Disparity of treatment between Oystercard users and contactless bank cards

[ianBR]

If I've understood things properly..... if an oystercard user fails to touch in or out (which can happen as gates occasionally do strange things in rush hour when people are piling through).... this could result in a penalty fare or even prosecution depending on the whim of a ticket inspector should they be stopped.

If a PAYG contactless bank card user does the same thing the worst that would happen if stopped by a ticket inspector is they would have one mark against that card at the end of the day.....and they would be able to do that three times before their card was blocked / any action taken.

Surely this disparity is outrageously unfair on Oystercard holders who can be penalised for one mistake. Why would anyone use an Oystercard rather than a contactless bank card given the above?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Certainly on a bus they are treated the same as the ticket machine has a list of cards touched in. I almost got a PF in such circumstances a while ago - what seemed to have actually happened was that the bus was put into service at Euston (a 68) before the ticket machine had been set up for that journey, so while I had touched in it was on the previous journey.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

If I've understood things properly..... if an oystercard user fails to touch in or out (which can happen as gates occasionally do strange things in rush hour when people are piling through).... this could result in a penalty fare or even prosecution depending on the whim of a ticket inspector should they be stopped.

If a PAYG contactless bank card user does the same thing the worst that would happen if stopped by a ticket inspector is they would have one mark against that card at the end of the day.....and they would be able to do that three times before their card was blocked / any action taken.

Surely this disparity is outrageously unfair on Oystercard holders who can be penalised for one mistake. Why would anyone use an Oystercard rather than a contactless bank card given the above?

One significant advantage of Oyster is that it can accept Railcard discounts, which contactless still can't.

 

[87 027]

Before now I've touched in on contactless at the start of a journey and although the touch in wasn't recognised (even though it was a gateline and there was no-one in front of me, so no chance of accidentally tailgating), the journey was correctly auto-completed based on my previous travel history. Are we saying that a revenue inspection would prevent the auto complete from working?

 

[MikeWh]

Before now I've touched in on contactless at the start of a journey and although the touch in wasn't recognised (even though it was a gateline and there was no-one in front of me, so no chance of accidentally tailgating), the journey was correctly auto-completed based on my previous travel history. Are we saying that a revenue inspection would prevent the auto complete from working?

I don't think it will stop auto complete because that is all handled by TfL.

 

[ianBR]

So you'd be fine but anyone using Oyster would no doubt have a penalty fare at a minimum never mind what their previous travel history shows. It does seem like the whole situation therefore discriminates against young people who would be using oyster with a railcard discount who will be treated more harshly than others for the same mistake

 

[Hadders]

So you'd be fine but anyone using Oyster would no doubt have a penalty fare at a minimum never mind what their previous travel history shows. It does seem like the whole situation therefore discriminates against young people who would be using oyster with a railcard discount who will be treated more harshly than others for the same mistake

Age has nothing to do with it. Plenty of Gold Card holders, Disabled, and Senior rail card holders with discount loaded on Oyster.