Oyster - future

[Deleted]

I was bored @ work so I read the H&S update and learnt aof a couple of Oyster related 'works in progress'.

The development with Swatch of an Oyster watch, an Swatch watch with an Oyster chip in it. Shame they don't do the deal with Rolex

Also those little map machines at some stations are to be re-designed to sell Oyster cards, with nothing on them for £3, then top up at the machines......

[Deleted]

centralsimon said:

Also those little map machines at some stations are to be re-designed to sell Oyster cards, with nothing on them for £3, then top up at the machines......

I read somewhere they are also making Freedom passes have the ability to have a pre pay section for journeys before the special time of 9am or whetever it is now......

[Deleted]

Yep, can't see the Freedom pass thing work, most 'fiddle' it anyway and travel before 9am.

Not forgetting the new AFM machine that is replacing the Few Fares are every station AND at stations with more than 1 Few Fare a fewfare machine is being replaced by an Queue buster.

This will mean that every station will have at least 2 Oyster machines, with many medium sized stations having 4, plus a machine that dispensers Oyster cards for the £3.

When is the next round of ticket office closures

[version3point1]

Hmmm. I tried to sew a little pocket on the inside of the right cuff of my blazer for my Oyster card, because in the winter when I've got gloves on, I find it difficult to get my oyster card out of my pocket (I suppose the solution is to buy fingerless gloves, but there you go.)

I got myself a spare Oyster card last winter and cut around the chip, because I'd made a small sleeve for the chip in my right hand glove. It didn't work when I put it to the reader, and I soon discovered that there's like some sort of wiring or receivers in the card conected to the chip that I'd obviously discarded.

Tangent aside, it'd be good if they could put the Oyster chip in something more integrated with everyday life, like on a wristband or watch etc. Whilst Oyster has cetainly improved the speed of people passing through the gates, there's still the issue of having to get your Oyster out of your pocket, and some people still leave it to the last minute.

metapprentice said:

I read somewhere they are also making Freedom passes have the ability to have a pre pay section for journeys before the special time of 9am or whetever it is now......

Thank god. I didn't mind it in the beginning, but there seem to be a lot of folks with Freedom passes now and they all congregate in the station, waiting, sometimes in the most awkward places (like, by the gateline!)

[prjb]

I leave mine in my suit pocket and just swipe the pocket! It has never failed yet.

[Deleted]

prjb said:

I leave mine in my suit pocket and just swipe the pocket! It has never failed yet.

Oh, you wear a suit! GET YOU!

[Deleted]

I see the idea to be able to buy groceries with the Oyster has been abolished, because TfL couldnt agree terms with a contractor.

Also, Kenny L and the Government have agreed plans to have Oyster available at ALL stations on the National Rail network within the six zones from 'sometime in 2008'. The cost to install equipment and readers, etc is said to be £15 million.

[william]

metapprentice said:

prjb said:

I leave mine in my suit pocket and just swipe the pocket! It has never failed yet.

Oh, you wear a suit! GET YOU!

Perks of management. ;D

[version3point1]

prjb said:

I leave mine in my suit pocket and just swipe the pocket! It has never failed yet.

That's not bad.

The worst Oyster offenders are the girlies and their handbags: they can't be bothered to take the damn thing out of the bag in time, so they just slam the bag down on the reader. Cue the queue...

[Deleted]

I like the ones that hold the card about three feet above the reader. Or the ones that swivel the card around on the reader. Oh, the simplicity of it all... just take it out of the bag/purse whatever and it will work. I wonder if the readers affect other cards like the magic window cards we all have?

[c5]

version3point1 said:

prjb said:

I leave mine in my suit pocket and just swipe the pocket! It has never failed yet.

That's not bad.

The worst Oyster offenders are the girlies and their handbags: they can't be bothered to take the damn thing out of the bag in time, so they just slam the bag down on the reader. Cue the queue...

Watch it you I dont have a handbag (usually) ;D But I do have one of those small old style blue LU belt bags that I use, worn over the shoulder, with my oyster in the front pocket. When it doesnt work, I usually end up getting let in by the person behind ;D

[version3point1]

c5 said:

Watch it you I dont have a handbag (usually) ;D But I do have one of those small old style blue LU belt bags that I use, worn over the shoulder, with my oyster in the front pocket. When it doesnt work, I usually end up getting let in by the person behind ;D

And then they get trapped in the mechanical jaws of revenue control! Brilliant!

[prjb]

william said:

metapprentice said:

Oh, you wear a suit! GET YOU!

Perks of management. ;D

I really don't see it as a perk! It was so much easier wearing uniform - no early morning dillema's over what to wear. Oh, and you don't have to go out and buy uniform or pay to have it dry cleaned.

[prjb]

version3point1 said:

prjb said:

I leave mine in my suit pocket and just swipe the pocket! It has never failed yet.

That's not bad.

The worst Oyster offenders are the girlies and their handbags: they can't be bothered to take the damn thing out of the bag in time, so they just slam the bag down on the reader. Cue the queue...

I love the tourists who try to swipe their normal tickets! ;D

[c5]

version3point1 said:

c5 said:

Watch it you I dont have a handbag (usually) ;D But I do have one of those small old style blue LU belt bags that I use, worn over the shoulder, with my oyster in the front pocket. When it doesnt work, I usually end up getting let in by the person behind ;D

And then they get trapped in the mechanical jaws of revenue control! Brilliant!

I think I should add (for the tape ), that I then let them trough on my card

[version3point1]

prjb said:

I love the tourists who try to swipe their normal tickets! ;D

Forget the tourists. Very young children and toddlers that get a little ahead of mum and dad are the best - they run up to the gates, stand on their tiptoes, put their hand on the reader, turn back and say with a slight disappointment, "It's not opening." ;D

[Tubeboy]

Yes agree with V3.1, girlies who rub their Prada handbag [prob a fake anyway] onto the reader, and are surprised it doesnt work. You tell them how to get it working, they do it, but there is no acknowledgement you are even there. Very rude.

Since U-11s have gone free, it is a daily occurrence of families all trying to get through the gates on a single ticket?

The gate inevitably catches someone , usually the little 6 year old, who gets the paddles whacked into their face. "Parents" are completely oblivious!

[version3point1]

tubeboy said:

Since U-11s have gone free, it is a daily occurrence of families all trying to get through the gates on a single ticket?

The gate inevitably catches someone , usually the little 6 year old, who gets the paddles whacked into their face. "Parents" are completely oblivious!

Despite the fact they're being issued with the free gate tickets anyway. I'm sure a child understands the concept of feeding a ticket into the machine, taking it from the top and walking through if they can understand the concept of Oyster cards.

Even better - design a kid's wristwatch with the Oyster chip in it!

(I'd better patent the idea now!)

[CSLR]

version3point1 said:

Even better - design a kid's wristwatch with the Oyster chip in it!

The way that things are going these days, I do not expect that it will be long before someone suggests that we embed an ID chip in children's ears at birth (rather like they do with pet dogs).........



...... [Thinks] .......



Oh!

cslr said:

I do not expect that it will be long before someone suggests that we embed an ID chip in children's ears at birth.........

What have I just suggested?



Damn!

[Deleted]

version3point1 said:

tubeboy said:

Since U-11s have gone free, it is a daily occurrence of families all trying to get through the gates on a single ticket?

The gate inevitably catches someone , usually the little 6 year old, who gets the paddles whacked into their face. "Parents" are completely oblivious!

Despite the fact they're being issued with the free gate tickets anyway. I'm sure a child understands the concept of feeding a ticket into the machine, taking it from the top and walking through if they can understand the concept of Oyster cards.

Even better - design a kid's wristwatch with the Oyster chip in it!

(I'd better patent the idea now!)

U11 don't get issued a free ticket, the parents are expected to ask a member of staff to let the kids through, but most parents don't, they simply push the kids through the gates first or they magically think their ticket will open the gates again, leaving the kids trapped the wrong side of the gateline.

[Tubeboy]

Agree with Simon in that U11s do not get a ticket. They are expected to enter/exit via the manual gate. Sometimes [not any more as I am off the barrier!] I used my staff pass to let them enter/exit. Some parents really do not have any regard for their children. Some are jabbed into the back through the gate, or flung through.

[version3point1]

Oyster cards are truly amazing things.

I dug this out for you lot.



To think that one day we won't even have the card anymore, just the chip.

[Tubeboy]

Many thanks, even though I knew it already! ;D

I am sure a few members dont though.

I am sure eventually, you will be able to use your oyster to pay for groceries.

[Oracle]

I am sure eventually, you will be able to use your oyster to pay for groceries.

Including Oysters! ;D

[Oracle]

I have asked on another Forum why we always have problems with at least one Travelcard issued by our friendly SWT Conduction at Ashurst New Forest on board. At least one of our tickets won't open barriers and we need the nice person with their pass to let us through manually. I can also say that my 9-year old has also tried to pass his card over the reader...does it affect the mag strip on the tickets?

By the way it's I think £5.90 for a Child Travelcard from ANF with my Family Railcard. Very reasonable!

[Deleted]

prjb said:

I love the tourists who try to swipe their normal tickets! ;D

Or the nutters that really havnt grasped the oyster card, when they trying putting it into the paper ticket slot!

[Tubeboy]

Usually the older generation that does that. Some bloke nearly broke his in half trying to force it through the slot!

Also people who keep their oysters in their breast pocket! Yes, they place their breast on the reader! The shame musnt get to them.

[Tubeboy]

I exited Marble Arch last night, gate wouldnt open!

Just got a replacement staff pass as well! Sa stood there no doubt in some dreamy reverie. RCI appears out of nowhere, asking what the matter is. Show him my pass and a short explanation. Replies " Oh we have put on a block on the gates tonight for staff passes" No doubt some passes have been reported as lost/stolen recently.

[Oracle]

No doubt some passes have been reported as lost/stolen recently.

I was going to say that they knew you were coming! However, to be serious were they aware that there had been a spate of usage of passes by those not so entitled? It is interesting to read on other Forums that the gates can be set up to reject anything and everything if necessary. Is it still the case that, as I read somewhere, priv passes can be obtained by house/flatmates of single staff because PC requires/required that you have/had to acknowledge that they might be a 'partner' of the staff member?

[Deleted]

in hong kong there is a similar oyster system but you can use it in mcdonalds and corner shops as well as transport. Oysters have been suggested to be used for parking meters. If TfL allow more that £50 (i think) to be on the card they will have to use debit/credit card rules and banking regulations which is too much effort. Would be useful to buy a paper from a newstand in the station though.