Neil Williams wrote:

On Tue, 25 Nov 2003 20:50:08 -0000, "Colin"
wrote:

I am fairly certain that the conductor was wrong, and the passengers
response should have been 'I am fully entitled to use any bus I choose; tell
your managers to pull their fingers out and supply you with new machines'.

Given that Routemasters are very much on their way out, I doubt new
machines will be provided, as the likely revenue loss from not being
able to check the tickets is probably low.

That said, I wonder what kind of means will be provided for travelling
ticket inspectors on cashless buses to perform a check?

Not what you asked, but I got my Oyster checked with a handheld reader
on the WAGN train from Chingford to Liverpool Street the other day (just
before Bethnal Green, of course), so portable readers are getting out
there.

Took him about six times longer than checking a ticket though.