Flexplus Is it an offline card

TheEffect

iAMaLONDONER wrote: »

Rubbish. Contact less cards means that a pickpocket can easily buy £20 of goods per contact less card they steal making it even easier for opportunistic criminals.


That's a fallacy too, as it'll mean people arguing with the driver and/or completing a UFN

I don't think many fraudsters are going to go through the effort/risk just for a couple coffees in Starbucks. I don't know the statistics, but I'd imagine there's much more fraud committed using a standard method, rather than via Contactless.

Even if 1 or 2 people don't like that drivers aren't accepting cash, it'll still be a lot quicker than the current situation. Also, anyone with a brain will realise they're getting nowhere arguing with a driver who cannot accept cash. If you don't accept cash, you don't accept cash. They'll be little point in having a 5 minute argument over it. Cashless transport has been around in other large cities for a long time, and as far as I'm aware, it's been successful.

iAMaLONDONER

TheEffect wrote: »

I don't think many fraudsters are going to go through the effort/risk just for a couple coffees in Starbucks. I don't know the statistics, but I'd imagine there's much more fraud committed using a standard method, rather than via Contactless.

Even if 1 or 2 people don't like that drivers aren't accepting cash, it'll still be a lot quicker than the current situation. Also, anyone with a brain will realise they're getting nowhere arguing with a driver who cannot accept cash. If you don't accept cash, you don't accept cash. They'll be little point in having a 5 minute argument over it. Cashless transport has been around in other large cities for a long time, and as far as I'm aware, it's been successful.

You can't deny that pickpocketing is a major problem in London's busiest areas and contactless will just make their crime more profitable.

It's at least 60,000 cash payers who will be excluded from London's bus network rather than 1 or 2! Well this is London which does what it likes, because it can lol! Still depends on your definition of 'successful'!

reclusive46

iAMaLONDONER wrote: »

It's at least 60,000 cash payers who will be excluded from London's bus network rather than 1 or 2! Well this is London which does what it likes, because it can lol! Still depends on your definition of 'successful'!

At the end of the day TFL is going to want to cut as many costs as it can get away with (Like any business) and if it annoys a few customers, their not really going to care. A very high percentage of the UK is financially included at least. Unlike in the US where there are times it is impossible to pay by cash (Even some of the restaurant chains in the US aren't going to be taking cash once the chip card roll out is complete and they can take US pin debit cards) but over 20% of the US adult population doesn't even have a bank account!

iAMaLONDONER

reclusive46 wrote: »

At the end of the day TFL is going to want to cut as many costs as it can get away with (Like any business) and if it annoys a few customers, their not really going to care. A very high percentage of the UK is financially included at least. Unlike in the US where there are times it is impossible to pay by cash (Even some of the restaurant chains in the US aren't going to be taking cash once the chip card roll out is complete and they can take US pin debit cards) but over 20% of the US adult population doesn't even have a bank account!

Lool TfL.. is probably one of the most wasteful organisations... it probably wouldn't even make a profit it was privatised (and maintained as a single organisation)! Recall their contractors flooding the Victoria line's Victoria control room with cement a fortnight ago!

I hope TfL will do a u-turn like they have with tube station closures (albeit Bob Crow hasn't declared war on TfL over cashless buses!)

It's no secret that the US is one of the world's biggest gap between the richest and poorest citizens!

TheEffect

iAMaLONDONER wrote: »

You can't deny that pickpocketing is a major problem in London's busiest areas and contactless will just make their crime more profitable.

Any major city like London is going to have crime and pickpocketing, but I disagree that Contactless will have a negative impact, because not many fraudsters/criminals are going to risk getting caught just to go and buy their lunch with a Contactless card. Also, if the minuscule chance of your card having fraud via Contactless, the bank will refund the small amounts anyway.

FYI I've lived in London for 23 years and not once have I ever been pick pocketed, mugged, or a victim of fraud. Being careful and smart (i.e. don't have you wallet in your back pocket) will go a long way in reducing your chance of being such a victim.

iAMaLONDONER wrote: »

It's at least 60,000 cash payers who will be excluded from London's bus network rather than 1 or 2! Well this is London which does what it likes, because it can lol! Still depends on your definition of 'successful'!

They won't be excluded. They'll simple be advised to go and buy an Oyster card or use their Contactless card. Times are moving on, and people are using debit/credit cards more often, for smaller purchases.

I wouldn't say London can do what it likes, but I would say it is one of the most visited cities in the world, and from my experience (travelled around NY/SF/LA/Sydney/Auckland/a few EU countries) has one of the best public transport systems in the world.

I genuinely think removing cash from buses is a great idea. Passengers will be happier with a quicker service and TFL will save money. Those people who currently pay cash will quickly get used to paying via Contactless, or getting an Oyster.

iAMaLONDONER

TheEffect wrote: »

Any major city like London is going to have crime and pickpocketing,

There were over 20,000 (REPORTEDcrimes on London's public transport alone, with around half pickpocketing - never mind all the unreported crimes...)

TheEffect wrote: »

but I disagree that Contactless will have a negative impact, because not many fraudsters/criminals are going to risk getting caught just to go and buy their lunch with a Contactless card. Also, if the minuscule chance of your card having fraud via Contactless, the bank will refund the small amounts anyway.

Doesn't mean that thieves/fraudsters wont try- anyway they can travel on the tube & bus at their victim's expense thanks to contactless..

TheEffect wrote: »

FYI I've lived in London for 23 years and not once have I ever been pick pocketed, mugged, or a victim of fraud. Being careful and smart (i.e. don't have you wallet in your back pocket) will go a long way in reducing your chance of being such a victim.

Me neither, however untold 1,000s in London alone have.

TheEffect wrote: »

They won't be excluded. They'll simple be advised to go and buy an Oyster card or use their Contactless card. Times are moving on, and people are using debit/credit cards more often, for smaller purchases.

They will be - especially ad hoc users e.g car owners who might seldom use public transport. Most people don't have a CPC and some areas have nowhere to buy an oyster -i.e Slough (81 from the slough to/from Hounslow) and at night times it's nearly impossible to get an oyster card in most areas.

TheEffect wrote: »

I wouldn't say London can do what it likes, but I would say it is one of the most visited cities in the world, and from my experience (travelled around NY/SF/LA/Sydney/Auckland/a few EU countries) has one of the best public transport systems in the world.

I genuinely think removing cash from buses is a great idea. Passengers will be happier with a quicker service and TFL will save money. Those people who currently pay cash will quickly get used to paying via Contactless, or getting an Oyster.

That's no doubt but London has fallen behind realtives to it's rivals considering that it was the first to have an Underground in the first place...but that's for another debate

I'm worried cashless buses could lead to vulnerable people being kicked off a bus and have something like this happen .. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2156000/Women-raped-Joseph-Moran-thrown-bus-20p-short-fare.html

greenorange

Bumping this thread instead as this is related:

I referred two friends to Nationwide for the Flex Plus. Both applied online at the same time. One received a card with 4751 45 and the ether is 4751 44...

The person who got the 44 card has a better credit report.

Am not sure if there is any difference to the cards. Maybe Nationwide are doing online/offline cards?

iAMaLONDONER

greenorange wrote: »

Bumping this thread instead as this is related:

I referred two friends to Nationwide for the Flex Plus. Both applied online at the same time. One received a card with 4751 45 and the ether is 4751 44...

The person who got the 44 card has a better credit report.

Am not sure if there is any difference to the cards. Maybe Nationwide are doing online/offline cards?

That's subjective - the bit about who has the better credit report.

greenorange

iAMaLONDONER wrote: »

That's subjective - the bit about who has the better credit report.

How is it subjective? I'd say it's more of a fact that a credit report with nothing but green zeroes is going to be better than one with defaults and missed payments.

iAMaLONDONER

greenorange wrote: »

How is it subjective? I'd say it's more of a fact that a credit report with nothing but green zeroes is going to be better than one with defaults and missed payments.

I mean it depends on the individual's situation and the lender of course- it's their 'opinion' (or judgement, rather) that counts at the end of the day!

Hence not everyone who has never missed a payment, has never been rejected for credit!