Oyster Cards

Oh I know lets create a great new way for people to get around in london... No more Travel cards will give them all a nice little plastic credit card type thing which they use instead of a travel card, it will be great, they will be able to just open Underground gates but waving their card near a reader...... YEAH RIGHT !!!

I have had nothing but trouble with my card, plash it on the reader, walk forward and you hear that horrible "beep, beep, beep" signalling that it has failed to work again shortly before you walk straight into the unopen gates and hear that low rumble of tutting people behind you !!

"PLEASE SEEK ASSISTANCE" in red writing on the reader ! How familiar....

Decided enough was enough today, time to get a new card.... I went to the Kiosk, queued for 20 mins as is the norm and finally reached the smiling happy face that is London Underground Customer Service !

I expected a simple transfer of the info on my card onto a new card using the wonder of computers but alas, this was not to be the case.... A 4 page form was slid under the screen and I was asked to fill it in and join the back of the new 20 minute queue !! Why do they need to know my address, DOB, sex and Phone numbers again ? Why does it matter who I work for or what regular journeys I make ?? I just want a card that works which I used to have !

Needless to say I politely slid the form back under the screen and told her where I would like her to put it and stormed off...

Funny thing is on the bus to LPS I flashed my card on the reader and it worked ? Mumbled something to the driver about it being a miriacle that it worked, to which he spaked up a conversation... Apparently it turns out that keeping them in your wallet with other cards messes them up ? So my question is this, if that is the case why did they a) Make them a Credit Card style card, perfect for slipping in the wallet and b) WHY THE HELL DON'T THEY TELL YOU NOT TO PUT THEM IN YOUR WALLET !!!!!!!

Where's my shotgun ?