I never had a problem with my card, neither did my husband.
Maybe you're exposing your card too much/often/whatever to some kind of
source (e.g. magnetic field) that destroyed the data? Or your favourite
PO isn't storing the cards properly...


CharlesPottins wrote:
The story so far: Earlier this year, after repeated trips to the PO where I was
was living (because they'd run out of the cards), I got my new plastic travel
pass, not due to expire until 2006. After a few month's normal use it started
to not work, intermittently, and eventually ceased working altogether. As this
meant asking station staff to let me through barriers they advised me to get it
replaced.
A couple of weeks ago, after some delay with PO counter staff here thinking it
was like a new application. I got my nice new replacement pass. . .
(Apologies to regular readers who are already familar with this saga so far)
Well, this week my new pass has stopped working. Nothing gradual, just stopped,
kaput, just like that. And like the man on the Euston Square barrier said last
night, "You want to take that back and get a new one".
I don't really want to, especially not after the bother I had last time, but it
looks like I'm going to have to.
At this rate I could get through quite a lot of cards before the date in 2006
when I am supposed to renew my pass. Mind you, it does give me a chance to get
to chat up that nice young lady at the PO, though I guess being entitled to a
free travel pass is a bit of a giveaway on my age.
Has anyone had similar experience with failing cards, or heard how frequently
this is happening? I have not knowingly mistreated the card and it shows no
signs of wear and tear, as used to effect the old cards through repeated use,
dust etc. Is there any recommended way of prolonging their active life? Could
there be a manufacturing fault causing this problem?