Minimum Oyster top-up at LU ticket offices
 

I had a puncture on my bike today that I couldn't fix till I got home so
had to use the District and Circle lines (only) to get from Putney to work
and from work to King' Cross.

Although East Putney ticket office was happy to top me up £1.80 for the
first journey, King's Cross (Western ticket hall) was utterly jobsworth
about the £5 minimum, even though I wanted the £1.80 top up to get a
receipt for the right amount. Are they all that inflexible in zone 1?

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Minimum Oyster top-up at LU ticket offices
 

In message , at 18:25:05
on Tue, 17 Aug 2010, remarked:
I had a puncture on my bike today that I couldn't fix till I got home so
had to use the District and Circle lines (only) to get from Putney to work
and from work to King' Cross.

Although East Putney ticket office was happy to top me up £1.80 for the
first journey, King's Cross (Western ticket hall) was utterly jobsworth
about the £5 minimum, even though I wanted the £1.80 top up to get a
receipt for the right amount. Are they all that inflexible in zone 1?

The idea behind Oyster is that there's an economy of scale in not having
to manually sell you something (eg a ticket) every trip. You are
circumventing this with your one-trip topups, which are a bit
anti-social.
--
Roland Perry

Minimum Oyster top-up at LU ticket offices
 

In article , (Roland
Perry) wrote:

In message , at
18:25:05 on Tue, 17 Aug 2010, remarked:
I had a puncture on my bike today that I couldn't fix till I got home
so had to use the District and Circle lines (only) to get from Putney
to work and from work to King' Cross.

Although East Putney ticket office was happy to top me up £1.80 for the
first journey, King's Cross (Western ticket hall) was utterly jobsworth
about the £5 minimum, even though I wanted the £1.80 top up to get a
receipt for the right amount. Are they all that inflexible in zone 1?

The idea behind Oyster is that there's an economy of scale in not
having to manually sell you something (eg a ticket) every trip. You
are circumventing this with your one-trip topups, which are a bit
anti-social.

I object to having to lend TfL money for trips I may not make until 6
months hence. I also object to the blanket application of a policy, even
to low users and those needing receipts for the correct amount. A printout
of usage is hardly a financial document.

Anyway, I topped up at a ticket stop in Monmouth St this morning. Much
easier, expect when making a trip to a main line station by underground so
no time to wander about for a ticket stop.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Minimum Oyster top-up at LU ticket offices
 

On Wed, 18 Aug 2010 04:58:30 -0500
wrote:
I object to having to lend TfL money for trips I may not make until 6
months hence. I also object to the blanket application of a policy, even
to low users and those needing receipts for the correct amount. A printout
of usage is hardly a financial document.

There should be the option of having it the other way around. You use your
oyster and then TfL send you a bill at the end of the month just like every
other type of utility and service company does.

B2003

Minimum Oyster top-up at LU ticket offices
 

In message , at 10:08:52 on Wed, 18 Aug
2010, d remarked:
There should be the option of having it the other way around. You use your
oyster and then TfL send you a bill at the end of the month just like every
other type of utility and service company does.

They don't all advance credit to their customers though (about half of
all mobile phone users are not sufficiently credit-worthy to avoid a
PAYG account, for example).

And good luck doing the credit control on all those who default. If you
cut off someone's Oyster card, they just get another one - quite
difficult for your water supply.
--
Roland Perry

Minimum Oyster top-up at LU ticket offices
 

In message , at 04:58:30
on Wed, 18 Aug 2010, remarked:
I object to having to lend TfL money for trips I may not make until 6
months hence.

So buy paper tickets.

I also object to the blanket application of a policy, even
to low users and those needing receipts for the correct amount.

And I object to the higher fares resulting from people who want the
bulk-discount benefits, but aren't prepared to toe the line.

A printout of usage is hardly a financial document.

All kinds of railway receipt are a bit weaker than the average
commercial invoice.

Anyway, I topped up at a ticket stop in Monmouth St this morning. Much
easier, expect when making a trip to a main line station by underground so
no time to wander about for a ticket stop.

--
Roland Perry

Minimum Oyster top-up at LU ticket offices
 

On Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:36:32 +0100
Roland Perry wrote:
And good luck doing the credit control on all those who default. If you
cut off someone's Oyster card, they just get another one - quite
difficult for your water supply.

So you make it a condition that anyone who applies needs to prove their
name, address and credit worthyness before they're allowed to have this type
of account. Also FWIW water supplies can no longer be cut off completely.

B2003

Minimum Oyster top-up at LU ticket offices
 

those needing receipts for the correct amount.

How is a receipt for the amount you topped up better than (or even as
good as) your journey history? You could, for example, top up by
£1.80 and claim that amount based on such a receipt when you had already
reached the daily price cap by using the same Oyster card for private
travel. Or when you did not travel at all.


--
Robin
PM may be sent to rbw0{at}hotmail{dot}com

Minimum Oyster top-up at LU ticket offices
 

On 18 Aug, 12:38, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 04:58:30
on Wed, 18 Aug 2010, remarked:

I object to having to lend TfL money for trips I may not make until 6
months hence.

So buy paper tickets.

I also object to the blanket application of a policy, even
to low users and those needing receipts for the correct amount.

And I object to the higher fares resulting from people who want the
bulk-discount benefits, but aren't prepared to toe the line.

I object to the higher cash fares resulting from organisations that
want to coerce me into lending them money in advance for a
"discount" (ie what used to be the normal fare).

Minimum Oyster top-up at LU ticket offices
 

In article , (Roland
Perry) wrote:

In message , at
04:58:30 on Wed, 18 Aug 2010, remarked:
I object to having to lend TfL money for trips I may not make until 6
months hence.

So buy paper tickets.

At more than twice the price!

I also object to the blanket application of a policy, even
to low users and those needing receipts for the correct amount.

And I object to the higher fares resulting from people who want the
bulk-discount benefits, but aren't prepared to toe the line.

But I can buy smaller amounts of top-up elsewhere, including East Putney
LU ticket office and any ticket stop to whom LU no doubt pay handsome
commission! I only didn't buy all £3.60 I eventually needed yesterday at
East Putney because I had a small hope of fixing the puncture while at the
office.

A printout of usage is hardly a financial document.

All kinds of railway receipt are a bit weaker than the average
commercial invoice.

Which is why I prefer to use the actual outwards tickets as receipts.

Anyway, I topped up at a ticket stop in Monmouth St this morning. Much
easier, expect when making a trip to a main line station by underground
so no time to wander about for a ticket stop.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Minimum Oyster top-up at LU ticket offices
 

In article iCQao.133886$ss1.17974@hurricane, (Robin) wrote:

those needing receipts for the correct amount.

How is a receipt for the amount you topped up better than (or even
as good as) your journey history? You could, for example, top up
by £1.80 and claim that amount based on such a receipt when you had
already reached the daily price cap by using the same Oyster card
for private travel. Or when you did not travel at all.

I don't use the tube enough to reach the daily price cap, and certainly
not when claiming expenses. I thought I would once (not on expense) but
things all went wrong when the passenger I was meeting was diverted.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Minimum Oyster top-up at LU ticket offices
 

Minimum Oyster top-up at LU ticket offices
 

In message , at 12:45:14 on Wed, 18 Aug
2010, d remarked:
And good luck doing the credit control on all those who default. If you
cut off someone's Oyster card, they just get another one - quite
difficult for your water supply.

So you make it a condition that anyone who applies needs to prove their
name, address and credit worthyness before they're allowed to have this type
of account.

Which leaves you with a minority of cardholders, probably.

Also FWIW water supplies can no longer be cut off completely.

Exactly. No such protection needs to be factored into the cost of Oyster
cards.
--
Roland Perry

Minimum Oyster top-up at LU ticket offices
 

On Wed, 18 Aug 2010, MIG wrote:

On 18 Aug, 12:38, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 04:58:30
on Wed, 18 Aug 2010, remarked:

I object to having to lend TfL money for trips I may not make until 6
months hence.

So buy paper tickets.

I also object to the blanket application of a policy, even
to low users and those needing receipts for the correct amount.

And I object to the higher fares resulting from people who want the
bulk-discount benefits, but aren't prepared to toe the line.

I object to the higher cash fares resulting from organisations that want
to coerce me into lending them money in advance for a "discount" (ie
what used to be the normal fare).

In that case, do feel free to grab your spade and set up a rival service,
run to your own specifications!

tom

--
I really don't know what any of this **** means, but it looks
impressive. -- zerolives, on YVFC

Minimum Oyster top-up at LU ticket offices
 

On 18 Aug, 22:08, Tom Anderson wrote:
On Wed, 18 Aug 2010, MIG wrote:
On 18 Aug, 12:38, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 04:58:30
on Wed, 18 Aug 2010, remarked:

I object to having to lend TfL money for trips I may not make until 6
months hence.

So buy paper tickets.

I also object to the blanket application of a policy, even
to low users and those needing receipts for the correct amount.

And I object to the higher fares resulting from people who want the
bulk-discount benefits, but aren't prepared to toe the line.

I object to the higher cash fares resulting from organisations that want
to coerce me into lending them money in advance for a "discount" (ie
what used to be the normal fare).

In that case, do feel free to grab your spade and set up a rival service,
run to your own specifications!

If I had the power to change it myself, I wouldn't need to object to
it, I'd change it.

I am still mystified as to how the logic of claiming that the cash
fares were "standard" and that the PAYG fares were a "discount" didn't
result in an investigation into the 300% fare increases.

Minimum Oyster top-up at LU ticket offices
 

In article xlTao.104153$ex1.79902@hurricane, (Robin) wrote:

wrote:
In article iCQao.133886$ss1.17974@hurricane, (Robin)
wrote:

those needing receipts for the correct amount.

How is a receipt for the amount you topped up better than (or even
as good as) your journey history? You could, for example, top up
by £1.80 and claim that amount based on such a receipt when you had
already reached the daily price cap by using the same Oyster card
for private travel. Or when you did not travel at all.

I don't use the tube enough to reach the daily price cap, and
certainly not when claiming expenses. I thought I would once (not on
expense) but things all went wrong when the passenger I was meeting
was diverted.

I do understand and accept that but it doesn't seem to me to make a
receipt for a top-up any better evidence of the cost you incurred.

FWIW this whole issue of proof of expense incurred generated quite
a bit of discussion when travel cards were first introduced. Those
who want the utmost probity - and evidence of probity - on the use
of Oyster PAYG require print-outs from an underground station that
clearly indicate their journey. I emphasise though that is the
"Rolls Royce" (or perhaps better "Councillors' expenses"?) option.
Much depends on who wants (or may want) to see your receipts. And
in many organisations would not require claims to be supported by a
receipt if, say, the use of the Oyster card was part of a longer,
receipted trip.

Not "Councillors' expenses" in my case as it happens, even though I am a
councillor. Those I am claiming from seem to like the PAYG receipts.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Minimum Oyster top-up at LU ticket offices
 

Not "Councillors' expenses" in my case as it happens, even though I
am a councillor. Those I am claiming from seem to like the PAYG
receipts.

FTAOD I did not know you were a councillor. My comment was based upon
having looked at the handling of Councillor's expenses generally in what
feels another life and remembering many had strict rules requiring
print-outs for Oyster PAYG. I am not yet sad enough to cyberstalk (I
think).
--
Robin
PM may be sent to rbw0{at}hotmail{dot}com

Minimum Oyster top-up at LU ticket offices
 

In article NQbbo.145738$ss1.34351@hurricane, (Robin) wrote:

Not "Councillors' expenses" in my case as it happens, even though I
am a councillor. Those I am claiming from seem to like the PAYG
receipts.

FTAOD I did not know you were a councillor. My comment was based
upon having looked at the handling of Councillor's expenses
generally in what feels another life and remembering many had
strict rules requiring print-outs for Oyster PAYG. I am not yet
sad enough to cyberstalk (I think).

:-)

--
Colin Rosenstiel