry