That might be part of the problem, though the payment screen is partially recessed, almost behind the main tough screen, and uses a display technology that doesn't work well in bright ambient light.

All-in-all its daft to need the second screen, the placement is bad and the sequence far from intuitive. It almost staggers me to say that by contrast the rail ticket machine I used in Gatwick an hour later was a simple, uncomplicated joy. Considering the coach is a very popular way for tired foreigners to get from T5 to LGW it really seems the National Express didn't think it through and test it very well, which probably explains why they have to have a couple of people to help those tired, disoriented foreigners use them.