Description
Patrick McManus
It is unfair to blame (fine) the customer for a system level problem if a tired, stressed, hassled or uncomfortable passenger forgets to touch in or touch out the Oyster Card. The solution is simple. Transport For London should not allow a customer in or out without touching the Oyster Card in or out. It is unreasonable to blame the user for a system level problem i.e. to blame the customer for a flaw in the system. People are not perfect and even the most honest are led to walk into and out of chaotic stations in a hurry and simply forget. Other civilised countries don't treat their customers like this, if they have to leave the gates open because of a problem with the system or lack of staff then they should not blame the customer. Simple isn't it ?
Problem History
- 1 Patrick McManus reported the issue on FixMyTransport. close 14:18 01 Sep 2011 #
-
2
Patrick McManus wrote to Southern
close
14:18 01 Sep 2011
#
Here is the letter that Patrick McManus wrote.
Oyster Card System
It is rather unfair to expect customers to remember to touch in and touch out the Oyster Card on every occasion. When commuters are tired, uncomfortable or stressed they may just forget. Why are railway stations leaving ticket gates open putting the customer in the position of forgetting to touch in or out ? The solution is simple, if TFL doesnt want this problem then they should not leave ticket gates open. I find it totally unacceptable to blame the customer for errors in the system. Solution : if the customer doesnt touch in or out then don't let them in or out respectively ! This is a system level problem not a customer level problem and it is unacceptable to "fine" the customer for an error on the system level not on the customer level. It is not the customer's fault because people especially when tired or stressed can quite easily and honestly forget and just walk through a gate which should not be open anyway. To blame the customer is tantamount to indirect fraud against the paying customer.
-
Dear Sir/Madam,
We have received your query with reference number
[1960-1314885073].
Thank you for your email.
Thank you for your enquiry, we appreciate you taking the time to
contact us. We aim to respond in full to your enquiry within 5
working days.
You can also contact us by phone (08451 27 29 20), fax (08451 27
29 30) or in writing (Southern Customer Services, PO Box 3021,
Bristol, BS2 2BS). You can also submit a webform at:
[1]www.southernrailway.com/your-journey/contact-us/contact-us-form
Kind Regards,
Southern Customer Services
Reminder of your message
----------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Southern,
The problem report below has been sent to you via the website
FixMyTransport.com.
It refers to a problem on the train route between London
Victoria
and Sutton (London)
-----------------
From: Patrick McManus, <[Make The Oyster Card System Fair email]>
Subject: Oyster Card System
Details:
It is rather unfair to expect customers to remember to touch in
and
touch out the Oyster Card on every occasion. When commuters are
tired, uncomfortable or stressed they may just forget. Why are
railway stations leaving ticket gates open putting the customer
in
the position of forgetting to touch in or out ? The solution is
simple, if TFL doesnt want this problem then they should not
leave
ticket gates open. I find it totally unacceptable to blame the
customer for errors in the system. Solution : if the customer
doesnt touch in or out then don't let them in or out
respectively !
This is a system level problem not a customer level problem and
it
is unacceptable to "fine" the customer for an error on the
system
level not on the customer level. It is not the customer's fault
because people especially when tired or stressed can quite
easily
and honestly forget and just walk through a gate which should
not
be open anyway. To blame the customer is tantamount to indirect
fraud against the paying customer.
------------------
THE FOLLOWING DETAILS ARE INCLUDED BY FIXMYTRANSPORT TO HELP YOU
MANAGE THIS PROBLEM
Location name: Train route between London Victoria and Sutton
(London)
----------
ABOUT THIS PROBLEM REPORT
Sender: [Make The Oyster Card System Fair email]
PLEASE NOTE: Your replies to this problem report WILL BE
PUBLISHED
ONLINE
To view a map of the precise location of this issue, or to
provide
an update on the problem, please visit the following link:
http://www.fixmytransport.com/campaigns/...
Thanks,
FixMyTransport
[ This message was sent via FixMyTransport.com - a
not-for-profit
service dedicated to helping people get public transport
problems
resolved. If there is a more appropriate email address for
messages
about this type of problem, please let us know by visiting
. This will help improve
the service for people travelling. We also welcome any other
feedback you may have. ]
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This e-mail message has been scanned and cleared by NetIQ
MailMarshal.
Southern Railway Ltd is registered in England No. 06574965.
Registered office: 3rd Floor, 41-51 Grey Street, Newcastle Upon
Tyne, NE1 6EE
This email is sent subject to our email disclaimer which can be
accessed here http://www.southernrailway.com/emaildisc...
Southern is the trading name of Southern Railway Ltd. Registered
in England under number: 06574965 Registered offices: 3rd Floor,
41-51 Grey Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6EE.
This email is sent subject to our email disclaimer which can be
accessed at: [2]www.southernrailway.com/emaildisclaimer
References
Visible links
1. file:///tmp/www.southernrailway.com/your-journey/contact-us/contact-us-form
2. file:///tmp/www.southernrailway.com/emaildisclaimer -
4
Patrick McManus commented
close
15:24 01 Sep 2011
#
This issue is addressed to Transport For London (TFL) rather than Southern just fixmytransport.com asked to input journey details and then allocated this issue to a route covered by Southern rather than the umbrella TFL.
-
5
Myf Nixon advised Patrick to write to Transport for London.
close
16:46 01 Sep 2011
#
Hi Patrick,
Apologies for the misrouting of your email - I've provided the TfL email address here.
Good luck!
Myf Nixon
anorakadmin -
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for contacting us.
As neither of the stations you commute to or from are managed by
Southern and the Oyster card is regulated by TFL, I would
suggest you contact the relevant organisation who can assist you
with your request.
If you wish to contact us further regarding your query then
please contact our Customer Service team directly at:
[1][Southern problem reporting email] or by phone on 08451 27 29 20 or
in writing to Southern Customer Services, PO Box 3021, Bristol,
BS2 2BS quoting ticket number [1960-1314885073] on all
communication.
Alternatively please use the contact us page You can also submit
a webform at:
[2]www.southernrailway.com/your-journey/contact-us/contact-us-form
quoting your ticket number.
Kind regards,
Naomi Altass
Southern Customer Services
Your message :
Dear Southern,
The problem report below has been sent to you via the website
FixMyTransport.com.
It refers to a problem on the train route between London
Victoria
and Sutton (London)
-----------------
From: Patrick McManus, <[Make The Oyster Card System Fair email]>
Subject: Oyster Card System
Details:
It is rather unfair to expect customers to remember to touch in
and
touch out the Oyster Card on every occasion. When commuters are
tired, uncomfortable or stressed they may just forget. Why are
railway stations leaving ticket gates open putting the customer
in
the position of forgetting to touch in or out ? The solution is
simple, if TFL doesnt want this problem then they should not
leave
ticket gates open. I find it totally unacceptable to blame the
customer for errors in the system. Solution : if the customer
doesnt touch in or out then don't let them in or out
respectively !
This is a system level problem not a customer level problem and
it
is unacceptable to "fine" the customer for an error on the
system
level not on the customer level. It is not the customer's fault
because people especially when tired or stressed can quite
easily
and honestly forget and just walk through a gate which should
not
be open anyway. To blame the customer is tantamount to indirect
fraud against the paying customer.
------------------
THE FOLLOWING DETAILS ARE INCLUDED BY FIXMYTRANSPORT TO HELP YOU
MANAGE THIS PROBLEM
Location name: Train route between London Victoria and Sutton
(London)
----------
ABOUT THIS PROBLEM REPORT
Sender: [Make The Oyster Card System Fair email]
PLEASE NOTE: Your replies to this problem report WILL BE
PUBLISHED
ONLINE
To view a map of the precise location of this issue, or to
provide
an update on the problem, please visit the following link:
http://www.fixmytransport.com/campaigns/...
Thanks,
FixMyTransport
[ This message was sent via FixMyTransport.com - a
not-for-profit
service dedicated to helping people get public transport
problems
resolved. If there is a more appropriate email address for
messages
about this type of problem, please let us know by visiting
. This will help improve
the service for people travelling. We also welcome any other
feedback you may have. ]
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This e-mail message has been scanned and cleared by NetIQ
MailMarshal.
Southern Railway Ltd is registered in England No. 06574965.
Registered office: 3rd Floor, 41-51 Grey Street, Newcastle Upon
Tyne, NE1 6EE
This email is sent subject to our email disclaimer which can be
accessed here http://www.southernrailway.com/emaildisc...
Southern is the trading name of Southern Railway Ltd. Registered
in England under number: 06574965 Registered offices: 3rd Floor,
41-51 Grey Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6EE.
This email is sent subject to our email disclaimer which can be
accessed at: [3]www.southernrailway.com/emaildisclaimer
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[Southern problem reporting email]
2. file:///tmp/www.southernrailway.com/your-journey/contact-us/contact-us-form
3. file:///tmp/www.southernrailway.com/emaildisclaimer
Problem Reporter