In message
,
Mizter T writes
Unfortunately you were given incorrect information at Finsbury Park

And that is a *big* problem. I'm amazed at how few staff seem to
understand what PAYG *is*. I've encountered this at Blackfriars NR and
Fenchurch Street NR (at both of which locations NR staff gave me what
turned out to be wrong information but didn't really grasp what I was
asking).

--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

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

On Apr 21, 1:14*pm, Ian Jelf wrote:

In message
,
Mizter T writes

Unfortunately you were given incorrect information at Finsbury Park

And that is a *big* problem. * I'm amazed at how few staff seem to
understand what PAYG *is*. * I've encountered this at Blackfriars NR and
Fenchurch Street NR (at both of which locations NR staff gave me what
turned out to be wrong information but didn't really grasp what I was
asking).

Though it sounds as though the staff Peter Campbell Smith encountered
were LU bods - he was after all emerging from the Piccadilly line at
Finsbury Park. Which I suppose makes it worse.

With regards to your point, I don't think I've ever asked that many
questions of NR staff about Oyster PAYG because being a know-it-all,
I , er, know-it all. But unfortunately I'm not at all surprised to
hear what you say. Training needs to be sorted out for NR staff before
Oyster PAYG goes live across the whole of NR in London. Though if that
actually happens, I bet it'd be cursory at best.

I did encounter a guard on the Southern service up from Clapham Jn
(zone 2) up the WLL to Harrow & Wealdstone (zone 5) who didn't seem
like he got it either - I had a zones 2&3 Travelcard on my Oyster, and
so was (automatically) using PAYG to extend the journey across zones 4
and 5. The guard didn't have an Oyster reader on him and so asked me
what zones were on my Oyster card (i.e. what Travelcard zones) - a bit
surprising in itself as one could legitimately be using 'pure' PAYG
for this journey. However I said "zones 2&3", he paused as he digested
this, before I then added "but I'm using PAYG to extend the journey up
to Harrow" which appeared to completely bamboozle him and he shuffled
off looking somewhat confused.

I wasn't terribly impressed - I should however add that I remember
reading an account here from when PAYG went live on this route and the
poster said they'd found the Southern guard to be completely on top of
it all.

I'd be interested to hear what misinformation you were given at
Blackfriars and Fenchurch Street NR stations if you can remember it?

In message
,
Mizter T writes

On Apr 21, 1:14*pm, Ian Jelf wrote:

In message
,
Mizter T writes

Unfortunately you were given incorrect information at Finsbury Park

And that is a *big* problem. * I'm amazed at how few staff seem to
understand what PAYG *is*. * I've encountered this at Blackfriars NR and
Fenchurch Street NR (at both of which locations NR staff gave me what
turned out to be wrong information but didn't really grasp what I was
asking).

Though it sounds as though the staff Peter Campbell Smith encountered
were LU bods - he was after all emerging from the Piccadilly line at
Finsbury Park. Which I suppose makes it worse.

I also had a problem with an Oyster question with an LU member of staff
but for the life of me I can't remember what it was. I tried to
earlier when I posted the original message as I wanted to illustrate
that it wasn't an NR-only problem.

Getting old. Grey cells must be going....... :-)

Snip


I'd be interested to hear what misinformation you were given at
Blackfriars and Fenchurch Street NR stations if you can remember it?

Both concerned validity. I don't have the PAYG validity on NR map in
my head (and seldom use NR in London). On these two occasions, though,
that was the best solution at short notice and asked before embarking on
a journey of PAYG was valid.

Blackfriars: I asked if PAYG was valid on Thamselink (well, you know
what I mean) for a journey to Elephant & Castle (I was told it wasn't,
finding out later that it would have been).

Fenchurch Street: I asked if PAYG was valid for a journey to Limehouse
(the guy at the barrier looked at me with a degree of uncertainty that
suggested whatever he said wouldn't have much basis in fact).
--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

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