On 7 Mar, 12:16, (Paul Cummins) wrote:
Another day in London, another Oyster problem.

Strangely, I've never had a problem with using it on the way out, only in central
zones.

Anyway. On Friday, finding myself at Northolt tube with 7.35 on my Oyster, I used
the Central Line to get to Liverpool Street, where I bought a laptop.

35 minutes later, I caught the 16.02 to Stratford, then the Docklands to Woolwich
Arsenal.

Got to Woolwich, touch out, go to touch in at the Rail Station, and my card is
empty. Apparently my journey from Northolt to Liverpool Street ended at Stratford,
and my journey to Woolwich was not started!

So, having argued with the staff, they give me a pass to London Bridge to get it
sorted. And they d sort it there, so I now catch the tube to Waterloo. Touch out at
Waterloo, try to touch in at Platform 15, and the same problem - apparently my
London Bridge to Waterloo didn't end!

And, despite my having a railcard, my cap wasn't applied that day!!! So the whole
day cost me 5.30 instead of 3.25.

If they can't make this system work, how do they expect people to convert to it


It's fraud, plain and simple. They have programmed the system to
record a series of legal touches in and out, but then charge you for
not having touched.


.. I
for one, intend to stop using Oyster, and coming in on paper ODTCs from here on in,
studiously leaving my Oyster at home. I'm considering putting a pair of scissors
through it!

Get the deposit back first.