I would like to see banks issue a new kind of instant payment card. Like they have in Hong Kong where they can use their versions of the Oyster card
to make small purchases like newspapers, snacks, drinks, etc. just by flashing their card.
Didn't Barclays trial this type of card in London?
You get contact-less payment now on a lot of credit cards, ive got it on my virgin and barclaycards. You pay by touching your card to the payment handset. I think the limit is £15.
People worry about fraud but ive always found the cover so good im not going to worry about it.
Just out of interest - I believe these things can be used in place of Oyster cards - that is one of the reasons why I'd potentially avoid getting one... Suppose I get a season ticket loan from work for a pre paid monthly or yearly oyster card but I also have one of these credit cards in my pocket - does anyone know for sure which card is going to be registered first at the barriers - would I risk get billed the oyster PAYG rate on the credit card - worse still will it register swiping in on one and swiping out on the other thus later applying a penalty fare on both.
I've already had enough experiences of fines with faulty barriers etc.. in general to basically not trust TFL to have implemented something like this properly and would wager that the issuers are hoping people would use these things in place of an oyster card.