6 ms·

Does the card not have the three-arcs nfc symbol? Similar to the wifi symbol. To me the fake printed dip-chip is more confusing!

kens 2y ago
No, the card doesn't have any symbols like that. It does have a pictogram of the card getting tapped on a reader, along with the text "Apposez sur le lecteur".
michaelt 2y ago
Most metro stations have a much simpler way for travellers to figure out what to do: of loads people who do know how it works, ahead of and beside you.
- ghaff 2y ago
  It's getting better but, in my experience, once metro systems got away from manned booths and tokens, the systems worked fine for commuters but led to lots of fumbling and long lines for tourists. Trains in the UK still have a certain amount of "Which of these tickets/receipts go where?" while a line of irritated locals is building up behind you. Fortunately, also being the UK, someone will help you if you're struggling with something sooner rather than later.
  - djbusby 2y ago
    With a requisite amount of Tsk-ing I hope.
    - ghaff 2y ago
      Not really. My last trip to the UK I ended up--because of a complicated trip--with more of a bag than I should really have had on public transit. I was actually a bit embarrassed but a few folks were super-helpful with tube stations that were, shall we say, not exactly mobility friendly.
      - seabass-labrax 2y ago
        I'm not a Londoner, but I am British, and so feel qualified to say that you don't need to feel embarrassed :) I've travelled with over 100L of luggage on the Tube before - it's my contribution to the trains' traction!
  - oopsallmagic 2y ago
    Is that the fault of the system, or the fault of the tourists for visiting a new place and not reading up on local customs?
    - varenc 2y ago
      I always read up on how the local transit system works when I visit a new place. But that’s never adequately prepared me to smoothly use a public bus like a local would the very first time. Some transit systems are just inherently more confusing than others. It doesn’t matter to the locals who know the quirks, but that doesn’t mean something can’t be improved. NYC has a great subway system, but I find the signage and general wayfinding quite lacking. Tokyo’s system is on a similar level of complexity but has excellent wayfinding and is generally much easier for a tourist to use.
    - Aeolun 2y ago
      “Make the damn train work” is not a local custom. Aside from that the UK rail system is so complicated and expensive you’d expect a manned gate at every station at the least. £150 from London to Leeds?! I can fly halfway across Europe for less…
      - seabass-labrax 2y ago
        £165.90, to be precise (anytime single). Or, if you travel late-morning to early-afternoon, £70.20 (super off-peak single). By booking weeks or months in advance, you can travel for as little as £22.50 (advance single). The unofficial BR Fares[1] website does a lot to untangle the complexity, although it can only do so much to mitigate the expense. [1]: https://www.brfares.com/ https://www.brfares.com/
        ghaff 2y ago
        Making purchases ahead varies quite a bit across Europe. The UK seems to fall pretty hard on the you really should buy well in advance side or you're going to pay through the nose. I used to work with someone who, even on an expense account, would roll their eyes if someone wanted them to do a last minute trip to London.
lxgr 2y ago
The fake chip is definitely weird! The logo you mention (four arcs actually) is owned by EMVco though, and they let people only use it for credit and debit card contactless payment cards. There’s also an NFC logo, but as mentioned elsewhere, these cards aren’t really NFC cards, so that would also not be the right thing to use (I believe the NFC forum wants something to happen when you touch anything bearing that logo with your phone).
account42 2y ago
My guess would be that they used plastic chip cards before (those often also do NFC) and only switched to the paper cards later - at which point they either deliberately copied the whole design including the chip contacts to make the switch as unnoticeable as possible or just lost or couldn't be bothered to find the original design files and scanned an existing card for the print template.

kens 2y ago

No, the card doesn't have any symbols like that. It does have a pictogram of the card getting tapped on a reader, along with the text "Apposez sur le lecteur".

michaelt 2y ago

Most metro stations have a much simpler way for travellers to figure out what to do: of loads people who do know how it works, ahead of and beside you.

ghaff 2y ago
It's getting better but, in my experience, once metro systems got away from manned booths and tokens, the systems worked fine for commuters but led to lots of fumbling and long lines for tourists. Trains in the UK still have a certain amount of "Which of these tickets/receipts go where?" while a line of irritated locals is building up behind you. Fortunately, also being the UK, someone will help you if you're struggling with something sooner rather than later.
- djbusby 2y ago
  With a requisite amount of Tsk-ing I hope.
  - ghaff 2y ago
    Not really. My last trip to the UK I ended up--because of a complicated trip--with more of a bag than I should really have had on public transit. I was actually a bit embarrassed but a few folks were super-helpful with tube stations that were, shall we say, not exactly mobility friendly.
    - seabass-labrax 2y ago
      I'm not a Londoner, but I am British, and so feel qualified to say that you don't need to feel embarrassed :) I've travelled with over 100L of luggage on the Tube before - it's my contribution to the trains' traction!
- oopsallmagic 2y ago
  Is that the fault of the system, or the fault of the tourists for visiting a new place and not reading up on local customs?
  - varenc 2y ago
    I always read up on how the local transit system works when I visit a new place. But that’s never adequately prepared me to smoothly use a public bus like a local would the very first time. Some transit systems are just inherently more confusing than others. It doesn’t matter to the locals who know the quirks, but that doesn’t mean something can’t be improved. NYC has a great subway system, but I find the signage and general wayfinding quite lacking. Tokyo’s system is on a similar level of complexity but has excellent wayfinding and is generally much easier for a tourist to use.
  - Aeolun 2y ago
    “Make the damn train work” is not a local custom. Aside from that the UK rail system is so complicated and expensive you’d expect a manned gate at every station at the least. £150 from London to Leeds?! I can fly halfway across Europe for less…
    - seabass-labrax 2y ago
      £165.90, to be precise (anytime single). Or, if you travel late-morning to early-afternoon, £70.20 (super off-peak single). By booking weeks or months in advance, you can travel for as little as £22.50 (advance single). The unofficial BR Fares[1] website does a lot to untangle the complexity, although it can only do so much to mitigate the expense. [1]: https://www.brfares.com/ https://www.brfares.com/
      - ghaff 2y ago
        Making purchases ahead varies quite a bit across Europe. The UK seems to fall pretty hard on the you really should buy well in advance side or you're going to pay through the nose. I used to work with someone who, even on an expense account, would roll their eyes if someone wanted them to do a last minute trip to London.

lxgr 2y ago

The fake chip is definitely weird! The logo you mention (four arcs actually) is owned by EMVco though, and they let people only use it for credit and debit card contactless payment cards. There’s also an NFC logo, but as mentioned elsewhere, these cards aren’t really NFC cards, so that would also not be the right thing to use (I believe the NFC forum wants something to happen when you touch anything bearing that logo with your phone).

account42 2y ago

My guess would be that they used plastic chip cards before (those often also do NFC) and only switched to the paper cards later - at which point they either deliberately copied the whole design including the chip contacts to make the switch as unnoticeable as possible or just lost or couldn't be bothered to find the original design files and scanned an existing card for the print template.