MSE News: London bus double charge threat with Oyster and contactless card combo

chattychappy

Jeff_Bridges_hair wrote: »

For me I always keep my Oyster separate and in a proper wallet. This is so I dont have to keep dragging out my money wallet and flashing it about everywhere.

..

See the extra level of protection you are affording yoruself there

When in London I keep my Oyster card in it's own wallet with a CC or two behind it or behind a railway ticket - so out of site. My wallet has cash and other plastic cards - loyalty cards, membership cards etc. If I lose either, I can use the other to get by. If I mugged, they just get the cash.

johnmcga

Yep I keep my Oyster separate from the rest of my cards, mainly so if my wallet gets nicked I can still get home! (Incidentally, my methods have demonstrated that an Oyster card will last about 6 - 8 months in your back pocket before requiring replacement!)

I used to have one of those Barclaycards which combined a Contactless card with an Oyster card. I imagine that would cause all kinds of problems now buses can take both.

zerog

Is there a reason why MSE is a month late in posting about this?

It's generally not a problem as the reader will reject when it detects two cards at the same time. But just to stay safe, I've wrapped my contactless debit card in tin foil, and it doesn't detect it even when both cards are very close to the reader.

Jeff_Bridges_hair wrote: »

Ive seen many a woman on getting on a bus and pulling out her massive purse which then goes back into an open pocket - just asking for trouble that.

There's a flat fare in London, and if you're rich enough not to bother with an Oyster... well, I've been held up several times by women manoeuvering massive prams onto the bus, then asking the driver "how much is it to XXX", the bus driver inevitably doesn't understand on the first try, then they get out their massive purse and start counting one, two, 20p, 25p... oh, I don't think I have enough, hmm, do you have change for a ten? These incidents have all happened in tube Zones 1-3, not at the edge of London where they might at least have an excuse for not keeping up with TfL fare rises.

It's not going to go well when they extend contactless onto the tube and rail and then you get people going into unauthorised overdrafts because they haven't touched out properly...

miller

johnmcga wrote: »

I used to have one of those Barclaycards which combined a Contactless card with an Oyster card. I imagine that would cause all kinds of problems now buses can take both.

I did think of that. Ideally, it should attempt to take the fare from the Oyster part, if that fails, it should attempt a contactless payment. Whether or not that is the case, I don't know.

With regards to the very sensible advice posted about keeping travel documents separate in case of loss/theft, there is another last resort that could be used called a SILK (Stranded Indiviual Location Known) arrangement if you find yourself stranded. Basically someone else pays for your ticket at another station and you collect it.

Jeff_Bridges_hair

zerog wrote: »

There's a flat fare in London, and if you're rich enough not to bother with an Oyster... ...

Aye but they keep their Oyster in their purse at the back so they touch the whole purse on the reader - its not good practice.

miller wrote: »

With regards to the very sensible advice posted about keeping travel documents separate in case of loss/theft, there is another last resort that could be used called a SILK (Stranded Indiviual Location Known) arrangement if you find yourself stranded. Basically someone else pays for your ticket at another station and you collect it.

Isnt a silk just available on National Rail services and stations. Again, if your stranded at a remote tube station with no Oyster or card or cash cos your wallet has been nicked then a SILK is no good to you is it, given the booking office will have closed.

katejo

Jeff_Bridges_hair wrote: »

For me I always keep my Oyster separate and in a proper wallet. This is so I dont have to keep dragging out my money wallet and flashing it about everywhere.

Ive seen many a woman on getting on a bus and pulling out her massive purse which then goes back into an open pocket - just asking for trouble that.


Also, for me, should I lose one wallet then I at least still have the means of getting home as I will either have cash or an Oyster.

See the extra level of protection you are affording yoruself there

I never keep my Oyster with my purse. The purse stays in my bag while the Oyster is in my pocket for speed.

miller

Jeff_Bridges_hair wrote: »

Isnt a silk just available on National Rail services and stations. Again, if your stranded at a remote tube station with no Oyster or card or cash cos your wallet has been nicked then a SILK is no good to you is it, given the booking office will have closed.

Yep, absolutely. Possibly First Great Western will do it over the phone (for the person paying, the receipient still needs to be at a booking office which is open to collect). That info seems to have disappeared from their website. There is also a £10 admin fee.

Probably best to use some of the tips, including the ones you mentioned such that if you are unfortunate enough to lose your valuables you can still get home safely.

The British Transport Police can arrange travel warrants in certain circumstances with payment taken later.

Jeff_Bridges_hair

katejo wrote: »

I never keep my Oyster with my purse. The purse stays in my bag while the Oyster is in my pocket for speed.

Exactly - much quicker. It is a pain when you follow someone up an escalator and you have your oyster wallet in your hand ready and then at the barriers they stop and start fishing around for their Oyster. HAVE IT READY!!

cosmojohnson

johnmcga wrote: »

used to have one of those Barclaycards which combined a Contactless card with an Oyster card. I imagine that would cause all kinds of problems now buses can take both.

TfL say that "Although your Barclaycard OnePulse has contactless technology built in, it will only be recognised on as an Oyster card and cannot be used for contactless payments on London's buses."

(That didn't apply to me though - I was getting "Two cards present" errors on buses; but my OnePulse card was playing up for months before they allowed contactless payment on buses so can't be sure that caused it)

Pincher

The last time I tried my contactless Virgin Amex with the Wireless symbol, the machine requested that I provide proof of identity!
Cancelled the "contactless" transaction, and paid by inserting the card, and typing in the PIN, all went through OK.

Have they solved the problem where a guy with a portable payment machine stands next to you in the tube, sucking money out of your card yet?