I used the DLR yesterday and seeing no barriers or anywhere where I needed to tap my Oyster card I didn’t do so. How are you meant to use the DLR as I assume it’s not free?

And will I be fined? Earlier I went from Victoria to Tower Hill and the barrier was stuck open at Victoria so I went through but my debit card didn’t work at Tower Hill so the guy tried it for me and asked how I managed to get on the train which I told him.

He said I would need to buy an Oyster card or something but let me through, so being confused I left the station as I couldn’t see any machines to top up my Oyster card with.

Again would I be fined for this?

On Tuesday, 26 June 2018 21:57:28 UTC+1, matthew3774 wrote:
I used the DLR yesterday and seeing no barriers or anywhere where I
needed to tap my Oyster card I didn’t do so. How are you meant to use
the DLR as I assume it’s not free?

And will I be fined?

If you touched out you will be charged the maximum fare for the journey, £8.00. I can't imagine how you missed the Oyster card readers.

Earlier I went from Victoria to Tower Hill and the
barrier was stuck open at Victoria

So there is only one gate at Victoria and it was open. And it has just been completely redesigned! Obviously very badly.

so I went through but my debit card

What made you switch from the Oyster card?

didn’t work at Tower Hill so the guy tried it for me and asked how I
managed to get on the train which I told him.

You card has almost certainly been blacklisted. Contact TfL customer services to have it (possibly) re-whitelisted.

He said I would need to buy an Oyster card or something but let me
through, so being confused I left the station as I couldn’t see any
machines to top up my Oyster card with.

You must have serious observation problems. You couldn't see the Oyster readers at the DLR station, couldn't see a working gate at Victoria and couldn't see any ticket machines at Tower Hill.
I imagine your head permanently bowed down into a smartphone.

In message , at
00:20:07 on Wed, 27 Jun 2018, Offramp remarked:
On Tuesday, 26 June 2018 21:57:28 UTC+1, matthew3774 wrote:
I used the DLR yesterday and seeing no barriers or anywhere where I
needed to tap my Oyster card I didn’t do so. How are you meant to use
the DLR as I assume it’s not free?

And will I be fined?

If you touched out you will be charged the maximum fare for the
journey, £8.00. I can't imagine how you missed the Oyster card readers.

They are very easy to miss at several DLR stations, sometimes being
tucked away behind staircases where you don't actually walk past them.

--
Roland Perry

Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at
00:20:07 on Wed, 27 Jun 2018, Offramp remarked:
On Tuesday, 26 June 2018 21:57:28 UTC+1, matthew3774 wrote:
I used the DLR yesterday and seeing no barriers or anywhere where I
needed to tap my Oyster card I didn’t do so. How are you meant to use
the DLR as I assume it’s not free?

And will I be fined?

If you touched out you will be charged the maximum fare for the
journey, £8.00. I can't imagine how you missed the Oyster card readers.

They are very easy to miss at several DLR stations, sometimes being
tucked away behind staircases where you don't actually walk past them.

Yes, I agree. Some give the impression of being almost deliberately hidden.
Sometimes I've had to go back and find one, when I realised I'd not touched
in or out.

Luckily, I no longer need to bother: I do touch in or out when I see one,
but don't worry if I miss it.

On Wed, 27 Jun 2018 07:54:18 -0000 (UTC)
Recliner wrote:
Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at
00:20:07 on Wed, 27 Jun 2018, Offramp remarked:
On Tuesday, 26 June 2018 21:57:28 UTC+1, matthew3774 wrote:
I used the DLR yesterday and seeing no barriers or anywhere where I
needed to tap my Oyster card I didn’t do so. How are you meant to use
the DLR as I assume it’s not free?

And will I be fined?

If you touched out you will be charged the maximum fare for the
journey, £8.00. I can't imagine how you missed the Oyster card readers.

They are very easy to miss at several DLR stations, sometimes being
tucked away behind staircases where you don't actually walk past them.

Yes, I agree. Some give the impression of being almost deliberately hidden.

That is almost certainly the case. Never underestimate the cynical thought
processes that go on with bean counters. If they wanted to make them obvious
use they'd put them on the platforms, instead they're hidden away down the
stairs often around the corner or behind a support column.

If you're PAYG and forget to touch in they can nail you with a penalty fare and
if you forget to touch out they get the full whack. Win win for them.

Luckily, I no longer need to bother: I do touch in or out when I see one,
but don't worry if I miss it.

If you have a season ticket why bother.

Let’s dispense with your cynical assumptions since you don’t know me. As many others have commented the Oyster readers are often well hidden. I neither touched in or out and I’m sure you understand how in a rush there are people queuing behind so that’s one of the reasons I used the barrier at Victoria that was still open. The person in front of me had just gone through it no problems.

I have no signal on the underground so using my phone would be pointless, I looked around several times at Tower Hill but couldn’t see what I was looking for, and the assistants instructions were vague and he was assisting another customer so I left.

On Wed, Jun 27, 2018 at 01:50:04PM +0100, matthew3774 wrote:

I have no signal on the underground so using my phone would be
pointless

Modern phones don't need a signal to be useful.

--
David Cantrell | London Perl Mongers Deputy Chief Heretic

The voices said it's a good day to clean my weapons

On Wednesday, 27 June 2018 09:38:05 UTC+1, wrote:

If you have a season ticket why bother.

Because if you have a zones 2-5 travelcard and you travel from King George V to Finchley, changing at Bank, without touching in, you are evading the fare for zone 1.

On Thu, 28 Jun 2018 15:59:54 -0700 (PDT)
Offramp wrote:
On Wednesday, 27 June 2018 09:38:05 UTC+1, wrote:

If you have a season ticket why bother.

Because if you have a zones 2-5 travelcard and you travel from King George V
to Finchley, changing at Bank, without touching in, you are evading the fare
for zone 1.

I can't say I'd be so wrecked with guilt if making that trip as to bother.
Plus you could always say you got the north london line to stratford and
skipped zone 1 altogether. Tbh I think its somewhat unreasonable of TfL to
assume you took the most expensive route unless you touched at an interchange
machine. It should be the other way around - assume you took the cheapest
route unless there is no alternative.

On 29/06/2018 09:36, wrote:
On Thu, 28 Jun 2018 15:59:54 -0700 (PDT)
Offramp wrote:
On Wednesday, 27 June 2018 09:38:05 UTC+1, wrote:

If you have a season ticket why bother.

Because if you have a zones 2-5 travelcard and you travel from King George V
to Finchley, changing at Bank, without touching in, you are evading the fare
for zone 1.

I can't say I'd be so wrecked with guilt if making that trip as to bother.
Plus you could always say you got the north london line to stratford and
skipped zone 1 altogether. Tbh I think its somewhat unreasonable of TfL to
assume you took the most expensive route unless you touched at an interchange
machine. It should be the other way around - assume you took the cheapest
route unless there is no alternative.

Wasn't the point that if you get gripped somewhere in the Z1 area they
could legitimately claim you were avoiding the fare unless you'd touched in?

That might explain the regular Oyster checks between Shadwell and Bank...