Can I buy an Oyster reader?
 

Dave Newt wrote:
An annoying bug (well, I consider it one) is that if you have a season
ticket on Oyster, PLUS some pre-pay (for paying out-of-zone extensions
automatically), then the gate does NOT tell you when your season is due
to expire.

However, if you JUST have the season, then it does tell you "Tkt 1 Nr
Expiry" (or similar).

In the latter scenario, you know when your season ticket is due to
expire, and can buy a new one.

In the former scenario, it doesn't tell you the season is about to run
out, and eats away at your Pre-Pay without telling you until it runs out.

I've had a "Tkt 2 Nr Expiry" this week whilst I had both prepay and
season ticket so I don't seem to have the same problem as you

Can I buy an Oyster reader?
 

TKD wrote:
So, what happens if the Bus card-reader is broken, and the driver
waves you on - happens a couple of times per month on the routes that
I use (308, 678). Take it I should insist on paying cash?

You can add the 8, 277 & 15 to that list and countless more probably.

The official TfL position is that you should pay the cash fare and request
a refund of the price difference from them...

You can add 14, 430, 337, 74 & 85 to that list too.

So what happens in the cashless zone then? Oyster reader broken so you
have to get back off the bus, put money into the machine and get back
on... I can't see the driver waiting for you

Can I buy an Oyster reader?
 

So, what happens if the Bus card-reader is broken, and the driver
waves you on - happens a couple of times per month on the routes that
I use (308, 678). Take it I should insist on paying cash?

The official TfL position is that you should pay the cash fare and request
a refund of the price difference from them...

I actually asked about broken readers on buses on "Ask Oyster" in June last
year. The response was...

"In response to your query, in the situation that the Oyster reader is not
working, generally the bus driver will wave you on. In that situation they
should log that their reader is faulty, so if a Revenue Inspector gets on
they will understand the situation. Revenue Inspectors also carry hand held
Oyster readers so if they do scan your Oyster card and see that it is Pre
Pay they will be able to deduct the appropriate fare from your card.

"If you are in a situation where the driver does make you pay, unfortunately
you will be required to pay the cash fare in order to travel. If you do
encounter this situation and have to pay the £1, we can refund the thirty
pence to you if you fill in a Refund of Fares form and send us the proof of
payment."

Maybe this isn't the answer TfL would 'officially' approve of, but it is the
one they gave me.

G.

Can I buy an Oyster reader?
 

In message , Graham J
writes
I actually asked about broken readers on buses on "Ask Oyster" in June
last year. The response was...

"In response to your query, in the situation that the Oyster reader is
not working, generally the bus driver will wave you on.
"Generally" seems a bit vague, doesn't it?

In that situation they should log that their reader is faulty, so if a
Revenue Inspector gets on they will understand the situation. Revenue
Inspectors also carry hand held Oyster readers so if they do scan your
Oyster card and see that it is Pre Pay they will be able to deduct the
appropriate fare from your card.

"If you are in a situation where the driver does make you pay,
But they don't define what circumstances create such a "situation".

unfortunately you will be required to pay the cash fare in order to
travel. If you do encounter this situation and have to pay the £1, we
can refund the thirty pence to you if you fill in a Refund of Fares
form and send us the proof of payment."

That seems very woolly, doesn't it? Leaving it up to the individual
driver to decide.
--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

Can I buy an Oyster reader?
 

"In response to your query, in the situation that the Oyster reader is
not working, generally the bus driver will wave you on.

"Generally" seems a bit vague, doesn't it?

Indeed.

"If you are in a situation where the driver does make you pay,

But they don't define what circumstances create such a "situation".

Quite.

That seems very woolly, doesn't it? Leaving it up to the individual
driver to decide.

I inferred that the drivers are supposed to wave you on but that some are
less well acquainted with procedures than others. It might not have been
the intended implication though.

What does seem clear from the response is that the drivers are perfectly
entitled to wave you on to the bus if the reader is faulty and there can be
no comeback against you from revenue inspectors except to charge you the
normal fare for your journey.

G.

Can I buy an Oyster reader?
 

Dave Newt wrote:


An annoying bug (well, I consider it one) is that if you have a season
ticket on Oyster, PLUS some pre-pay (for paying out-of-zone extensions
automatically), then the gate does NOT tell you when your season is due
to expire.

However, if you JUST have the season, then it does tell you "Tkt 1 Nr
Expiry" (or similar).

In the latter scenario, you know when your season ticket is due to
expire, and can buy a new one.

In the former scenario, it doesn't tell you the season is about to run
out, and eats away at your Pre-Pay without telling you until it runs out.

I know when my season ticket is to expire (despite having some prepay
credit on the card) because
a) I know when I bought it and it expires 1 year later
b) the Gold Record Card that comes with it also contains the expiry date.

Do shorter period cards not also have this information printed or do you
not get a record card for shorter period seasons?


Is there not a way this could be fixed?

How many people have difficulty remembering. If it is costly to fix I
cannot see it being worth doing.


--
To contact me take a davidhowdon and add a @yahoo.co.uk to the end.

Can I buy an Oyster reader?
 

I know when my season ticket is to expire (despite having some prepay
credit on the card) because
a) I know when I bought it and it expires 1 year later
b) the Gold Record Card that comes with it also contains the expiry date.

Do shorter period cards not also have this information printed or do you not get a record card for
shorter period seasons?

I've had record cards for weekly, monthly and annual but only when I bought
them from some stations.

When I bought an annual online I got sent the Gold record card in the post
but not the weekly or monthlies.