Stuff & Things

TFL want £80, I try reasoning with them.

To Whom it may concern,

My “reason for not producing a valid ticket, or validated oyster card when requested” is simply and honestly, genuine human error. To appeal to your common sense and give a background, here are a few facts about my journey:

• This is my daily commute to work
• Until very recently I paid for a weekly travel card for this exact journey.
• The “get ahead of the games” posters suggest alternative routes to work in preparation for the London 2012 games.

I recently stopped paying for a travel card to cycle to work. However, when it is wet outside, I take the tube. As a result I have switched to pre-pay, a system which relies on tapping in and out without fail: something I am no longer used to.

Logically, even if I did have reason to try to “dodge” my commute, the fact that I often take this journey at least proves that I am well aware that there are barriers at Oxford Circus. It just doesn’t make sense for anyone to suddenly decide to stop paying, under these circumstances. What happened was this:

• I had thought there was money left on the card
• Crucially, I forgot to “tap in” at Finsbury Park and so was not informed by the machine that this was the case.
• Completely unawares, I attempted to tap out at oxford Circus
• Thinking it was a card error, I approached a TFl employee.
• On being informed what had happened, I wanted to pay the fare and top up my card
• I was told I could not pay and there was no capacity to do so, then given this fine.

In conclusion, I have a history of regular payment for this journey on my card. This was genuine human error and I apologise for it. I really do not want to waste any tax payers money on going to court: I am happy to pay the fare but not the fine.

Thanks for reading,

Luke