As a couple of times a month bus user I have always paid in cash. What is really crap is that there was next to no publicity about this change (no ads that I've seen) and considering London buses have always taken money since year dot. We had about 5 years notice our analog tv signal was going...
I lived just off Avignon road (back of Telegraph hill) for about 4 years and really liked it. Very quiet and also walkable to new cross for shops and the train. Lots of good places opening near the station these days, really like the orchard.