In message ,
Colin Rosenstiel writes

I wouldn't go through gates with Oyster anything like often enough to
know *before* attempting a journey whether it has enough credit on it
maybe six months after I last used it.
Though you can always check the balance on machines before doing so.

As for tourists you have the reports here of a blue badge guide of the
problems many tourists have understanding transport systems in a
foreign language.
Given that I was the BBG saying this, I ought to re-state that I think
Oyster and especially Oyster Pre Pay are absolutely ideal for me. Some
of my journeys begin with a train ride to London, others bring me into
London by other means (coach or more rarely car) first.

As a rule of thumb, if my journey only involves LT services then I'll
use Oyster Pre Pay (probably but not always with the Daily Cap coming
in). If the journey involves NR (as one will later this week) then
it's a case of sticking with a paper One Day Travelcard. A bit
tiresome that but a small enough burden to bear!

When I come in by train (Chiltern) I'm not sure yet what I'll do. I'll
have to look at the differential between the cost of a ticket to London
+ the Daily capping rate versus the cost of a Chiltern ODTC.

Different circumstances always throw up different situations and Colin's
journeys (which seem to be Cambridge - Putney sometimes overnight if
I've understood correctly) might or might not involve the use of Oyster.

But the *concept* of stored value and daily capping suits me down to the
ground.

**However** I will say again that trying to explain this to visitors is
not nearly as straightforward as it probably is to most of us. I've
tried and I've failed to get the point over to people. They won't pay
£3 deposit for a card whose purpose they don't understand and I have a
horrible feeling that come January I'm going to start having to deal
with "megamoans" about tube fares. ( I already get this occasionally
about single bus fares.)
--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk