On 3 Jan 2006 16:01:05 -0800, " wrote:

Paul Corfield,

Many thanks for the explanation.

Not a problem although even I am beginning to lose the will to live and
I have a staff pass. The level of public confusion is not acceptable.

As a lawyer, used to some pretty complicated concepts, I still find the
whole Oyster thing mind-boggling, and the more I learn about it (to say
nothing of having to explain to some jobsworth where I got on and where
I am going to, should the reader have failed to register my Oyster, and
the traceability of my journey, which is nobody's business but mine)
the less I want to have to do with it. I'll still be buying One Day
Travelcards at my corner shop for the foreseeable future. Much simpler
all round - and simple proof of payment for the taxman.

When the concept is boiled down to its basic elements and some examples
of how things like validities and capping work are provided it is not
that hard. I do think people need to be able to work it through for
themselves in order to have confidence in the underlying systems and
processes. I don't really see how that is being achieved or will be
achieved. It is, however, necessary.

You're obviously entitled to your view about privacy but I have no real
issue about that information being captured by TfL. Perhaps that's
because I know how the system was designed and partly because I work for
TfL and can't see how they can use the information in some malign way.

I think Oyster is a good product and that Londoners will accept it once
the current obstacles to its effective use are removed. It just needs
more work and a better response from the staff who administer it.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!

In message , Paul Corfield
writes

I think Oyster is a good product and that Londoners will accept it once
the current obstacles to its effective use are removed.

I agree, but the fact remains that the majority of London commuters use
surface rail rather than exclusively TfL services, and many are people
(like me) who work mainly from home and need to commute only once or
twice a week or less.

Until Oyster is properly accepted for all surface rail journeys in the
capital, it will for many of us remain an interesting but irrelevant
exercise.

--
Paul Terry

In article , Paul Corfield
writes
You're obviously entitled to your view about privacy but I have no real
issue about that information being captured by TfL. Perhaps that's
because I know how the system was designed and partly because I work for
TfL and can't see how they can use the information in some malign way.

The problem isn't so much TfL themselves, as others.

TfL are required to hand that information to the police if demanded. I
think (this not being an electronic communications system under RIPA)
that it requires a PACE order. [If this were an ECS, there's different
paperwork a long collection of other people, from MI6 down to the Royal
Mail (but not the Egg Marketing Board), also entitled to ask.]

PC Plod thinks that his wife is having an affair. Under pretext of some
investigation, he demands details of all Oysters touching out at his
local station between 10:00 and 11:00 one day, then looks through them
for likely "suspects". Similar things have been done with the DVLA
records, so please don't tell me it's impossible.

--
Clive D.W. Feather | Home:
Tel: +44 20 8495 6138 (work) | Web: http://www.davros.org
Fax: +44 870 051 9937 | Work:
Please reply to the Reply-To address, which is:

In message , Clive D. W. Feather
writes
TfL are required to hand that information to the police if demanded. I
think (this not being an electronic communications system under RIPA)
that it requires a PACE order. [If this were an ECS, there's different
paperwork a long collection of other people, from MI6 down to the Royal
Mail (but not the Egg Marketing Board),
That's a relief!

also entitled to ask.]

PC Plod thinks that his wife is having an affair. Under pretext of some
investigation, he demands details of all Oysters touching out at his
local station between 10:00 and 11:00 one day, then looks through them
for likely "suspects". Similar things have been done with the DVLA
records, so please don't tell me it's impossible.
Indeed. A personnel colleague [1] of mine works for a major public
authority which has a department specifically to monitor its staff to
check on/prevent them doing exactly that sort of thing under exactly
those circumstances. I'm not usually paranoid about Big Brother but
learning that did give me a bit of a jolt to be honest.


[1] My profession in the days when I had a "proper job".
--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
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