Got stuck in a massive traffic jam on the M25 today which resulted in me going over my 4.5 driving time by nearly half an hour before i could get off and park up, ive heard several different views as to the correct procedure for logging this, ie on the print out, ive just changed from analogue to digi so would be happy to hear from you experienced digi boys ?
All i’ve been told to do is do a print, write your excuses on it and keep it in your diary. then be up front with it when Mr Vosa comes a knockin. Not much else you can do, and as far as i’ve experianced, they seem to be more leniant if you know how/why/what you’ve done wrong and are honest about it. try to cover it up and they will just look for more.
gld406:
Got stuck in a massive traffic jam on the M25 today which resulted in me going over my 4.5 driving time by nearly half an hour before i could get off and park up, ive heard several different views as to the correct procedure for logging this, ie on the print out, ive just changed from analogue to digi so would be happy to hear from you experienced digi boys ?
Do a printout for the day and write your explanation on it, put as much relevant information about the hold-up as you can.
If your company do daily/weekly card downloads do two printouts with the same explanation written on them and hand one in when your card is downloaded, keep the other with you in-case you get stopped.
Many thanks, will do ! 
As said, printout.
The rules state to keep the printout for 28 days then give it your transport manager as you would’ve done with analogues. I find this too easy to forget, so I do 2 printouts, write on both, keep 1 in my cab, other goes to the boss.
Still get the form to sign for infringment notification, but that’s just protocol. I think, as long as it doesn’t happen often, there’s nothing to worry about.
I’ve had 17% tacho infringements in last 3 mths, ALL of them for 2 incidents of leaving the card in overnight, so you get the lack of daily rest, the driving hours issue, the 6hr issue etc…
Not a prob, but I still get notified.
On the subject of infringements, I was given three the other day all for going over the night-time 10 hour working time rule 
I handed the paper back to the manager and reminded him that we’ve opted-out of that particular part of the WTD 
Am I being unreasonable in thinking the manager should have known that 
now i thought the optout was abolished
hitch:
now i thought the optout was abolished
You can opt-out of the night working time limit 
hitch:
now i thought the optout was abolished
We’ve only ever had one opt out of our flavour of the WTD and it is still in place.
tachograph:
gld406:
Got stuck in a massive traffic jam on the M25 today which resulted in me going over my 4.5 driving time by nearly half an hour before i could get off and park up, ive heard several different views as to the correct procedure for logging this, ie on the print out, ive just changed from analogue to digi so would be happy to hear from you experienced digi boys ?Do a printout for the day and write your explanation on it, put as much relevant information about the hold-up as you can.
If your company do daily/weekly card downloads do two printouts with the same explanation written on them and hand one in when your card is downloaded, keep the other with you in-case you get stopped.
I like to get the most out of my first four & a half hour driving period. However, this has backfored on me several times & I’ve gone slightly over my four and a half hours driving by a few minutes trying to find somewhere to park. I regularly find myself in country roads I can’t do much about it if planned stopping points are full. I’ve done prinouts & written explanations on them to cover myself.
I’ve also twice forgotten to shift the mode to bed when I’ve gone home, I did printouts explaining the reasons & I keep them in my folder. I hope this is OK.
BB
Basilbrush:
tachograph:
gld406:
Got stuck in a massive traffic jam on the M25 today which resulted in me going over my 4.5 driving time by nearly half an hour before i could get off and park up, ive heard several different views as to the correct procedure for logging this, ie on the print out, ive just changed from analogue to digi so would be happy to hear from you experienced digi boys ?Do a printout for the day and write your explanation on it, put as much relevant information about the hold-up as you can.
If your company do daily/weekly card downloads do two printouts with the same explanation written on them and hand one in when your card is downloaded, keep the other with you in-case you get stopped.
I like to get the most out of my first four & a half hour driving period. However, this has backfored on me several times & I’ve gone slightly over my four and a half hours driving by a few minutes trying to find somewhere to park. I regularly find myself in country roads I can’t do much about it if planned stopping points are full. I’ve done prinouts & written explanations on them to cover myself.
I’ve also twice forgotten to shift the mode to bed when I’ve gone home, I did printouts explaining the reasons & I keep them in my folder. I hope this is OK.
BB
As far as exceeding driving time is concerned it would pay you to be more careful, it’s not going to be funny if you end up getting fixed penalties for each offence
Do you leave your card in over-night whilst you’re at home ?
That’s really not a good idea unless you can be absolutely certain no-one else will move the vehicle.
On the other hand if you don’t leave the card in overnight then there’s no need to change the tachograph to rest, although to be honest I do out of habit.
If you don’t leave the card in overnight, do you do manual entries when you insert the card ? you should as this will give you the opportunity to end the previous shift properly
Basilbrush:
I like to get the most out of my first four & a half hour driving period. However, this has backfored on me several times & I’ve gone slightly over my four and a half hours driving by a few minutes trying to find somewhere to park. I regularly find myself in country roads I can’t do much about it if planned stopping points are full. I’ve done prinouts & written explanations on them to cover myself.
The key here is several times. The odd occasion won’t raise any VOSA eyebrows, several times will and could prove very costly not to mention possible suspension of your licence for a while if the TC thinks you are taking the ■■■■. You say you are regularly on country roads where stopping places are few and far between but this isn’t a defence because knowing this you should plan accordingly.
Why are you trying to get as much as possible out of your first 4.5? Are you trying to avoid having to take a second break later in the day so you can get finished earlier?
Coffeeholic:
Basilbrush:
I like to get the most out of my first four & a half hour driving period. However, this has backfored on me several times & I’ve gone slightly over my four and a half hours driving by a few minutes trying to find somewhere to park. I regularly find myself in country roads I can’t do much about it if planned stopping points are full. I’ve done prinouts & written explanations on them to cover myself.
The key here is several times. The odd occasion won’t raise any VOSA eyebrows, several times will and could prove very costly not to mention possible suspension of your licence for a while if the TC thinks you are taking the ■■■■. You say you are regularly on country roads where stopping places are few and far between but this isn’t a defence because knowing this you should plan accordingly.
**Why are you trying to get as much as possible out of your first 4.5? Are you trying to avoid having to take a second break later in the day so you can get finished earlier?[/**quote]
I don’t do this to try & finish early, I work for myself so the more work I do the better. The reason I try to get as tight to the 4.5 hour driving before my break is to avoid having to take a second break just up the road from my parking place. Several times I’ve had to have a break just 5 minutes from home, that’s what I’m trying to avoid.
As far as exceeding my 4.5 hours driving to find safe parking for a break is concerned, this has happened several times in the 15 months I’ve had a digi tacho & not something that happens regularly but I take the point.
I don’t make manual entries, I park my car beside my truck & when at work all my work is done in or around the lorry so I’m never away from it unless I’ve finished for the day or the week. I’m either on duty working, driving, having a break or off duty.
BB