I am standing in East Acton tube station (I know, I really know how to live, me). I am waiting to get a printout of my last few oyster trips, to remind me where I’ve been. There is me, the ticket office guy, and a woman, standing silently, staring up at the clock.
9:29:30 … 9:29:35 …9:29:40 … 9:29:45 … 9:29:50 … 9:29:55 … 9:30:00
And suddenly she springs into life, puts her oyster card on the reader and bustles off to catch her off-peak train, and the ticket office guy and I, who have been waiting, mesmerised, too, get on with our transaction.
I just hope the gates are synchronised with the station clock…
Disgruntled Commuter 
Not always as the computer that controls the gates runs about a minute later then your normal everyday station clock.
LUL ticketing machines work to a 26 hour clock, and before you ask, if you’re around at 2am all the ticket office print outs are generated then as the normal working service day runs until 1am
Oh dear, I hope she got her off peak fare then…
I always guessed LUL time wasn’t the same as normal time … now I know it
I tried that one with the congesztion charge once – even phones the talking clock to check. Needless tosay, I was still busted with the charge and ever tried that one again!
Oh dear.