Recently TfL changed the rules on Oyster cards. They now charge you the maximum cash fare for incomplete journeys — those where you fail to touch the card against the reader at either the beginning or the end of the journey. That means you will be charged £4 instead of the £1 – £1.50 or so of a typical journey. I have no idea how they justify that amount of penalty, considering how easy it is to do.
Tube travel was supposed to be free on New Year’s Eve, something to do with NatWest sponsoring tube travel. On the way home the gates were open but I touched my Oyster card anyway because we are constantly told to “*always* touch in and touch out” on posters and in P.A. announcements. I didn’t want to find a closed gate and have to pay the £4. When I got to my destination the gate announced that there was not enough credit on my card. What? Not enough credit to pay for a free fare? I was tired and no-one was around to help, so I walked through the open gate.
When I checked a few days later, it turned out I had been charged for an incomplete journey on that New Year’s Eve. £4 for a free journey seems a lot. When I challenged it at the counter, I was told that I could only be refunded £3. So that’s £1 for a free journey. I am sure that NatWest would not be happy at their money being stolen by TfL in this way.
Then today, as I was leaving a station, the gate closed before I could walk through it. I touched the card again and was let through. But something didn’t seem right. I checked at a machine, and sure enough, I’d been charged £4 for an incomplete journey to no-where. Presumably the machine thought I was starting a new journey (just 5 seconds after finishing the old one), rather than trying to escape from the gate that had trapped me in. I was able to get this refunded at the counter, but it was a hassle.
Why are TfL doing this? Why can’t the machines tell the difference between entering and exiting a station? Why was I charged for a journey starting and ending at the same station when I got to the platform to hear an announcement that trains were severely delayed and decided to take the bus? Why is there only one card reader to serve hundreds of passengers transferring from the train to the tube at Richmond? Why are they so keen to charge £4 for a journey at the slightest mistake using the card?
I can only recommend that you regularly check your Oyster usage and challenge any incomplete journeys at the counter. The counter clerks *do* have the ability to cancel the penalty.
Update: Nice article on Software Reality about why the Oyster card sucks from a UI perspective.
Its complete madness from Purple Kenny. Notice as well that when the prices increase next year as that do every year on the 2nd of Jan (when people go return to work) the oyster card will cost the same as a travel card used to cost in 2004.
Today the is first day that you can use oyster prepay on overground network (well only one part of it) – I can see it the confusion being even worse as the madness progresses. The pricing system is a matrix of confused oddness, I seldom travel but when I do I feel that I am running a gauntlet.
The trick is to fine people in a away that most users will not notice, this covers for the mistakes made by the system. When I travel I ensure that the only money on my card is what I need for the day, no excess. If the machine makes any odd noise I find a member of staff and get a them to check it, get a print out. Finding a member of staff is hard these days, more so since the introduction of oyster. Irony is that the same staffing levels need to be kept as the transport system needs personal interface.
I could go on and on and on, but in the words of Gnarlys Barkley ‘who cares!’
not Comrade Ken thats for sure!!
You’re quite right, Sammo. More confusion for me: I used DLR the other day and couldn’t *find* the Oyster reader at the exit station. Sure enough I was charged £4.
When I checked my usage I found two other £4 charges that I simply can’t explain. Maybe I forgot to touch, maybe I didn’t, I can’t remember. That’s £12 for being a bit forgetful, then. Well excuse me for having my mind on other things while I’m commuting!
Perhaps I will adopt your technique, Sammo, and top up my card every day.