On Tue, Apr 22, 2014 at 02:49:09PM +0100, Paul Corfield wrote:

Do you have evidence that people are "ripped off" in the way you
suggest? Do you have evidence that tourists are any more prone to a
mischarge than anyone else?

Tourists are less likely to know that they are liable to be mis-charged
and less likely if they're aware of the potential problem to know how to
check whether they are a victim or not. Being mis-charged is probably
about as likely to happen to anyone on PAYG, but locals are more likely
to get the error corrected.

Do I have evidence that this actually happens? No. But it's *obvious*
both that tourists will make accidental errors, and that they are less
able to defend themselves against TfL's errors. We all know this. We've
all been tourists elsewhere.

I also thought there were
Oyster validators at ungated platforms at Paddington.

In the unlikely event that they think about the ticketing system (in
reality only transport nerds give it any of their precious attention)
it's reasonable to think "I've already touched in, then the platform
changed, the system must know what the touch-out means". Combine that
with not knowing that Oyster validators exist, or what they look like.

That the validators exist is not sufficient.

I've used Oyster for years - PAYG and combined with a Travelcard. I
have had one mischarge in all that time which I queried and which was
resolved within minutes. I do keep an eye on my charges as I travel.

That you know that you should keep an eye on it makes you unusual.

--
David Cantrell | Hero of the Information Age

Today's previously unreported paraphilia is tomorrow's Internet sensation