I have been traveling using my weekly Z1-Z2 Oyster card even though I was living in Z4. The reason is I get a lift every day. On the days that I am not getting a lift, I use my PAYG Oyster for travel to end destination and touch out.
Once before when I got down at Z4 some revenue officers was checking tickets and I produced my Oyster. Nothing but only a polite “thank you” was said. I was under the impression that I do not have to touch out anytime revenue officers were at the end destination and were validating tickets. I thought if I touched out it will incur as in a start of another journey and they will charge me again for the whole day.
Secondly, within zone 1-2 if I have to touch out, I do otherwise I do not as I have already pre-paid for the journey. Since I never had an issue, I had continued to do for some time now.
One day I travelled to Z8 and revenue officers were at the station I produced my Oyster and walked out. One officer followed me and ask did I touched out my Oyster, I said “No” as I had already been validated by them at the same station (my PAYG Oyster had £48 in credit)
He called me in saying that he needed to have a chat, he checked my journey history and asked why I had not touch out some days. Since it is within Z1-Z2, I explained that unless I had to I do not usually, as I already had a pre-paid valid ticket.
Then he said that I was wrong and that I needed to touch out no matter what. I said I’m sorry I didn’t know anything of that before (as I thought because I had a pre-paid ticket for those zones I have already paid so I didn’t need to touch) and I shall do so from now on. He then asked why I did not touch out on that day after validating my ticket. Therefore, I told him that I was under the opinion that if I touched after the ticket being validated by them it will incur me a new journey cost so I didn’t touch again as I had validated my ticket with him.
He explained to me that validation in the station does not mean that I have touched out; therefore, I need to touch out. I explained that I did not realise this as I was under the opinion that once and officer validates at the exit of a journey I will not need to and said that I shall remember to touch from now on even if an officer validates it.
They took my details and gave me a “Witness statement MG11”. So as per the new finding, and as promised by me when I came out, I touched out.
Since this discovery, I have now always touched out and have always touched out even if an officer has validated my ticket.
I have never had any penalty / any type of court case in my life. I have always lived by the rules avoiding unnecessary headaches. This was a genuine mistake on my part by misguided opinion and wrong information.
Now after a month I have received this letter asking me to disclose all my very personal details (ie NI Number etc) and brief description of the event or otherwise they are going to proceed to court.
As stated to the officer and above, I was under a wrong opinion, which I have promptly changed. Please help me, as I have no clue what to do and how to avoid court charges. I am in education and this is going to affect my career too.
Once before when I got down at Z4 some revenue officers was checking tickets and I produced my Oyster. Nothing but only a polite “thank you” was said. I was under the impression that I do not have to touch out anytime revenue officers were at the end destination and were validating tickets. I thought if I touched out it will incur as in a start of another journey and they will charge me again for the whole day.
Secondly, within zone 1-2 if I have to touch out, I do otherwise I do not as I have already pre-paid for the journey. Since I never had an issue, I had continued to do for some time now.
One day I travelled to Z8 and revenue officers were at the station I produced my Oyster and walked out. One officer followed me and ask did I touched out my Oyster, I said “No” as I had already been validated by them at the same station (my PAYG Oyster had £48 in credit)
He called me in saying that he needed to have a chat, he checked my journey history and asked why I had not touch out some days. Since it is within Z1-Z2, I explained that unless I had to I do not usually, as I already had a pre-paid valid ticket.
Then he said that I was wrong and that I needed to touch out no matter what. I said I’m sorry I didn’t know anything of that before (as I thought because I had a pre-paid ticket for those zones I have already paid so I didn’t need to touch) and I shall do so from now on. He then asked why I did not touch out on that day after validating my ticket. Therefore, I told him that I was under the opinion that if I touched after the ticket being validated by them it will incur me a new journey cost so I didn’t touch again as I had validated my ticket with him.
He explained to me that validation in the station does not mean that I have touched out; therefore, I need to touch out. I explained that I did not realise this as I was under the opinion that once and officer validates at the exit of a journey I will not need to and said that I shall remember to touch from now on even if an officer validates it.
They took my details and gave me a “Witness statement MG11”. So as per the new finding, and as promised by me when I came out, I touched out.
Since this discovery, I have now always touched out and have always touched out even if an officer has validated my ticket.
I have never had any penalty / any type of court case in my life. I have always lived by the rules avoiding unnecessary headaches. This was a genuine mistake on my part by misguided opinion and wrong information.
Now after a month I have received this letter asking me to disclose all my very personal details (ie NI Number etc) and brief description of the event or otherwise they are going to proceed to court.
As stated to the officer and above, I was under a wrong opinion, which I have promptly changed. Please help me, as I have no clue what to do and how to avoid court charges. I am in education and this is going to affect my career too.
