But "use contactless" isn't what that option does. It cancels your transaction which is why it's labelled cancel.
Suppose I'm at this screen about to get myself a paper ticket to Brixton to see my friend Jim, as this prompt appears I see Jim - oh that's right, Jim is coming here we're not meeting in Brixton. Cancel. I'm not making a journey, I don't want to "use contactless" I want to cancel this purchase, and that's exactly what this option does.
Yes most users who choose to cancel might end up using contactless, but that's not what the choice itself does, it does not, for example, check that you're carrying some form of contactless payment, nor does it charge you for a journey, it just cancels the ticket purchase.
This is quite frustrating. I used to have a rather low limit for contactless payments. Back then, some terminals would not prompt for a PIN when the limit was exceeded and would simply decline the transaction. Abroad, I had several incidents where a cashier would take my card, see the "contactless" icon on the card and tap the terminal. It was usually difficult to explain with limited English that they needed to insert the card because the limit was exceeded.
I ended up crossing the contactless icon out with a marker.
Thanks, this is a good summary and is very much appreciated.
If we assume that an Oyster card for children doesn't make much sense for a tourist, I found no option where the child is cheaper than the adult.
Admittedly, most often the difference between contactless for the adult and the pay-as-you-go Oyster card is negligible. Still it is a bit disappointing.
> what value does paying with your phone add over an Oyster
Phones and contactless payments actually do the fare-capping calculations slightly differently - if you do a "commute into London, then around London a bunch, then back" travel pattern, it can purchase a virtual central-London travelcard in the middle of the day, and adjust the commute-in payment retroactively. If you want that fare treatment with Oyster then you need to get the travelcard option loaded on it in advance.
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