Contactless cards could be a pain in the wallet
TfL has confirmed that they’ll be bringing contactless payment systems to London’s buses this week. From today, commuters will be able to pay for single bus journeys using ‘wave & pay’ credit or debit cards, eliminating those embarrassing moments when you’re left fumbling for change ahead of an impatient crowd. However, the introduction of contactless card readers may prove more of a hindrance than a help, as the near field communication sensors being installed are unable to differentiate between ‘wave & pay’ and Oyster cards. Commuters who keep their Oyster and contactless cards in close proximity may have to rejig their wallet, as the reader will either reject both or take payment from the wrong card. Those of you who carry several contactless card (Oyster card, payment card or building pass) may have to go through the rigmarole of selecting the card you intend to pay with. Some existing ‘wave & pay’ users have reported that simply keeping cards on opposite sides of a wallet and swiping the appropriate side eliminates this problem. So much for making things easier! Jonno Hopkins
[...] two months after the option to pay for busses with a contactless card was put in place, a pretty significant fault has been flagged up. Turns out if you have your Oyster [...]