Hello, need some advice.
I was stopped on the 29 London bus by an inspector who said my oyster card was not validated.
I did touch the card reader when boarding the bus, I definitely know it, but the card was not read.
I checked my credit balance at the tube station later during the day and the bus fare was not deducted from my oyster card.
I had more than enough credit to cover the cost of the travel which the inspector acknowledged.
However he took my details and said I would receive a letter,
I was not given the chance to pay a fine so I think a prosecution is intended.
I always pay for my travel and had topped up my credit twice on the day before, indeed I have made regular top ups.
The inspector thinks I am a regular fare evader on bendy buses, but my oyster journey history will show I pay for travel on such buses frequently.
The big problem is Transport for London have registered my card without telling me and put a password on it which means I cannot get a printout of my journey history.
Also I was fined 2 years ago for this same situation, that is why I know that I touched the card reader as I have tried to stop this same thing happening again....
I do not think magistrates will believe me.
A criminal record will stop me being a teacher which I aim to be.
I forgot to mention that the inspector said Transport for London would not look at CCTV footage.
But the footage would show me touching the card reader as I got on at the first stop and the bus was not crowded
so nothing should obscure the camera's view.
Also no thorough test of the card reader was performed, just the inspector put his reader against it.
I do not think that could detect any problems the reader may have had at the start of the journey.
Please can I have some advice. Mark.