On Fri, 27 Nov 2009 04:55:58 -0800 (PST), MIG
wrote:

Well, it would depend on how the proposed "always touch, even with a
travelcard" rule would be enforced. It's a bit hypothetical really.
You might not have any PAYG balance to deduct. Would your travelcard
be disabled? Would you be PFed? Back to Neil for suggestions I think.

I suppose a "paper PF" would have to be charged if you actually went
out of zone without enough money on your card to do so. So I suppose
an OEP would be implicit by having enough money on your card.

"If you wish to go out of zone you must have a minimum balance on your
Oyster card of £10, or you will be charged a Penalty Fare if
discovered" (say) is easier to explain and actually do than having to
get an OEP for each journey.

I don't believe OEPs are aimed at people who use an Oyster to open the
barriers at Euston then go to Bletchley, for instance (which if you're
in the know would be an easy dodge as grips on LM are rare and 99% of
the time the barriers are open and unmanned in the evening at
Bletchley) - if caught, a traditional PF is due. The point is that
you can't be PFed if you've got a touched-in Oyster card within the
Oyster area, which takes away the whole revenue protection concept of
the mainline areas that aren't barriered. So a tenner would seem
plenty.

If you don't like the idea of deduct and refund and don't ever want to
go out of zone, you would then have the option of not putting a PAYG
balance on your card. But go out of zone and get caught, and a PF is
due.

Neil

--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the at to reply.