I tend to think of myself as knowing quite a bit about ticketing, but got into a right pickle at Stratford today. I wonder if anyone has done the same?
I was travelling from Harrow & Wealdstone to Canary Wharf. Touched on at Harrow's platform validators (as I was changing from paper to Oyster), took a service to Willesden Junction. Then touched a pink reader and continued onto Stratford.
When I was at Stratford, I then touched a pink reader again and headed over to the DLR platforms.
The DLR platforms have a ticket machine (within the gated area*) and Oyster validators. The wording on the validator read something like "Oyster Pay as You Go users must touch in before travelling on the DLR". Thinking this was a Wimbledon tram situation, I touched my Oyster card. On the screen, I got EXIT.
I touched again, to try and create an entry. Each time, I just got EXIT again. Decided not to board the DLR as I didn't want a PF.
Headed out to the barriers to touch out. Then back in again. Even walking in through the barriers generated an EXIT on the screen. But they opened, so I continued along.
On the DLR, the PSA checked my Oyster. The red light came on and he asked if I started at Harrow & Wealdstone. I said yes, he seemed shocked by the route I'd taken! He also said that there was no entry marker set, so it would reject, but he could see I was mid-journey so allowed me to continue with the advice of making sure I touched out at Canary Wharf.
I touched out there. The whole journey cost 95p, as expected (bargain).
Looking at the history on the machine, each EXIT has triggered a deduction of £0.00 from my card. I find it strange that I was also allowed an OSI at the same station (is this normal)?
Has anyone else been confused by the wording on the platform validators at Stratford?
* = Why would anyone present themselves ticketless at the barrier when they could buy a ticket from this machine if arriving ticketless?
I was travelling from Harrow & Wealdstone to Canary Wharf. Touched on at Harrow's platform validators (as I was changing from paper to Oyster), took a service to Willesden Junction. Then touched a pink reader and continued onto Stratford.
When I was at Stratford, I then touched a pink reader again and headed over to the DLR platforms.
The DLR platforms have a ticket machine (within the gated area*) and Oyster validators. The wording on the validator read something like "Oyster Pay as You Go users must touch in before travelling on the DLR". Thinking this was a Wimbledon tram situation, I touched my Oyster card. On the screen, I got EXIT.
I touched again, to try and create an entry. Each time, I just got EXIT again. Decided not to board the DLR as I didn't want a PF.
Headed out to the barriers to touch out. Then back in again. Even walking in through the barriers generated an EXIT on the screen. But they opened, so I continued along.
On the DLR, the PSA checked my Oyster. The red light came on and he asked if I started at Harrow & Wealdstone. I said yes, he seemed shocked by the route I'd taken! He also said that there was no entry marker set, so it would reject, but he could see I was mid-journey so allowed me to continue with the advice of making sure I touched out at Canary Wharf.
I touched out there. The whole journey cost 95p, as expected (bargain).
Looking at the history on the machine, each EXIT has triggered a deduction of £0.00 from my card. I find it strange that I was also allowed an OSI at the same station (is this normal)?
Has anyone else been confused by the wording on the platform validators at Stratford?
* = Why would anyone present themselves ticketless at the barrier when they could buy a ticket from this machine if arriving ticketless?