Confess or keep quiet?

[ETS]

So after driving trucks for over 2 yrs it finally happened. I stopped for my 45min. break decided to get out for a bladder relief before setting the tacho on break (few more mins of skeep hey hey) went back in, set my phone alarm to ring in 48 mins (even more free mims of sleep hey hey heeey)

Wake up, pour coffee-off I go then. Except the dashboard is flashing gor a driving break yup I never set the tacho so it recorded 1hr other work

That's also going to give me an over 6hr on duty without break infringement on top of being "late". Should I admit to the break tacho f up or keep quiet and show up 15 mins early for the remaining 4 days of the week, that way if someone looks into it I can say hey hey hey, I made up for it (hourly paid so yeah it would be taking the pss if I keep quiet and proceed as normal)

[adam277]

I've done the same. But at Tesco. They didnt care, other than the minor infringment.

Depends what you boss is like. With me I just done a print out wrote on the back that I forget to set it to break. And when the inquisitor squad at Tesco pulled me on it I just told them I forget to set tacho to break and they was "ye, I dont care fill in the form saying you wont do it again"

[toonsy]

Always be up front. It's just an infringement - two printouts, wring mode selected, keep one, give them one, sign a bit of paper at some point and on you go. Everyone makes mistakes and that.

But by sounds of it you get deducted breaks? Then you go on ad it looks like you're trying to get that time back? Might be wrong but its early and thats how it comes across to me. Thats more of a sticky wicket, a deliberate act, which is less defensible.

I guess honesty is the best policy and you've made a mistake so it might cost a bit.

[ETS]

Always be up front. It's just an infringement - two printouts, wring mode selected, keep one, give them one, sign a bit of paper at some point and on you go. Everyone makes mistakes and that.

But by sounds of it you get deducted breaks? Then you go on ad it looks like you're trying to get that time back? Might be wrong but its early and thats how it comes across to me. Thats more of a sticky wicket, a deliberate act, which is less defensible.

I guess honesty is the best policy and you've made a mistake so it might cost a bit.

Yeah unpaid breaks but only up to 45 mins. (actually 45 auto deducted no matter if I take 15, 30 or 90 mins) so I always do 45 (well 50-55 honestly but then again I show up for work a few (up to 15) mins early which again I don't get paid for so it's all fair in my view...

I wanted to but there were other drivers there during debrief so my balls shrunk, lol. Too many times have I made fun of fellow drivers in front of the transport clerks for their mistakes, now KARMA bithc I was only 30mins late anyway...I'll make up for it tomorrow by employing some ... creative time management

I can't believe what an idiot I am, I felt like a proper muppet. Familiarity/repetition usually results in improved efficiency but also complacency.

I've done the same. But at Tesco. They didnt care, other than the minor infringment.

Depends what you boss is like.

He's...not very nice (the TM). I rarely see him because only suckers work nights and weekends. In fact I think he may be on holiday this week.

[peirre]

I know I`ve probably done the same thing in the past year, all I did was pull over and take another 45 in the next lay-by, then when I got back I casually mentioned the mistake, and nothing was said because I`d kept myself legal

[robroy]

''CONFESS'' ??
Confess to what exactly???
'Am I missing something here?
Have you missed a bit out where you ran somebody over after your break? and did a runner.
Or did you demolish a building or something?....or rob the fuel station?
You made a MISTAKE , do a printout and forget about it, nobody's died ffs.
Move on.

If your company looks upon this as a crime worse than [zb] genocide in their pretentious [zb] ....''Debreif sessions'' ...., that is their problem not yours, you've done your bit, you've verbally explained and you've backed that up with a printout......end of, job done.

Oh I forgot to mention,.change jobs to a realistic type company whose heads aren't up their own arses, if you take all their petty crap seriously, it just encourages them and makes them worse.
Then you tell us you've gained a couple of paltry minutes as if you've won some sort of victory,.and went out on a limb to achieve it.
Maybe it's just me, I don't know.

Sorry, but I often wonder wtf has happened to this job. .

[Notimetoulouse]

Yeah been there done that nothing that a phone call and a manual entry will not fix
A very long time ago i got an infringement for 44mins 30 secs ( young dumb and green as grass )
from then on its usually stop. 10 mins otherwork ie paperwork 50 mins break no one has EVER commented on it
the inception of didgi tachos has helped in this with the ability to print out etc
my argument is that its over the 45 min minimum so zero argument can be made by anybody

[dozy]

I’d sack you , does my head in , pissing day shift drivers that feel the need to get in the bunk when doing there 8/9 hr shift , grease / dirt everywhere , why don’t you spend those 45 mins cleaning the tip you’ve created in the previous 4 hrs rather that [zb] Up our lorries we live in all week

[Zac_A]

Always be up front. It's just an infringement - two printouts, wring mode selected, keep one, give them one, sign a bit of paper at some point and on you go. Everyone makes mistakes and that.

+1
It's like forgetting to pull your card on a night time, you've got 11+ hours of other work, no big deal apart from having to take your 45' earlier than normal the next day to get back on track with the tacho: cover your butt with the printouts and carry on.

[The-Snowman]

Hand in your notice, fake your death, change your name and move to another country is the only way ahead for you now.

[Juddian]

Bet i do this every couple of months, just sigh at me forgetfulness and brew up again whilst taking the break i should have, nothing ever been said and i don't bother mentioning it (seldom does it involve an infringement cos i don't push things to the last minute), if you start to report such non events to the twerps they'll get an even bigger overinflated opinion of their importance and struggle to get their head through the door.

[danbabirecki]

Been there, done that. As has been previously stated I’d just do two printouts, sign them with explanation. Keep a copy for yourself. Been caught out with tacho saying 45 minutes but I now always let it click until at least 46 just to be sure. I get all breaks paid but as soon my break is legally completed I just want to crack on whether that’s back to the depot, next customer, or overnight parking spot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ETS]

I’d sack you , does my head in , pissing day shift drivers that feel the need to get in the bunk when doing there 8/9 hr shift , grease / dirt everywhere , why don’t you spend those 45 mins cleaning the tip you’ve created in the previous 4 hrs rather that [zb] Up our lorries we live in all week

We don't do nights out, all of us 100% are day/night drivers and no one has an allocated vehicle. I take my shoes off and leave them in the drivers footwell, clean up at services and then at the yard at the end of the shift. Our bunks are actually some of the cleanest I've seen (and I've seen - not used but seen - a lot on my time with agencies) certainly about 10x cleaner than the average tramper's bed who drives for the average transport (I'm sorry - LOGISTICs) company. We don't get paid 9£ per hour so we actually value our job and trucks which most of them are <2 years old and our company isn't named after the boss or his dad.

Now, this is the part where I'm supposed to throw a bunch of insults at you but since nature has already dealt you some pretty [zb] cards I'll simply leave it at that.

[ArcticMonkey]

Glad i work for a small old school family haulage firm where i wouldn't ever have to worry about these trivial mistakes.
Hats off to you lads who work for large well known firms where the slightest infringement means you have to sign paperwork and receive counselling like some naughty schoolboy

[robroy]

Hats off to you lads who work for large well known firms where the slightest infringement means you have to sign paperwork and receive counselling like some naughty schoolboy

I agree, but it only becomes bad, or even tragic when drivers get to the stage where they think it's normal, can't see anything wrong with it (really can't believe they get to that stage btw ) and go along with it with great enthusiasm,.and as pointed out in the o/p become scared of the system.
If they 'play along' with their stupid petty games, it just makes them worse.

My lot are starting to border on it, if I'm pulled up about something absolutely trivial I just treat it with the contempt it deserves and make some sarcastic remark clearly showing I don't take it seriously.much to the disapproval of the guy who is in charge of it all.

If he would just come at it from the direction of....''Look Rob, I know this is [zb] stupid, and trivial, but you need to sign this for going one minute over your time on wtd'' but no, it's taken soooooo serious, and it just amuses me, and I can't hide it on the occasion.
I've even tried ironically saying something along the lines of.......''Oooh but I'm really sorry, it wont happen again'' and they took me seriously ffs .

I get it we have to run to the law, but the guys who have these jobs created for them to monitor it all are mostly just trying to justify themselves, are on a power trip....or both.
Good luck to them btw if they can get a non job for around 40k a year, but ffs keep it real.

[ETS]

Hats off to you lads who work for large well known firms where the slightest infringement means you have to sign paperwork and receive counselling like some naughty schoolboy

I agree, but it only becomes bad, or even tragic when drivers get to the stage where they think it's normal, can't see anything wrong with it (really can't believe they get to that stage btw ) and go along with it with great enthusiasm,.and as pointed out in the o/p become scared of the system.
If they 'play along' with their stupid petty games, it just makes them worse.
[/quote]

Well you two completely missed the point of my post which of course is no surprise whenever robroy is involved as he's barely done reading a post before he's triggered by a word/term and has to stop reading and say his thing no matter what the thread is about - oh drivers are crap nowadays, the job sucks, companies suck, trucks today yada yada, I hate this job, back in mah day wooo, you drivers of today don't know jack. He's like a less automated version of carryfast

[robroy]

Well at least I can sort out who has said what, and set out quotes correctly when I respond.
I think you must have missed the point, and barely read the post,.and you were triggered by a word/term, and had to say your thing no matter what....yada yada.


Still stand by what I said btw. (the ACTUAL quote of mine, not your interpretation )

[switchlogic]

No drama, a very frequent event. As others have said just explain on a print out and away you go

[switchlogic]

I’d sack you , does my head in , pissing day shift drivers that feel the need to get in the bunk when doing there 8/9 hr shift , grease / dirt everywhere , why don’t you spend those 45 mins cleaning the tip you’ve created in the previous 4 hrs rather that [zb] Up our lorries we live in all week

Just as well then that a goose has more chance of being a boss than you.

[switchlogic]

I’d sack you , does my head in , pissing day shift drivers that feel the need to get in the bunk when doing there 8/9 hr shift , grease / dirt everywhere , why don’t you spend those 45 mins cleaning the tip you’ve created in the previous 4 hrs rather that [zb] Up our lorries we live in all week

We don't do nights out, all of us 100% are day/night drivers and no one has an allocated vehicle. I take my shoes off and leave them in the drivers footwell, clean up at services and then at the yard at the end of the shift. Our bunks are actually some of the cleanest I've seen (and I've seen - not used but seen - a lot on my time with agencies) certainly about 10x cleaner than the average tramper's bed who drives for the average transport (I'm sorry - LOGISTICs) company. We don't get paid 9£ per hour so we actually value our job and trucks which most of them are <2 years old and our company isn't named after the boss or his dad.

Now, this is the part where I'm supposed to throw a bunch of insults at you but since nature has already dealt you some pretty [zb] cards I'll simply leave it at that.

You might as well be justifying what you do to a breeze block as him.

[ETS]

Well at least I can sort out who has said what, and set out quotes correctly when I respond.
I think you must have missed the point, and barely read the post,.and you were triggered by a word/term, and had to say your thing no matter what....yada yada.


Still stand by what I said btw. (the ACTUAL quote of mine, not your interpretation )

The forum is acting a bit weird lately, quoting the wrong people, creating double posts when trying to edit so I won't try to fix it. All I had to do is sign an A4 printout highlighting the infingement which as far as I understand is a legal requirement for the operator to make me aware of it and that was that, about 5 seconds of my time. Oh the bureaucracy in these big firms! Imagine that - amber light came on for the engine, I reported it and had to FILL OUT A DEFECT REPORT SHEET! More time wasted - my life slipping away, one minute at a time. Btw the guy who handed me the printout to sign - doesn't have a clue about driving hours etc (not a HGV driver himself) - all that happens is an automated system brings these up (when scanning driver card at start/end of shift), then someone has to hit "Print", find out which printer they got printed on and then ask the driver to sign it. But hey who knows, maybe that's the first step to anal tests before work so let's rise up, brothers!

[robroy]

whenever robroy is involved....
1.Oh drivers are crap nowadays

2.The job sucks

3. Companies suck

4.Trucks today.

5.yada yada.

6.I hate this job,

7.Back in mah day wooo.

8.You drivers of today don't know jack.

Seeing as I've been basically misquoted by you on these points, I felt I must answer in order to clarify.

1....Never said that, I'm a driver myself.
(I have said how calibre and quality has dropped in a lot of cases though.)

2.I have always said it is as good or as bad as YOU make it.

3.Some do, especially when examples of micro management and pettiness (like you have given in your o/p) comes up.

4.What about trucks today?

5.Never used that expression as I aint an American of Jewish descent.

6.On the contrary,.I quite like the particular job I do at present,.and the one before that, (and in fact the one before that.)

7.Never said 'Back in mah day'' nor in fact ''Woo woo''.

8.See 1.

Hope that helps.

[robroy]

Well at least I can sort out who has said what, and set out quotes correctly when I respond.
I think you must have missed the point, and barely read the post,.and you were triggered by a word/term, and had to say your thing no matter what....yada yada.


Still stand by what I said btw. (the ACTUAL quote of mine, not your interpretation )

The forum is acting a bit weird lately, quoting the wrong people, creating double posts when trying to edit so I won't try to fix it. All I had to do is sign an A4 printout highlighting the infingement which as far as I understand is a legal requirement for the operator to make me aware of it and that was that, about 5 seconds of my time. Oh the bureaucracy in these big firms! Imagine that - amber light came on for the engine, I reported it and had to FILL OUT A DEFECT REPORT SHEET! More time wasted - my life slipping away, one minute at a time. Btw the guy who handed me the printout to sign - doesn't have a clue about driving hours etc (not a HGV driver himself) - all that happens is an automated system brings these up (when scanning driver card at start/end of shift), then someone has to hit "Print", find out which printer they got printed on and then ask the driver to sign it. But hey who knows, maybe that's the first step to anal tests before work so let's rise up, brothers!

Well at least you got those minutes back 'rebelliously', that you told us about in your o/p.

Btw, You're right I reckon you should be rising up , ....if they're implementing 'Anal Tests' ., as well as everything else.
Christ it has got bad at your place.

[adam277]

I for one welcome anal tests.

[Noremac]

Rather than worry about consequences, what about root cause? If you were so tired you could conk out for 45 minutes, you were probably too tired to remember to change the tacho (or even to be driving). Also, maybe have the coffee and have a nap while the caffeine kicks in?

[ETS]

Rather than worry about consequences, what about root cause? If you were so tired you could conk out for 45 minutes, you were probably too tired to remember to change the tacho (or even to be driving). Also, maybe have the coffee and have a nap while the caffeine kicks in?

Fair point but the reason I take 50-60 min breaks is not because I'm too tired but because I can't fall asleep right away. I usually need 10-15mins to just lay there while the ringing in my ears goes away and slowly transition to that half-asleep state for another 5-10 mins, then it's solid sleep for the remaining 20-30 mins. Coffee before that would surely mess up the last, important part namely solid sleep. 9 times out of 10 I wake up on my own - 1 min before the alarm rings.

[robroy]

Rather than worry about consequences, what about root cause? If you were so tired you could conk out for 45 minutes, you were probably too tired to remember to change the tacho (or even to be driving). Also, maybe have the coffee and have a nap while the caffeine kicks in?

Fair point but the reason I take 50-60 min breaks is not because I'm too tired but because I can't fall asleep right away. I usually need 10-15mins to just lay there while the ringing in my ears goes away and slowly transition to that half-asleep state for another 5-10 mins, then it's solid sleep for the remaining 20-30 mins. Coffee before that would surely mess up the last, important part namely solid sleep. 9 times out of 10 I wake up on my own - 1 min before the alarm rings.

Same here, that's ONE of the reasons I believe 9 hours off after a 15 hour shift is just not enough, despite what the ''I only need 6 hours kip me'' heroes say.

It's like all the ret of it in this job....., 45 min breaks, 9 hours rest, 11 hours rest, and the 24/45 weekend rests.
They ain't targets they are minimum LIMITS, despite what these co.s try to brainwash drivers into believing (and succeed in many cases )
If I feel like an hour's break, feeling tired, I'll take an hour,.same as daily rests, if I feel like more I'll take more, the [zb] world won't end if I'm 10 mins late arriving refreshed instead of [zb] ed out.
It's your licence and more importantly your life if you succumb to fatigue.
Cue the heroes.

[Franglais]

Clearly a shirker!
If you don't drop asleep within ten seconds of turning off the engine you obviously aren't giving your all.
.
.
.

[Sploom]

Isn't it just a question of signing it"break taken away from vehicle"
I remember splitting my break in two,15 and a 30.I forgot both times to select break,I just signed them and nothing was said