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Colin Rosenstiel · January 3rd 06, 09:41 PM posted to uk.transport.london

In article , (Nick Cooper) wrote:

On Tue, 3 Jan 2006 16:47 +0000 (GMT Standard Time),
(Colin Rosenstiel) wrote:

For those who remember the thread about the new fare structure
penalising outsiders and TOC passengers I discovered an
unanticipated further factor at East Putney this morning.

Yes, we remember well how you failed to acknowledge that the only
people that would be "penalised" would be the ones who self-evidently
wanted to be.

Last year I bought only two tube singles, the two I had bought to
date when the thread was going. This morning I had to buy a £3 single
because I had to stay in London last night (to meet my aged mother at
Heathrow). It probably won't happen again all year so no thought of
buying an Oyster card.

Nose. Spite. Face.

You Londoners just don't understand us provincials do you?

When I got to East Putney station shortly after 8:30 this morning I
was glad of my decision. The only way top buy a ticket without a
massive queue was from one of three simple cash-only machines with
just two people at them. The queue (combined) for the ticket windows
and Oyster capable machine was almost down to the Upper Richmond
Road.

It never occurred to you that that is because for many people it will
have been their first day back at work after the Xmas break,
exacerbating the usual "after weekend" queue of people renewing their
Travelcards?

No, because I travel very rarely on the Underground at that time of the morning. In fact it can't have been very busy because I got a seat at East Putney and then again at Earl's Court, almost unprecedented. The Wimbledon branch "City" train had to wait to let two Ealing/Richmonds pass it at Earl's Court.

Of course, if you'd bought an Oyster card the day before, and put a
fiver Pre-Pay on it, you wouldn't have had to queue at all, but then
you also wouldn't have been able to enjoy your usual act of public
self-flagellation.

I was in Cambridge the day before until after the East Putney ticket office closed. I had a Cambridge-U12 saver return but couldn't use it before 10 this morning anyway. I'd have used my bike but for the weather forecast, and getting up at 4 am.

--
Colin Rosenstiel