London Banter - View Single Post

David Cantrell · July 3rd 05, 03:28 PM posted to uk.transport.london

On 1 Jul 2005 00:50:04 -0700, said:
?uzzled wrote:
I've been using my oyster card quite merrily this week until today. This
morning, I swiped the card on a bus and it didn't register. The driver waved
me through and I thought it was a faulty machine. Going home from work this
evening, I swiped it again on the bus and it still wouldn't register. I
thought another faulty machine until the driver called me back. This time I
looked at the LCD display and it showed 'Communication Failure'. Try as I
might, I couldn't get the card to register. I knew there was credit on my
pre-pay card so I couldn't work out what was wrong.

I managed to test my oyster card at a ticket stop and they confirmed that my
card had died. They told me I had to take it to the Oval to get it swapped.

[adds this to long list of why Oyster is a really stupid idea]

Why do oyster cards die ?

Because they're a complex solution for a simple problem.

How am I going to get to work tomorrow ? I've read on the oyster site that
you can take the card to any tube station for a replacement. But living in
South London, there aren't any.

Another reason not to get one then!

No answer to your question I'm afraid but of course if you abuse staff
on the buses or the Underground you will be prosecuted.

Good thing that there's no indication that the OP abused them then.

--
David Cantrell | http://www.cantrell.org.uk/david