View Single Post
  #8   Report Post  
Old October 21st 05, 08:42 AM posted to uk.transport.london,uk.railway
londoncityslicker londoncityslicker is offline
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity at LondonBanter: Apr 2005
Posts: 28
Default Can I buy an Oyster reader?


"Clive Dennis" wrote in message
oups.com...
After I board the bus, once the bus has left the stop, when the driver
gets to the next stop, can I ask the driver if my Oyster Card was
validated?

Can I request a receipt for my Oyster validation from the driver's
Wayfarer?

On the tram, though, there is no ticket staff - does the tram driver
have a reader? How can I prove my innocence on a tram?


Not so much of a problem on the tube as the gate swinging open is a good
indication that you've touched in correctly.

However, I have had much trouble on the DLR and buses with readers.

If you don't touch in properly by laying your card flat on the reader for a
second then
sometimes the card registers and sometimes it doesn't.

It may beep and and give you an error message
But it sometimes register anyway.
If you touch in again to make sure then more often than not you end up with
an unresolved journey.
And unresolved journey are of course a pain. Especially in non tube areas
like the DLR where you have to phone
Oyster customer services.

If you don't touch in again and walk on then theres no way of knowing if you
have a valid ticket.

The DLR crew do use their initiative and give you the benefit of the doubt
in most cases.
However the heavy handed revenue inspectors really don't care. They are in
the business of collecting names and addresses and prosecuting.

It happens to me at least once a week.
Solution I can see on the DLR is if you touch in twice at the same reader
then the system should realise this