[Gllug] Oyster cards vulnerable?

[Matthew King]

Tethys <sta296 at astradyne.co.uk> writes:

> --------
>
> Nix writes:
>
>>There was another very important reason: it hugely improves flow around
>>ticket barriers if most people use Oyster, because it takes a fraction
>>of the time to validate the card as it does to feed a ticket through.
>>(Normally about a fifth as long.)
>
> You've mentioned that before, but I can't stress how strongly I disagree
> with it. Empirical evidence appears to show exactly the opposite. With a
> paper ticket, you could walk through the barriers without breaking stride.
> With Oyster, you have to stop and wait for the card to be recognised. I'd
> say it takes 2-3 times as long to validate an Oyster card as it did for
> the old paper tickets. Watching people wave their Oyster card repeatedly
> over the reader in a vain attempt to get it to scan has become a daily
> ritual. For that reason alone, I'd rather go back to paper.

I think it makes no real difference what method is used to verify your
paid status, but who is going through the barrier. I always use a paper
ticket and never have to break my stride unless a moron, whether using
paper or plastic, is in front of me.

Concerning speed, the only advantage I can think of to Oyster is that
it's marginally faster for the uninitiated, which is thankfully few when
it's most important.

Of course the *best* argument in favour of increasing passenger
throughput is to get rid of the bloody barriers completely.

Matthew

-- 
I must take issue with the term "a mere child", for it has been my
invariable experience that the company of a mere child is infinitely
preferable to that of a mere adult.
                                           --  Fran Lebowitz
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