Harry Monk:
Twice I’ve pulled up on 4:29, stuck the tacho on rest, and 30 seconds or so later, it’s flashed up “driving time exceeded”.
Digital tachographs are not always accurate and lie! It may show you’ve taken 45 minutes on the screen, but in actual fact it records only 43 minutes taken. because of this I was always told to take 50 minutes not 45, in fact five minutes extra on all brakes.
It’s the same with driving time, it may be a couple of minutes out of what it actually tells you on the screen.
and stop at least 5 minutes before you have to if at all possible.
Again that depends on which model of tacho is installed; the one in my 2013 Renault is accurate almost to the second, though I still add a minute to be on the safe side. The advice about stopping five minutes before you have to is good though, as I understand it VOSA or whatever they call themselves these days take a dim view of constantly pushing to the absolute limit.
Harry Monk:
Twice I’ve pulled up on 4:29, stuck the tacho on rest, and 30 seconds or so later, it’s flashed up “driving time exceeded”.
Digital tachographs are not always accurate and lie! It may show you’ve taken 45 minutes on the screen, but in actual fact it records only 43 minutes taken. because of this I was always told to take 50 minutes not 45, in fact five minutes extra on all brakes.
It’s the same with driving time, it may be a couple of minutes out of what it actually tells you on the screen.
and stop at least 5 minutes before you have to if at all possible.
Again that depends on which model of tacho is installed; the one in my 2013 Renault is accurate almost to the second, though I still add a minute to be on the safe side. The advice about stopping five minutes before you have to is good though, as I understand it VOSA or whatever they call themselves these days take a dim view of constantly pushing to the absolute limit.
don’t believe every thing you hear!! as long as you have not exceeded the limits set and operate within the law, they can not take any view
Harry Monk:
Twice I’ve pulled up on 4:29, stuck the tacho on rest, and 30 seconds or so later, it’s flashed up “driving time exceeded”.
Digital tachographs are not always accurate and lie! It may show you’ve taken 45 minutes on the screen, but in actual fact it records only 43 minutes taken. because of this I was always told to take 50 minutes not 45, in fact five minutes extra on all brakes.
It’s the same with driving time, it may be a couple of minutes out of what it actually tells you on the screen.
and stop at least 5 minutes before you have to if at all possible.
Again that depends on which model of tacho is installed; the one in my 2013 Renault is accurate almost to the second, though I still add a minute to be on the safe side. The advice about stopping five minutes before you have to is good though, as I understand it VOSA or whatever they call themselves these days take a dim view of constantly pushing to the absolute limit.
don’t believe every thing you hear!! as long as you have not exceeded the limits set and operate within the law, they can not take any view
interesting topic. As for matching the print out I’ve not done any for a long time so I can’t comment on that. I am just going on what my company told me about the five minutes extra for break. Our big cheese apparently has a direct line to god…sorry I mean VOSA lol and that was the advice he was given from them.
And going on my experiences, for example, I know I went over my WTD six hour time limit by 2 minutes twice in the same week recently, I though sure enough I’d get a couple of infringements for it, but no, nothing, clean bill of health. On the same token I remember going against company policy and just taking a 45 minuet break (and about 30 seconds) exactly, and guess what, I get an infringement for a break time of just 43 minutes, and I know the tacho screen told me 45 mins.
I just to throw this into the mix, when driving my previous truck up a hill on a motorway, struggling at about 34mph the digital tacho would start flashing overspeed at me! it would do this about three or four times a year, other drivers at the company have complained of similar things.
On Sunday I drove a total of 4hours 34 minutes registered on digital tachograph, with a 15 minutes break in the middle followed by a 52 minutes POA
–now I see the ones who cannot help themselves saying anything, regardless of the matter of the fact, replying: “why you set the tacho on POA?..” and the like…
I am puzzled the tacho does not show an infringement, not on the haulier’s card reader, not on my reader…
I am thinking of different possibilities of why, though I do not know for certain
The way a tacho works with modes is whichever mode is the majority of that minute that is what it counts even if you go just over 4:30 mins, if you whack it on break as it clicks over to 4:30 no infringement, I know I’ve done it. Same with getting back in yard on drive time, clicked over to 4:30 stop and park and leave it on other work while doing paperwork and then leave it there.
“Breaks
After a driving period of no more than 4.5 hours, a driver must immediately take a break of at least 45 minutes unless they take a rest period.”
4.5 drive you must take a break straightaway. No further duty followed by break or rest.
I very much doubt owt would come of what you`ve described though.
The infringement was for the 6 hour rule of the WTD. If on duty for more than 6 hours but less than 9 hours (which you were) then breaks totalling 30 minutes required. You took an 18minute break after 4hrs 32mins (so within 6hours, which is good), so were required to add another 12mins to make up to 30.
But as less than 15mins doesn’t count, you would have needed to take another break of at least 15mins before going off duty.
But be careful - if the second break is taken at the end of your shift and not followed by at least 1minute of work or driving, it doesn’t count as a break DURING the shift, but is actually added to your Daily Rest.
it would do this about three or four times a year, other drivers at the company have complained of similar things.