Travel irregularity - using someone else's Oyster card

[Jhen]

Hi, i would like to ask what does travel irregularity means? Is their a possible to bring to court about this case?

 

[GadgetMan]

Travel irregularity could refer to a number of situations. It could be due to a passenger breaking the rules/byelaws or it could be due to being sold the wrong ticket or provided with incorrect information by a member of railway staff.

You need to provide a little more information before anyone will be able to tell you whether there's any likelyhood of it going to court.

 

[Jhen]

It was in the bus. I have 2 oyster by that time. 1 was mine and the other was the oyster of my friend, then when i touch my wallet in the bus its the oyster of my friend touch. Then the inspector came, and get the oyster of my friend asking me why im using it, i said i hve my oyster but she keep on asking me why im using it. Then i receive letter, then i explained everything, then i receive second letter travel irregularity.

 

[Hellfire]

Why did you have your friend's Oyster in your wallet. How did the person who challenged you know which card you had touched with? More details please?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
One more question I should have asked. Was your friend's Oyster loaded with a Travel Card of some description or was it Pay as you Go?

 

[yorkie]

There is clearly some missing information, and I can't make sense of what has been posted so far. It doesn't make sense to me.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with loaning a normal Oyster card used for full-fare PAYG to someone else (and before anyone asks, yes even if it has been capped already).

So, clearly, the allegation is that there was a discount loaded, to which the passenger was not entitled, or there was a Travelcard loaded, or it was some other pass that gives reduced rate travel (e.g. Zip, Freedom, etc).

 

[Hellfire]

It might be useful if the OP posts a copy of the letter with any personal information removed.

My suspicion is that Yorkie has identified the problem

 

[londonbridge]

I saw this exact scenario earlier this evening. Boarded a bus and went to touch in but the driver waved me on saying 'it's not working'. Sat down. Ticket inspector got on. I thought I was finally going to have the scenario with a ticket inspector and being unable to touch in due to a faulty reader. Sadly it wasn't to be as he started down the bus, looking at peoples cards but not attempting to scan them. Got to the woman two seats ahead of me, looked at her Oyster, then asked for the photocard, which she didn't have. From the ensuing conversation it turned out she was using her boyfriend's Oyster which had a discount attached. He started taking her details and whilst all this was going on the bus reached my stop so I got up and got off, he didn't stop me or ask to see my card.

 

[Hellfire]

Sadly it wasn't to be as he started down the bus, looking at peoples cards but not attempting to scan them. Got to the woman two seats ahead of me, looked at her Oyster, then asked for the photocard, which she didn't have.

I don't understand this. You can't tell just by looking at an Oyster, what is loaded on it, it has to be scanned. So, how did he know, just by looking at her card, that she was supposed to have a photo card. It could have been that her card was PAYG in which case no photo card is needed.

I have PAYG for my frequent trips to London and, in all cases where RPIs have boarded the tube they scan every Oyster.

That's the point I could not understand in the OP's tale of woe. I notice that he/she has been remarkably quiet.

 

[455driver]

There is the posibility that she is known to the RPIs and it was a sting operation!

 

[londonbridge]

I don't understand this. You can't tell just by looking at an Oyster, what is loaded on it, it has to be scanned.. So, how did he know, just by looking at her card, that she was supposed to have a photo card. It could have been that her card was PAYG in which case no photo card is needed.

I have PAYG for my frequent trips to London and, in all cases where RPIs have boarded the tube they scan every Oyster.

I know, but that's what he did.

On more than one occasion I've been on a train and an RPI has come along and just nodded and moved on when I held out my card. When I worked in Kingston I would sometimes get a train to Surbiton and then walk round or hop a bus to the office, this was before PAYG on National Rail was valid, the RPI would just ask anyone with an Oyster "Are you going to Surbiton"? and never attempt to read the card, so they couldn't have known whether you had a zone 6 travelcard or even no travelcard at all.

 

[Hellfire]

I wasn't doubting your story, but in the context of the what the OP wrote it just seemed strange. Maybe it was a sting as has been suggested

 

[district]

Or it could have been a pass that obviously requires a photocard? Like a staff pass?

 

[island]

I think speculation is pointless and can only hope the OP will come back and enlighten us.

 

[londonbridge]

I wasn't doubting your story, but in the context of the what the OP wrote it just seemed strange.

That's okay. From my knowledge of Oyster (mostly gained from here and/or Mike's site) I also found it odd. The RPI was having a lengthy conversation with the driver before he started inspecting peoples tickets so obviously he must have been aware that the reader wasn't working.

On a similar note I wonder what the procedure is if an RPI boards a bus where you haven't touched in due to a faulty reader but were intending to pay with your contactless debit card rather than an Oyster?

 

[Mojo]

I don't understand this. You can't tell just by looking at an Oyster, what is loaded on it, it has to be scanned. So, how did he know, just by looking at her card, that she was supposed to have a photo card.

If it is a Staff pass, Contractor's pass, Bus operator's pass or similar then these cards are visibly different and there is no need to scan the card to see that a photograph is required as the photocard is always held as a separate item and required for these passes.

There are other passes such as Freedom passes, Zip cards (for young people), Student Oyster photocards and others which have the photo on the front but which may potentially be obscured.