?uzzled wrote:
I've been using my oyster card quite merrily this week until today. This
morning, I swiped the card on a bus and it didn't register. The driver waved
me through and I thought it was a faulty machine. Going home from work this
evening, I swiped it again on the bus and it still wouldn't register. I
thought another faulty machine until the driver called me back. This time I
looked at the LCD display and it showed 'Communication Failure'. Try as I
might, I couldn't get the card to register. I knew there was credit on my
pre-pay card so I couldn't work out what was wrong.

I managed to test my oyster card at a ticket stop and they confirmed that my
card had died. They told me I had to take it to the Oval to get it swapped.

My questions is:

Why did the second bus driver talk to my as if I was scum ? I'm not
intentionally out to defraud the system. I tried to explain to him that the
card was working as far as I know.

Why do oyster cards die ? I've looked after it, not sat on it, the card
itself still looks pristine. I've had it for about 5 months.

How am I going to get to work tomorrow ? I've read on the oyster site that
you can take the card to any tube station for a replacement. But living in
South London, there aren't any. I can by pay cash to get to work and then
get it swapped at a tube station in the City but will the card be functional
straight away so I can use it for the trip home ? Will they be able to
transfer the credit I had onto it ?

Thanks
No answer to your question I'm afraid but of course if you abuse staff
on the buses or the Underground you will be prosecuted.
Does make me wonder sometimes if staff are deliberately abusive knowing
that they have this immunity.
Kevin