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Post by setttt on May 1, 2005 11:06:00 GMT
Are there any plans to issue them to kids? I've been checking the website pretty much since they were launched and is still says "No. At present Oyster cards are only valid for adults or persons holding a Student photocard, however, we do have plans to introduce Oyster cards for children in the future."I don't know what their idea of the future is, but I think some two years(?) is enough !!
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Post by chris on May 1, 2005 11:11:03 GMT
On the railways, isn't an adult 15? So is that the same on the underground? Then again, I got away with a childs ticket a few months ago. How do they know what you've got since you only pass through barriers and not actually show a real person your ticket. I saw somone get caught on railcops once for using a childs ticket - i just don't remember how they knew!
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Tom
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Post by Tom on May 1, 2005 11:12:44 GMT
I think there was an issue about pre-pay oyster cards being used for child rate tickets as they were effectively a form of credit.
Why children are permitted to have prepay mobile phones then is beyond me, likewise I don't see why oyster cards can't be used for period child rate tickets.
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Post by setttt on May 1, 2005 11:21:22 GMT
I think there was an issue about pre-pay oyster cards being used for child rate tickets as they were effectively a form of credit. Why children are permitted to have prepay mobile phones then is beyond me, likewise I don't see why oyster cards can't be used for period child rate tickets. It's just as easy for an adult to buy a child ticket in the normal manner then use it fraudulently. If you buy a ticket from the machines using prepay, it gives you a paper ticket anyway. However if you just go straight through the barriers with prepay (on an adult card) then you get charged the adult fare (which of course varies as to where you "touch out" ). And on the subject of p&g phones, believe me my mum will NEVER make the mistake of putting me on a pay monthly tariff again
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2005 19:43:51 GMT
How do they know what you've got since you only pass through barriers and not actually show a real person your ticket. I saw somone get caught on railcops once for using a childs ticket - i just don't remember how they knew! When you go through the gateline, the small screen shows 'Child' or similar.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2005 20:59:55 GMT
Soon it will be free for under 15s to travel on LU, which will loose the need for oyster passes and loads of different photo cards for children.
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Post by setttt on May 1, 2005 21:07:56 GMT
Soon it will be free for under 15s to travel on LU, which will loose the need for oyster passes and loads of different photo cards for children. Really? I know about the plans for kids going free on the Buses but not the Tube. I'm extremely chuffed ;D ;D ;D ;D (it's just a shame that I'll be 16 in a year and a bit )
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Colin
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Post by Colin on May 2, 2005 0:10:39 GMT
Soon it will be free for under 15s to travel on LU, which will loose the need for oyster passes and loads of different photo cards for children. Are you sure, as far as i'm aware that will only apply to buses. Also to answer some other questions - You are considered an adult at age 15 unless you have a photocard, then you can be a child until you're 16th birthday. After that, and providing you are in full or part time education, you can get a discount oyster card for 7 day or longer tickets upto your 18th birthday. As for staff knowing what ticket you have, it's really simple! If you buy it at a touchscreen machine, you may notice that the screen changes colour for child tickets, very easy to spot from a distance. So we may know before you even get to the barriers. As has already been said, the barrier will say 'child' as you pass through and also beeps, another giveaway, though admittedly the beeps are not so easy to spot as oyster cards do the same thing. We can also set the barriers to reject any type of ticket. So if we want to check all the child tickets coming through, we reject them, that then forces the customer to show their ticket to a member of staff to get through the barriers. So if you shouldn't have one, we'll probably find you out!! ;D Incidently, whenever a ticket fails to work a barrier (wether we make it or not) it produces a number. So staff know why the ticket has been rejected before they even speak to the customer. It's amazing how many people alter the date on paper tickets then try to claim it's still valid! As for oyster being available to children, there has never been a plan to introduce them. Obviously there is no technical reason why they cannot, it's just not seen as being needed at the current time. When I used to work in the ticket office, I lost count of the times I had to do replacement tickets for kids - they're always losing them. Another good reason not to bother!
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Post by citysig on May 2, 2005 19:19:46 GMT
You are considered an adult at age 15 unless you have a photocard, then you can be a child until you're 16th birthday. Actually to split hairs, the actual term is "young person" so as not to conflict with "real" adults over the age of 18. Those "adults" are the ones who mess up the railway after too much pop on a friday evening and not the "young persons" (or maybe I should withdraw that statement in light of some of the local establishments I have frequented of late.)
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Post by chris on May 2, 2005 20:26:53 GMT
Could a child buy an Oyster Card and use that anyway? It may save them money in the long run, even though tickets are cheaper. Go on settt, rebel! Live up to your youthful sterotypical ways. Buy a card named after a shellfish! And whos idea was THAT, anyway?
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Post by setttt on May 2, 2005 20:34:23 GMT
Go on settt, rebel! Live up to your youthful sterotypical ways. Now you mention it Chris, I already have done ;D. Can't by travelcards with it though . It was, of course, a complete waste of time because I can only buy paper tickets with it so I don't use it at all now . Typical! Would still like a kids one though...
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Colin
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Post by Colin on May 5, 2005 1:00:30 GMT
Actually to split hairs, the actual term is "young person" so as not to conflict with "real" adults over the age of 18. 'Young person' is a term used on 'Network Rail' lines for a specific discount railcard. It should not be confused with those of a certain age, which the Underground call children. They are two completely different terms. As I used to work in a ticket office till fairly recently, i can speak with some knowledge of the subject!! ;D
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Post by citysig on May 5, 2005 8:15:11 GMT
Then the phrase was changed fairly recently. I direct you to the good old RM. Can't give you a specific page (as I've looked at too many recently) but if I get chance later I will dig it out.
It's not a reference to any specific ticket type, but a politically correct description of those little, sorry young ******s.
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Post by chris on May 5, 2005 15:12:42 GMT
What is the age which seperates the children from the big people on the underground? I know it's 15 on mainline, 12 on BA and 23 months on EasyJet. (not that planes have much relevance here)
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Post by setttt on May 5, 2005 17:11:45 GMT
What is the age which seperates the children from the big people on the underground? I know it's 15 on mainline, 12 on BA and 23 months on EasyJet. (not that planes have much relevance here)
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Post by citysig on May 5, 2005 18:12:40 GMT
Actually to split hairs, the actual term is "young person" so....
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Post by tube10 on May 11, 2005 18:03:53 GMT
are oyster cards used in a swipe fashion at the fare barrier for the underground
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Post by setttt on May 11, 2005 18:36:13 GMT
are oyster cards used in a swipe fashion at the fare barrier for the underground No, oyster cards are placed over a yellow 'reader' which are present on all ticket barriers and bus ticket machines. There is a small antenna inside the card which communicates with the ticket barrier, whereas with standard paper tickets, the magnetic strip does the same job, albeit differently.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2005 8:38:03 GMT
No, oyster cards are placed over a yellow 'reader' which are present on all ticket barriers and bus ticket machines. For best results, you should lightly 'touch' the Oyster card on the reader.
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Colin
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Post by Colin on Jun 6, 2005 23:50:00 GMT
I noticed in this weeks internal publications that reference is being made to photocard child, 16/17 and new deal oyster cards being available later in 2005. According to the said material, pre pay will be available. No specific date has been mentioned though. Might be good news for some of you.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2005 17:26:00 GMT
Childrate & 16-17 yr old Oyster photocards, will be available via the Post office from July 1st. You fill in a form, pay a fiver and 2 weeks later, your Oyster is due.
BTW, free bus journeys are only available to 14-15 year olds, if they have a child Oyster.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2005 19:57:47 GMT
When I use the system off duty, I like 'amusing' tourists, by hiding my Oyster up me sleeve and waving it over the reader while clicking my fingers... ;D
The questions I get from amazed travellers is quite funny! [well, to me it is anyway]
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2005 17:17:35 GMT
For best results, you should lightly 'touch' the Oyster card on the reader. And cook on gas mark 5 for 20 minutes! ;D
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Post by q8 on Jul 26, 2005 17:34:33 GMT
And cook on gas mark 5 for 20 minutes! ; ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Which? The oyster card or the bleedin' passenger?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2005 19:07:28 GMT
I like 'amusing' tourists, by hiding my Oyster up me sleeve and waving it over the reader while clicking my fingers... ;D ooh ooh! I've done that! The look of bewliderment you get is fried gold.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2005 22:51:11 GMT
All Adult 'within the zones' weeklys are going over to Oyster from 25/9/05. Bus passes can still be sold on both. From 14/8/05 - 25/9/05, the £3 deposit charged on Oyster weekly travelcards is being waived.
All CHILD, 5-10 & 11-15 childrate photocards are no longer valid from 1/1/06. So from the 2/1/06 all Child 'within the zones' weeklies are going over to Oyster.
All STUDENT discount rate travelcards & bus passes will be only available on Oyster from 25/9/05.
The only magnetic weekly tickets left will be to destinations outside the zones, plus travelcards sold by NR stations and certain newsagents.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2005 20:40:37 GMT
I once put a question to my beloved TOC, South Eastern. What prompted my letter, was the difficulty in getting a ticket from Victoria to Canterbury for my A/L visit to see family etc. I wanted to book the ticket a few days in advance [booked on the 30th January], so that i wouldnt have to spend 25 minutes q'ing up; those of you who have tried to use the Main Line Booking office at Vic will know what I mean. But anyways, after a long wait, I finally get to the front, and despite not being callled forward by that voice thing 'Cashier number SIX please', was shoved forward by some bloke behind me. I tell him, yeah alright, alright, no rush. A rather gruff "huh, window's free" was the reply. Now here was the fun. I told the cashier of my outward journey date [4th February], then asked for a Single to Canterbury. "When you coming back" she says. "Err, I've just asked for a SINGLE, single means I'm not coming back" tap tap tap tap on the tickety machine. I give her the cash, she gives me the tickets. It's clear she hasn'ty listened to me, not ONE iota. She's given me a RETURN to Caterham for the same day. I explain HER mistake, she grabs the tickets back off me, physically assaults the ticket machine, before demanding another £6.90. A little bit of cuctomer care wouldnt go amiss here. After she finally gets it right, I say Thank you rather sarcasticly. Now, my letter to SE Trains. I told them of the development of Oyster and enclosed a few leaflets for thier benefit. They replied within 5 days, which mildly surprised me. They said they were aware of Oyster, but would not be able to develop it for use on SE Trains, because of the complex number of ticket types. Fine, then why not simplify that? Certainly, i do hope that all TOC's change thier views and adopt a similar system.
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Post by yorkie on Aug 13, 2005 12:09:33 GMT
What is the age which seperates the children from the big people on the underground? I know it's 15 on mainline, 12 on BA and 23 months on EasyJet. (not that planes have much relevance here) If you're under 16 you can get child rate fares on National Rail but you may be asked to prove your age. You can get a Child Rate photocard. At the age of 16 you can get fares that are almost as cheap as child rate fares (34% off instead of 50% off) by getting a Young Persons Railcard. This saves me £hundreds a year! (Combined with knowing the cheapest combination of tickets, means that I often pay less than the Child fare for a particular journey, e.g. York to London walk-on fare, instead of paying £69.30 I pay £33 ) And before someone says you can't use a Y-P Railcard on the Underground, there are (legal!) ways round that too. ;D
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Post by yorkie on Aug 13, 2005 12:14:36 GMT
They said they were aware of Oyster, but would not be able to develop it for use on SE Trains, because of the complex number of ticket types. Fine, then why not simplify that? Certainly, i do hope that all TOC's change thier views and adopt a similar system. Oyster is non-standard . There's an article I recommend you read in the latest issue of Modern Railways (It's in Roger Ford's 'Informed Sources') about smart card systems. As for the ticket staff at Victoria, I've also had an abysmal experience there. Rude staff and desperate - yes desperate - to find some reason not to issue the tickets I asked for. We missed our train because of them. I'll never use them again.
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Post by compsci on Aug 13, 2005 14:50:27 GMT
And before someone says you can't use a Y-P Railcard on the Underground, there are (legal!) ways round that too. ;D Well I know about the standard discount applying on the day travelcard tickets (one of which I intend to get next Saturday). Buying one from Cambridge exposes the discount as being 34% rather than 1/3, as £21 becomes £13.85 rather than the expected £14.
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