FNRttC Friday Night Ride to the Coast in aid of Martlets Hospice 2nd September 2011

[funnymummy]

I only have one back light, it's the front ones I have lots of - I want to see where i'm going LOL!

 

[funnymummy]

I have just encountered the bureaucracy that is Southern Rail..after checking train times online, but being unable to buy my ticket online due to 'Error On Script' thign that kept popping up, I piled the bubbas into the car & went to the station, I parked in the taxi rank right outisde the station, yes naughty I know but as the 3 disabled bays were full of non blue badge cars & i was only going to the machine right next to where my car was parked I didn't think it that big a deal!
Anyhoo... machine won't give me the same price as online quote, so have to get in the queue in the ticket office. At this point I can see a taxi driver eying my car.. finaly get to the window to be told the ticket is £14.99 Oh?? Machine said £19.99 I tells the lady, but online it is only £3.70, she tells me to go buy online then. I tell her I would if their online ticket sales thingy was working, she says nothing she can do, as she does not have access to that site...
So the ticket office at a Southern Rail station does not have access to the Southern Rail ticket sales site...? She asks me if I want a ticket or not...On the sheer principle that she wants to charge me 4x the online price i polilty decline her offer & leave, only to encounter the grumpy taxi driver waiting by my car wanting to moan at me for parking in one of the 12 taxi bays..there are only 3 taxis waiting at the station.
I'll keep trying the website LOL!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I have just encountered the bureaucracy that is Southern Rail..after checking train times online, but being unable to buy my ticket online due to 'Error On Script' thign that kept popping up, I piled the bubbas into the car & went to the station, I parked in the taxi rank right outisde the station, yes naughty I know but as the 3 disabled bays were full of non blue badge cars & i was only going to the machine right next to where my car was parked I didn't think it that big a deal!
Anyhoo... machine won't give me the same price as online quote, so have to get in the queue in the ticket office. At this point I can see a taxi driver eying my car.. finaly get to the window to be told the ticket is £14.99 Oh?? Machine said £19.99 I tells the lady, but online it is only £3.70, she tells me to go buy online then. I tell her I would if their online ticket sales thingy was working, she says nothing she can do, as she does not have access to that site...
So the ticket office at a Southern Rail station does not have access to the Southern Rail ticket sales site...? She asks me if I want a ticket or not...On the sheer principle that she wants to charge me 4x the online price i polilty decline her offer & leave, only to encounter the grumpy taxi driver waiting by my car wanting to moan at me for parking in one of the 12 taxi bays..there are only 3 taxis waiting at the station.
I'll keep trying the website LOL!

and that folks is an everyday story of the lunacy that is..... Southern Railways.

 

[StuartG]

Possibly the least worst railway company. But Rebecca - the prices quoted are clearly labelled "Online Discount" so there will be no station pricematch.

I've had shananigans with Southern's scripts before. As annoying as a puncture. But it will resolve itself with a little care. Trying later with a different browser and vary the point where you login. Come on, you can do it ... it isn't as bad as Dit*!$%~#

 

[funnymummy]

and that folks is an everyday story of the lunacy that is..... Southern Railways.

Reminds me once more why i don't use public transport too often

I've had shananigans with Southern's scripts before. As annoying as a puncture. But it will resolve itself with a little care. Trying later with a different browser and vary the point where you login. Come on, you can do it ... it isn't as bad as Dit*!$%~#

I'm still trying, but now the price has gone up to £5....but still get error message when you try to click on it!!

 

[StuAff]

Reminds me once more why i don't use public transport too often





I'm still trying, but now the price has gone up to £5....but still get error message when you try to click on it!!

That's the National Rail website. Have you tried buying the ticket directly from southernrailway.com (which will still give you full search options etc)? I've not had any problems with buying tickets on there.

 

[velovoice]

Possibly the least worst railway company. But Rebecca - the prices quoted are clearly labelled "Online Discount" so there will be no station pricematch.

I've had shananigans with Southern's scripts before. As annoying as a puncture. But it will resolve itself with a little care. Trying later with a different browser and vary the point where you login. Come on, you can do it ... it isn't as bad as Dit*!$%~#

Is funnymummy also Rebecca? What a coincidence if that's true! Anyway, it's not me having that particular problem, StuartG... though I've encountered Southern website meltdown before (during the May Bank Holiday ticket sale frenzy!).

Nope, my conundrum is how to use LESS than the full route I propose paying for.... since it costs less to buy a return ticket than a single... and the return tickets costs the same whether it's from/to London Bridge or from/to East Croydon.

A few eyebrows have lifted at my suggestion that I pay First Capital Connect for the longer option (London Bridge) but then get off at East Croydon and transfer to a Southern service that goes where I actually prefer to go (where I can exit ticket barriers on my annual Gold Card).

Any thoughts? Or shall I just cycle home from East Croydon? On second thought, no, please don't answer that....

 

[funnymummy]

That's the National Rail website. Have you tried buying the ticket directly from southernrailway.com (which will still give you full search options etc)? I've not had any problems with buying tickets on there.

It is, I treid Souterns website, but kept gettign Error On Script pop up, so after visiting the staion i thought i'd try using NationalRail...I am now wondering if it's my PC having issues with these sites..?

Is funnymummy also Rebecca? What a coincidence if that's true!

Nope, i'm a Mandy

 

[StuAff]

Try a different browser, perhaps?

 

[StuAff]

And then she will be Rebecca?

 

[srw]

Any thoughts?

Work out how much you'd be paid* for the time you'll spend faffing around with websites to save a tenner - and then decide it's not worth the hassle**.


*I am politely ignoring the fact that many people post during the day...
**I acknowledge that I am in the lucky position of having more money than patience.

 

[funnymummy]

Try a different browser, perhaps?

I just did..... Closed Windows, opened Mozilla..Hey Presto I have a ticket!!

and i'm still a Mandy

 

[StuartG]

A few eyebrows have lifted at my suggestion that I pay First Capital Connect for the longer option (London Bridge) but then get off at East Croydon and transfer to a Southern service that goes where I actually prefer to go (where I can exit ticket barriers on my annual Gold Card).

No problem. My £3.65 ticket is to Victoria. I will get off at EC, as usual, get the local train and exit on my Freedom Pass ...

 

[dellzeqq]

So the ticket office at a Southern Rail station does not have access to the Southern Rail ticket sales site...?

it doesn't. And the ticketing staff get asked the same question twenty times a day and all it does is remind them that one of these days all tickets will be sold on-line and they will be out of a job.

Remember, peeps, that if you turn up to the station without a ticket and see three other cyclists you can get a Groupsave (of course the cyclists may be going somewhere entirely different, on some different purpose, but, hey, you'll make friends!)

The weather forecast has gone bonkers. 19 degrees in London at one in the morning! A minimum of 14 in Crawley. I think, however, that there will be thick mist and cold spots - so don't leave your long sleeves at home

 

[mmmmartin]

I would just like to say

• I am looking forward to being a marshal on this immensely and it looks like the best weather EVER on a FNRTTC, and may even banish all memories of The Southend Ice Ride
  
  and The Torrential Ditchling Experience
  
  . This is going to be Such Fun.
  
• I am well up for The Sparkly Junction Contest and am SO going to win it. My daughter has purchased for me a selection of bouncy balls, lighting bracelets and of course I already have the Reflective Bra plus lots of other lights........ Riders can shout marks out of 10 as they pass, should they so wish......
• Er, that's it