During crowds at Tube exit passengers told ‘don’t touch out, just walk through’

[bakerstreet]

As above a friend of mine paid on contactless, touched in but did not touch out this morning at Oxford Circus. There seemed to be a gate fault and some of the gates were out of use. Their contactless they say is not registered.

I’ve told them they may get it automatically resolved but presumably if not registered they can’t self complete (unless it could work if they registered it now?)

Otherwise am I right should the system automatically pick this up and resolve?

 

[Hadders]

The system should automatically resolve the journey. If this doesn't happen then a call to ther helpdesk will get it resolved.

 

[MikeWh]

Your friend can still register their contactless card and then access and query past journeys.

 

[swt_passenger]

Your friend can still register their contactless card and then access and query past journeys.

Does auto resolution require some sort of stored track record of making a particular journey at the right time of day?

What I really mean is, if it happens that the barriers are open on the first time you’ve ever been to Oxford Circus with that card, you’re not going to be resolved.

I’m assuming they also don’t just allocate every uncompleted contactless journey in the system at that time to Oxford Circus, so do you know roughly what’s the process used?

 

[bakerstreet]

The system should automatically resolve the journey. If this doesn't happen then a call to ther helpdesk will get it resolved.

Your friend can still register their contactless card and then access and query past journeys.

Thanks both this is very helpful and ill pass it on. I’ve not yet used contactless so this was outside of my knowledge

 

[PeterC]

Does auto resolution require some sort of stored track record of making a particular journey at the right time of day?

What I really mean is, if it happens that the barriers are open on the first time you’ve ever been to Oxford Circus with that card, you’re not going to be resolved.

I’m assuming they also don’t just allocate every uncompleted contactless journey in the system at that time to Oxford Circus, so do you know roughly what’s the process used?

I have had round trips between the same station pair resolved automatically.

I don't know about more complex journeys but based on touch in times they should be able to derive a fairly accurate set of probable.

 

[Snow1964]

I vaguely remember someone in past said one of the auto resolutions is to see if reverse journey is made on same day, then assume you did that

 

[swt_passenger]

I vaguely remember someone in past said one of the auto resolutions is to see if reverse journey is made on same day, then assume you did that

Ah yes, that would be an obvious check wouldn’t it.

 

[Taunton]

I vaguely remember someone in past said one of the auto resolutions is to see if reverse journey is made on same day, then assume you did that

I had this happen a while ago, the fire alarms had gone off at Marble Arch, all were hustled out. The auto-complete is only partial, because we then went shopping in the West End, and carried on later from a completely different station, it didn't auto complete, and in fact cost me money.

The "call to the help desk" approach is unfortunately a typical 'railway bubble' response, because most users do not spend half their lives acting as surrogate accountants for TfL ticketing, double-checking every little penny of their charging, or even know of such a facility, and just expect it to work. I think many passengers do not even know that if you don't touch out you are charged a maximum fare, one which has increased far faster than regular fares.

The silly situation with Crossrail at Custom House where connecting from DLR to Crossrail penalty charged me on opening day and occasions afterwards; despite extensive comment on it here and elsewhere the system never auto-resolved things, or made subsequent refunds, and only a later software fix stopped it doing so.

 

[matt_world2004]

Does auto resolution require some sort of stored track record of making a particular journey at the right time of day?

I believe that auto resolution works by going on the starting point of the next journey or the finishing point of the previous journey too . To guess where the person touched in/Out based on what they did on the outward/Return journey.

 

[MikeWh]

you are charged a maximum fare, one which has increased far faster than regular fares.

No it hasn't. For the vast majority of stations the maximum fare is the same as a NR-T zone 1-6 fare. Granted NR fares have risen faster than TfL fares while the freeze was on, but I'd hardly call it far faster.

 

[Kite159]

Nice way for TfL to raise a little extra revenue from those who don't notice they get charged a maximum fare for failing to touch out and hence don't get in touch with the help desk to sort it out.

 

[Taunton]

Nice way for TfL to raise a little extra revenue from those who don't notice they get charged a maximum fare for failing to touch out and hence don't get in touch with the help desk to sort it out.

Quite. I've often asked, but been unable to find out, what percentage of those charged this Maximum Fare actually notice, challenge it, and have it resolved. I suspect a small number (and most such are likely posters on here). And then, what percentage of those charged it have had it done incorrectly, as here.

 

[Birmingham]

Nice way for TfL to raise a little extra revenue from those who don't notice they get charged a maximum fare for failing to touch out and hence don't get in touch with the help desk to sort it out.

Brilliant. Just randomly open up gatelines and rush people out then. They should hire you!

 

[DaventryRabbit]

Nice way for TfL to raise a little extra revenue from those who don't notice they get charged a maximum fare for failing to touch out and hence don't get in touch with the help desk to sort it out.

Agree
I have thought this ever since Oyster was Introduced. They must know that most people are too Lazy/can't be asked/don't understand the system/can't decipher their Bank Statement and so it is therefore a bit of a Licence to Print Money in some Ways