Could the railway cease accepting cash?

[Mojo]

Surely it counts it as it goes in?

No, the buses in the UK that are exact fare and use these cash vaults work as they have a window on the driver's side and he is supposed to count the money manually. These are different from the "vending machine" style which you see in places like the USA.

 

[Clip]

No, the buses in the UK that are exact fare and use these cash vaults work as they have a window on the driver's side and he is supposed to count the money manually. These are different from the "vending machine" style which you see in places like the USA.

Thats madness though isnt it?

 

[Indigo Soup]

Thats madness though isnt it?

Yes, but it's madness that's cheap to install.

 

[Mojo]

Thats madness though isnt it?

That's just how they were designed to work and what has always been the case. I should imagine the technology dates from the date when fares were a lot lower and the liklihood of multiple coins was much less.

 

[Bald Rick]

Surely it counts it as it goes in?

Those in the West Midlands certainly didn’t (in the 80s and 90s at least!)

 

[Mag_seven]

That's just how they were designed to work and what has always been the case. I should imagine the technology dates from the date when fares were a lot lower and the liklihood of multiple coins was much less.

Yes its always amusing to pay for a £2 exact fare in coppers!

 

[island]

It’s also sort of illegal, inasmuch as coppers are only legal tender up to 20p.

(The possibility of getting them back out again is of course low.)

 

[Clip]

That's just how they were designed to work and what has always been the case. I should imagine the technology dates from the date when fares were a lot lower and the liklihood of multiple coins was much less.

Technology to count coins has been around for decades though - when did they first go to this system

 

[krus_aragon]

It’s also sort of illegal, inasmuch as coppers are only legal tender up to 20p.

(The possibility of getting them back out again is of course low.)

Not illegal, just not mandatory to accept in settlement of a debt. If the other person is happy to accept payment or sums over 20p in coppers, then that's up to them.

(Of course, once you've poured them into the bus's hopper, it's hard to decline them.)

 

[duffield]

Not illegal, just not mandatory to accept in settlement of a debt. If the other person is happy to accept payment or sums over 20p in coppers, then that's up to them.

(Of course, once you've poured them into the bus's hopper, it's hard to decline them.)

The hoppers can often jam if you pour a lot of coppers into them (see this often, not caused it I should add).

 

[chorleyjeff]

Ha! I remember those names from another place (now probably obsolete?)

For old times sake what is the name of the other place please?
I remember with nostalgia some of the lively exchanges.

 

[Dai Corner]

For old times sake what is the name of the other place please?
I remember with nostalgia some of the lively exchanges.

The uk.railway Usenet group.

For younger readers, Usenet was an early form of what we now call social media.

https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!forum/uk.railway

 

[chorleyjeff]

There are just people who seem to be surprised when expected to produce any sort of ticket or payment. It doesn't matter if it is cash, bank card, Oyster card or a paper ticket. I have walked into one or two in the tube when they just stop dead in front of the ticket gate and try and remember what they need to find to get through.

Cash becomes a problem on buses when fares are silly amounts ending in odd numbers of pennies which means that either the driver keeps having to count out change or the customer has to search through their pockets/ purse for the right amount.

It takes longer for Lothian Buses to read my Ridacard than it does for me to say "single" and drop £1.70 into the bin.

In deep SW Wales this summer plenty of people paid by contactless. Took longer than handing over a note and getting change. Bat person gets reader from the bar. Customer presents contactless card. Barperson goes to till and waits for receipt to print. Brings receipt to customer

 

[chorleyjeff]

The uk.railway Usenet group.

For younger readers, Usenet was an early form of what we now call social media.

Thanks for info. and so quick

 

[Bletchleyite]

In deep SW Wales this summer plenty of people paid by contactless. Took longer than handing over a note and getting change. Bat person gets reader from the bar. Customer presents contactless card. Barperson goes to till and waits for receipt to print. Brings receipt to customer

That's a poor system. Spoons have the machines fixed on the bar and only issue receipts if requested. If contactless is slower than cash requiring change fundamentally you're doing it wrong.