Oyster Card - weird

marksmith99

Good info thanks.

Its the irritating little quirks that annoy me (eg with the auto, why does it have to be at a entry gate, why not just at one of the ticket machines so you don't then have to queue and get a refund, why not on buses if the auto is on the card). The technology is good but not quite good enough.

On the national rail, I understand the historic reasons why its a shambles, but it doesn't make it right when we should be striving for an integrated easy to use public transport system.

DoctorOcta

marksmith99 wrote: »

Good info thanks.

Its the irritating little quirks that annoy me (eg with the auto, why does it have to be at a entry gate, why not just at one of the ticket machines so you don't then have to queue and get a refund, why not on buses if the auto is on the card). The technology is good but not quite good enough.

On the national rail, I understand the historic reasons why its a shambles, but it doesn't make it right when we should be striving for an integrated easy to use public transport system.

Starting with your second point - I totally agree. But thats why Jan 2009 is the date it will go live across the network - better late than never I guess - but even when I have spoken to NR they told me "not enough people want it" - which can't be true - but then some NR companies HAVE come on board.
So it COULD be brought forward by customer pressure - i.e. tell your NR company that enough is enough and to accept the move.

The entry gate thing makes no difference. Think about it. If you leave a station and you are under £5 - what difference does it make? Nothing cos you aren't travelling at the end of a journey.
You will DEFINITELY top up when you re-enter the station - or get on a bus - or etc etc - so there is no need to worry at all. All that it means is that you will be below £5 for a few hours when you are not travelling!

ATU DOES work on buses - I cant stress this enough. It's just the first time you need to use a Tube station or Tram stop (didnt mention that earlier). NOT the first time you top up - but the first time you want your card to 'learn' about ATU. That HAS to be at a Tube gate or tram stop cos the instruction has to be sent to something linked to the central system. Once the instruction is on the card then you never need to see the central system again!

DoctorOcta

Ah sorry - missed one of your points

The reason it MUST be at the gates and not the ticket machines is cos 99% of the reasoning for the online shop etc is to get rid of queues at stations - and it really has done that. I used to queue with about 30-40 other people on Monday mornings back in the early 2000s and now on Monday mornings I am looking at 5-6 people.

If TfL allowed pick ups to be done from machines then people would just be queuing again - albeit for another reason!

Bus users are the only people who get messed about with the "touch in - get the first instruction and then get a refund thing"
I am SURE there is something afoot to fix that

chuckley

marksmith99 wrote: »

I'm not, I have a SW trains paper goldcard, I was just correcting the error in your original post where you indicated that oyster cards could be topped up at train stations.

dont train stops have oyster top ups down ur SW way?? if not cant u use a newsagents?

marksmith99 wrote: »

but as I said she only uses buses so same point applies. Just saying that auto top up is promoted as a great convenience, but doesn't quite live up to that in all situations.

i get what u mean, it is easier for tube and tram users, BUT the fact still comes down to ur OH doesnt put enough on her card for her days/weeks journeys...

zx2011

March 2010* is the current date for PAYG on National Rail to be completed by.

At the moment most of North London national rail accepts Oyster PAYG.

Southern has a PAYG map showing where it can be used: http://www.southernrailway.com/content/doc/cms/Oyster_PAYG_national_rail261107.pdf (PDF NOV 2007)

*

The Greater London Authority’s Consolidated Budget and Component Budgets for 2008-09

. http://www.london.gov.uk/gla/budget/docs/0809budget.pdf Page 20

"Oyster availability is now being extended to National Rail, starting with the London Overground in November 2007. It will then be progressively rolled out across all other stations within the Travelcard boundary in London by March 2010."

marksmith99

dont train stops have oyster top ups down ur SW way??

No they don't. My SW Trains Goldcard has to be paper as they don't sell any kind of Oyster at their stations. I could get a Gold Oyster from a tube station but would then not get any recompense from SW trains for their poor performance.

i get what u mean, it is easier for tube and tram users, BUT the fact still comes down to ur OH doesnt put enough on her card for her days/weeks journeys...

she uses it sporadically, so its not easy to know how much is left on there.

isasmurf

Here is a map showing at what stations you can use Oyster PAYG

chuckley

marksmith99 wrote: »

dont train stops have oyster top ups down ur SW way??

No they don't. My SW Trains Goldcard has to be paper as they don't sell any kind of Oyster at their stations. I could get a Gold Oyster from a tube station but would then not get any recompense from SW trains for their poor performance.

she uses it sporadically, so its not easy to know how much is left on there.

thats y u gotta register ya card online to regularly check, OR look at the reader when swiped as it tells ya there...

cant u get ya foldcard on ya oyster at ya local newsagents?

DoctorOcta

"I could get a Gold Oyster from a tube station but would then not get any recompense from SW trains for their poor performance"

He COULD chuckley - but he is right about the above
If you renew your season ticket with SW, they give you a bad service discount :P
Crazy but true
it's 5%

Thomask

Thanks for your contributions everyone.

Anyone managed to solve my OP?