My new Freedom Pass was issued in March.
It has never been bent or damaged in any way.
Its presented to the card reader in its own
wallet. I do also carry a contactless
card although this is transferred to
my left hand pocket before going
through the barrier.

Despite all this, starting around two weeks
ago it can take two or three attempts with
the card oriented both vertical or horizontal
or swiped, often in two readers for the card
to be read. Sometimes its not read at all.
At other times at various stations I sail through
first time. This seems to vary, week by week.

Having previously not experienced any problems on
buses I now wait until I'm last to board so that
I can show the driver my pass as it usually fails
to register.

I'm aware that I can report this as a faulty
card, but as its only an intermittent fault
- the worst type of all, I could end up being
charged £10 if the Card people fail to replicate
the fault. And presumably the idea of citing
station staff as witnesses by way of pre-prepared
signed statements to the effect that my card
clearly isn't working in their particular readers
(on the next occasion when it doesn't) is out as
they rightly disclaim all knowledge of the
machines and refer all problems to the card
issuer.

J

"Paul Corfield" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 5 Aug 2015 17:28:03 +0100, "James" wrote:

My new Freedom Pass was issued in March. It has never been bent or damaged in any way.
Its presented to the card reader in its own wallet.
I do also carry a contactless card although this is transferred to my left hand pocket
before going through the barrier.

Despite all this, starting around two weeks ago it can take two or three attempts
with the card oriented both vertical or horizontal or swiped, often in two readers for
the card to be read.
Sometimes its not read at all. At other times at various stations I sail through first
time. This seems to vary, week by week.

Having previously not experienced any problems on buses I now wait until I'm last to
board so that I can show the driver my pass as it usually fails to register.

I'm aware that I can report this as a faulty card, but as its only an intermittent
fault - the worst type of all, I could end up being charged £10 if the Card people fail
to replicate the fault.
And presumably the idea of citing station staff as witnesses by way of pre-prepared
signed statements to the effect that my card clearly isn't working in their particular
readers
(on the next occasion when it doesn't) is out as they rightly disclaim all knowledge
of the machines and refer all problems to the card issuer.

I wouldn't worry too much as I see cards of all types failing to read
first time. I think that the modifications to the readers to read
multiple card types / devices [1] are causing a perceptible slowdown
in card reading times / increased card rejects. I sometimes get to
sit near the front downstairs on my local route and at busy stops
watch how quickly people board.

There is quite a variation in speeds and that's a combination of how
the card is presented, how the reader is adjusted, whether the ticket
machine has "woken up" etc. Only rarely do cards completely fail to
read but sometimes it takes multiple attempts. It's also worth bearing
in mind that the ETMs are very old although I understand various
components have been upgraded over time to try to keep pace with the
changing demands of new card technologies.

I would say that the best way to get a card to read is always to place
it flat on to the reader regardless of the orientation of the reader.
There is no point in waving it around, moving it in circles on the
reader, putting it vertical or at an angle [2]. Ideally the wallet it
is in should not have too much else stuffed in it so there is minimal
distance between card and the reader. When we first trialled
smartcards on the tube we called the trial "Touch and Pass". This
simply explains that touching the card flat on the reader is the best
way to get it to be read.

[1] Oyster, ITSO cards, contactless payment cards, mobile phones,
other devices with compatible chips.
[2] I've seen all sorts of ways of people trying to "tap" their card
on the reader.


Thanks for a very full explanation. I'll just press on and try
to make sure I'm always the last to go through. It's not as if
I'm normally in any mad rush, in any case. But it can be
embarrassing holding other people up.

J

"James" wrote in message
o.uk...
My new Freedom Pass was issued in March.
It has never been bent or damaged in any way.
Its presented to the card reader in its own
wallet. I do also carry a contactless
card although this is transferred to
my left hand pocket before going
through the barrier.

Despite all this, starting around two weeks
ago it can take two or three attempts with
the card oriented both vertical or horizontal
or swiped, often in two readers for the card
to be read. Sometimes its not read at all.
At other times at various stations I sail through
first time. This seems to vary, week by week.

Having previously not experienced any problems on
buses I now wait until I'm last to board so that
I can show the driver my pass as it usually fails
to register.

I'm aware that I can report this as a faulty
card, but as its only an intermittent fault
- the worst type of all, I could end up being
charged £10 if the Card people fail to replicate
the fault. And presumably the idea of citing
station staff as witnesses by way of pre-prepared
signed statements to the effect that my card
clearly isn't working in their particular readers
(on the next occasion when it doesn't) is out as
they rightly disclaim all knowledge of the
machines and refer all problems to the card
issuer.

J

I keep and use mine on its own in the supplied holder, placing it flat for a
moment on the reader. As far as I recall it has never failed to register,
usually first time but rarely after a couple of attempts on the same reader.
This is with constant use on tube, national rail, London buses and numerous
buses outside the TfL area. Assuming you are using it correctly, the pass is
faulty and you should get it replaced.

"MikeS" wrote:
"James" wrote in message
o.uk...
My new Freedom Pass was issued in March.
It has never been bent or damaged in any way.
Its presented to the card reader in its own
wallet. I do also carry a contactless
card although this is transferred to
my left hand pocket before going
through the barrier.

Despite all this, starting around two weeks
ago it can take two or three attempts with
the card oriented both vertical or horizontal
or swiped, often in two readers for the card
to be read. Sometimes its not read at all.
At other times at various stations I sail through
first time. This seems to vary, week by week.

Having previously not experienced any problems on
buses I now wait until I'm last to board so that
I can show the driver my pass as it usually fails
to register.

I'm aware that I can report this as a faulty
card, but as its only an intermittent fault
- the worst type of all, I could end up being
charged £10 if the Card people fail to replicate
the fault. And presumably the idea of citing
station staff as witnesses by way of pre-prepared
signed statements to the effect that my card
clearly isn't working in their particular readers
(on the next occasion when it doesn't) is out as
they rightly disclaim all knowledge of the
machines and refer all problems to the card
issuer.

J

I keep and use mine on its own in the supplied holder, placing it flat for a
moment on the reader. As far as I recall it has never failed to register,
usually first time but rarely after a couple of attempts on the same reader.
This is with constant use on tube, national rail, London buses and numerous
buses outside the TfL area. Assuming you are using it correctly, the pass is
faulty and you should get it replaced.

Yes, mine is also very reliable. I use it like you do, though in a blue
Oyster holder rather than the orange sleeve it came in.

"James" wrote in message
o.uk...
My new Freedom Pass was issued in March.
It has never been bent or damaged in any way.

To stress this point it's kept in an inside
breast pocket with a thin ply stiffener
inside its own wallet

Its presented to the card reader in its own
wallet. I do also carry a contactless
card although this is transferred to
my left hand pocket before going
through the barrier.

Despite all this, starting around two weeks
ago it can take two or three attempts with
the card oriented both vertical or horizontal
or swiped, often in two readers for the card
to be read. Sometimes its not read at all.
At other times at various stations I sail through
first time. This seems to vary, week by week.

As a follow up to this, the card continued to
behave erratically. Sometimes working in a
particular gate, the next day not, the following
day working fine again.

Eventually, on two occasions of the card not working
it was taken from me by TfL staff, tried in the gate
unsuccessfully, and actually bent "so as to make it work".
Despite my request "please don't bend the card" The
last time by a Revenue Protection Inspector, complete with
gold pass. Unbelievable though this seems.

Obviously after this the card is no longer "faulty"
but "damaged" so that when sending it back the £10
deposit is lost. Despite any accompanying letter
by way of explanation. £10 for such convenience
is still cheap at the price but there's maybe a
principle involved. They shouldn't have bent the
card.

The revenue protection inspector in question got the
ticket office to generate an oyster printout of my
card at the same time so the actual time and location
of the incident along with his identity are a matter
of record. Unless he's prepared to lie, I suppose.

Anyway following up on revenue protection officers -
and the only reason for this post, I came across the
following answer to a FOI request

"There are five Revenue Control Inspectors involved in
the collection of penalty fares, the processing and
prosecution of fare evasion on the Underground network,
who have criminal convictions for offences related to
theft, fraud, assault and public order offences."

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/reque..._officers_or_e

(Assuming the entire thread isn't a hoax. )


J

On Friday, 2 October 2015 14:16:40 UTC+1, James wrote:
"James" wrote in message
o.uk...
My new Freedom Pass was issued in March.
It has never been bent or damaged in any way.

To stress this point it's kept in an inside
breast pocket with a thin ply stiffener
inside its own wallet

Its presented to the card reader in its own
wallet. I do also carry a contactless
card although this is transferred to
my left hand pocket before going
through the barrier.

Despite all this, starting around two weeks
ago it can take two or three attempts with
the card oriented both vertical or horizontal
or swiped, often in two readers for the card
to be read. Sometimes its not read at all.
At other times at various stations I sail through
first time. This seems to vary, week by week.

As a follow up to this, the card continued to
behave erratically. Sometimes working in a
particular gate, the next day not, the following
day working fine again.

Eventually, on two occasions of the card not working
it was taken from me by TfL staff, tried in the gate
unsuccessfully, and actually bent "so as to make it work".
Despite my request "please don't bend the card" The
last time by a Revenue Protection Inspector, complete with
gold pass. Unbelievable though this seems.

Obviously after this the card is no longer "faulty"
but "damaged" so that when sending it back the £10
deposit is lost. Despite any accompanying letter
by way of explanation. £10 for such convenience
is still cheap at the price but there's maybe a
principle involved. They shouldn't have bent the
card.

The revenue protection inspector in question got the
ticket office to generate an oyster printout of my
card at the same time so the actual time and location
of the incident along with his identity are a matter
of record. Unless he's prepared to lie, I suppose.

Anyway following up on revenue protection officers -
and the only reason for this post, I came across the
following answer to a FOI request

"There are five Revenue Control Inspectors involved in
the collection of penalty fares, the processing and
prosecution of fare evasion on the Underground network,
who have criminal convictions for offences related to
theft, fraud, assault and public order offences."

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/reque..._officers_or_e

(Assuming the entire thread isn't a hoax. )

It's obvious what happened. A revenue protection inspector who probably has criminal convictions for offences related to theft, fraud, assault and public order offences took a dislike to you, and probably decided to somehow damage your Freedom pass so that you would have to pay 10£ to have it replaced, and he was probably going to lie about it. He probably has some sort of grudge against society or against YOU or people like you, he is a disgruntled malcontent and we are lucky we don't have gun laws like in the USA.