tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31419460.post5683641652095000389..comments2024-03-25T19:07:00.917+00:00Comments on Arthur Pewty's maggot sandwich: More fish?Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12188628589645074377noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31419460.post-55323902995158362782017-03-02T16:11:13.717+00:002017-03-02T16:11:13.717+00:00For 20+ years I used a paper monthly travel card a...For 20+ years I used a paper monthly travel card and then an Oyster based monthly travel card as part of my old 9-5 job. I never had a problem with it. Now I have a job where I work a lot from home I use a pay-as-you-go Oyster card (which has ended up saving me over £100 a month) so I'm very aware of the flaws of the latter. <br /><br />However, by simply registering your card with TFL these flaws are much negated. If they think you have been overcharged and it's your fault (by failing to tap out for instance) they will tell you and ask if you want a refund. If it is their fault they will refund you automatically. You can also check your journey history online and check for any inconsistences/due refunds. Applying for a refund is very easy either online or by phone and I've never been refused one yet. I've even asked staff at stations who have refunded my card on the machine there and then. The often quoted multi-million pound figure of 'unclaimed' Oyster money I suspect comes from tourists not using up the Oyster cards they have purchased or people not bothering to claim for refunds they are eligible for because either a.) they can't be bothered 'because it's just a pound or two' or b.) they have not registered their card so aren't aware they were 'overcharged'/due a refund in the first place. <br /><br />Last year I recently had to apply for an Oyster based refund from South Eastern Trains which took three weeks and a number of e-mails! In the end they sent me a cheque which must have cost them more in time, effort, paper and postage as the money owed!<br /><br />Having just returned from Paris where I used the Metro quite a lot I found the paper ticket system they still have has many advantages, namely that of not having to 'touch out' or show or use the ticket to exit the system at all. Once you enter the system you can ride all day for as long as you want before exiting, as opposed to the TFL Oyster card where you have a time limit judged on the distance you have travelled before you are charged the 'full fare'. This latter point is for me the biggest fault with the Oyster System. crashcallowayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17400006535764893103noreply@blogger.com