Before I say anymore I know what I did was my own fault.
Friday I bit off more than I could chew and ended up driving for 13 and half hours, got to Milford Haven and spent the night there. THis moning without thinking I put a card in and started the trek home. Unfortunately I was stopped and the copper obviously wanted my weeks tacho’s. I was rumbled for insufficient driving breaks and exceeding my driving hours yesterday. The cherry on the bun was the insufficient daily rest as well, I’d only had 8 and half hours rest on Friday night. Needless to say he wasn’t happy. Dyfed Powys police are going to prosecute me. Am I staring at a ban or a hefty fine? Does anyone know what the going rate is for this stupid couple of days? The policeman in fairness was really cool about the whole mess, as I’d admitted it was my own fault he said he was not going to involve my employer. I would of thought my boss would get into hot water over this as well.
Well it could be good News or it could be Bad news only they can tell, the average fine is around £300 for the first offence then around £150 per offence after that, but, and I must stress, but, it can vary from court to court area to area.
I’ll be very surprised if your boss is not involved somewhere along the line, the police must inform the Local Vosa to your depot, they will then decide whether a further inspection of the tacho’s for all the drivers warrants an inspection, which could have serious implications on the employers O Licence.
Personally I would say that because it is a serious offence of 3 1\2 hrs over your limit there will be a strong possibility that Vosa will investigate and probably check the discs of all the drivers.
30 minutes driving over your time is nothing serious as you can explain it away as having to reach secure parking by writing on the back of your tacho, however, 3 1\2 hrs will take one hell of a lot of explaining and I honestly cannot see any Vosa official accepting any excuse as being plausible.
I’ve heard many tales from Drivers “After” the event, who decided to buy the Hour Guard but admittedly none had admitted to driving more than 1hr above their limits. I’m not going to sit and call you a cowboy, idiot, fool, ar anything, you’ve realised your mistake and your going to have to accept the consequences, my only advice is for you to start saving hard, if you get less than a £500 fine with costs you’ve been very lucky.
They should’nt put points on your licence or take your licence from you for a couple of hours offences, however, if they go for a full 12 months check on your discs then find lot’s of irregularities, you will get a very heavy fine along with your employer for allowing you to break the law.
placidcasual:
Before I say anymore I know what I did was my own fault.
Friday I bit off more than I could chew and ended up driving for 13 and half hours, got to Milford Haven and spent the night there. THis moning without thinking I put a card in and started the trek home. Unfortunately I was stopped and the copper obviously wanted my weeks tacho’s. I was rumbled for insufficient driving breaks and exceeding my driving hours yesterday. The cherry on the bun was the insufficient daily rest as well, I’d only had 8 and half hours rest on Friday night. Needless to say he wasn’t happy. Dyfed Powys police are going to prosecute me. Am I staring at a ban or a hefty fine? Does anyone know what the going rate is for this stupid couple of days? The policeman in fairness was really cool about the whole mess, as I’d admitted it was my own fault he said he was not going to involve my employer. I would of thought my boss would get into hot water over this as well.
So not only have you exceeded the daily driving limit by 4.5 HOURS on a normal day but you’ve also been nobbled for insufficient daily rest as well as other insufficient breaks 
WELL DONE DYFED POWYS PLOD
That isn’t an accidental case of hours miscalculation, that’s deliberately ignoring the UK driving hours regulations
I sincerely hope that you get a lengthy ban and have your licences revoked plus at least a ££££-figure fine. I hope the company you work for gets an equally heavy fine, a nice set of black marks on their operators licence and the Ministry demand to see the past 12 months tacho’s
Rob K:
WELL DONE DYFED POWYS PLOD[/b]
Pretty Diplomatic about things aint you Rob 
Ever thought about becoming a Salesman LMFAO
Davey Driver:
Rob K:
WELL DONE DYFED POWYS PLOD[/b]
Why’s that then, Davey 
Thanks for the reaction folks. The authorities are welcome to check my previous 12 months tacho’s, yesterday was a mare after been stuck in traffic for hours, I then made the wrong decision in plodding on to my destination. This was purely a one off, I run legal always and have been driving 10 years averaging 3000 kms a week and have a clean licence. I am not a cowboy, nor is my boss. He is going to hit the roof when I tell him on Tuesday.
Rob K:
Why’s that then, Davey
Let they who hath not sinned themselves cast the first stone 
I think he has admitted himself it was a stupid thing to do, unfortunately on this occassion his boss has not had the chance to issue a written warning but will undoubtedly be expected to take action by Vosa.
But for a fellow driver to jump in Wishing for serious consequences against a fellow driver 
Moreso for being honest about his actions 
I’ve dealt with loads of drivers who have been caught breaking the hours legislations, I’ve dealt with serious calls from Genuine drivers thinking the Hour Guard was wrong because it deducted a 9hr segment despite them having 11 hrs rest. And it was simply by using the timer they found out that regardless of an 11 hr rest they could only work 13hrs if they wanted an 11 hr rest.
Yes Placidcasual was an idiot for what he did, but, lets remember for every idiot out there who has realised his mistake there is another load who ignore this daily, I’m not condoning what he’s done, but a little diplomacy in replies could be appreciated.
placidcasual:
Thanks for the reaction folks. The authorities are welcome to check my previous 12 months tacho’s, yesterday was a mare after been stuck in traffic for hours, I then made the wrong decision in plodding on to my destination. This was purely a one off, I run legal always and have been driving 10 years averaging 3000 kms a week and have a clean licence. I am not a cowboy, nor is my boss. He is going to hit the roof when I tell him on Tuesday.
If thats the case I would say that by explaining the situation fully to Vosa by way of drafting a letter, explaining the situation, it will have a little weight but not much, moreso if it is proved it was a one off. At least by writing a statement your admitting what you did along with showing them that you have accepted the blame fully, obviously your boss needs to be seen as taken action by issuing at the very least a final written warning threatening dismissal for gross misconduct, even if it is not his intentions, at least he has it filed and available to show them if they do come knocking on the door.
im sorry but three and half hours over your driving time and its not as if he was back at his depot is ■■■■ STUPID
Rob K:
So not only have you exceeded the daily driving limit by 4.5 HOURS on a normal day but you’ve also been nobbled for insufficient daily rest as well as other insufficient breaksWELL DONE DYFED POWYS PLOD
That isn’t an accidental case of hours miscalculation, that’s deliberately ignoring the UK driving hours regulations
I sincerely hope that you get a lengthy ban and have your licences revoked plus at least a ££££-figure fine. I hope the company you work for gets an equally heavy fine, a nice set of black marks on their operators licence and the Ministry demand to see the past 12 months tacho’s
Drivers have always made errors!
OK this was a Big booboo and a real silly thing to do! But after 10 years as a driver with no previous problems then I can believe it was a one off!
Are you a guy who likes to KICK a man while he is down?
Good luck placid and take your medicine because you deserve it… also be thankful you wasn’t involved in a R.T.A. you may have been writing this from a police cell now!
I am sure you will get a big fine it will hurt but I would be suprised if it cost you your Job! & if all your old tacho’s are A1 your boss will not be hit so hard if at all!!!
Davey Driver:
Rob K:
Why’s that then, DaveyLet they who hath not sinned themselves cast the first stone
I think he has admitted himself it was a stupid thing to do, unfortunately on this occassion his boss has not had the chance to issue a written warning but will undoubtedly be expected to take action by Vosa.
But for a fellow driver to jump in Wishing for serious consequences against a fellow driver
Moreso for being honest about his actions
I’ve dealt with loads of drivers who have been caught breaking the hours legislations, I’ve dealt with serious calls from Genuine drivers thinking the Hour Guard was wrong because it deducted a 9hr segment despite them having 11 hrs rest. And it was simply by using the timer they found out that regardless of an 11 hr rest they could only work 13hrs if they wanted an 11 hr rest.
Yes Placidcasual was an idiot for what he did, but, lets remember for every idiot out there who has realised his mistake there is another load who ignore this daily, I’m not condoning what he’s done, but a little diplomacy in replies could be appreciated.
Exceeding the daily driving limit by 3.5 hours was no oversight; it was intentional. Therefore not only did he put himself at extreme risk to having a serious accident due to tiredness because of a) that length of driving in one day, b) the fact that he’d only had 8.5 hrs daily rest last night and c) the fact that he also had “insufficient rest breaks” throughout the day, he also put other road users at the same extreme risk - on a bank holiday weekend as well, where the roads are much more congested.
Of course it would be alright if[/i] he had dropped off at the wheel, lost control and taken out half a dozen cars all full with their families going away for the weekend 
Therefore I stand by what I said : Heavy Penalties and a long period of disqualification. In reality all that will happen is a slap on the wrist and a £10 fine knowing what the justice is like in this country.
Thecritic:
Are you a guy who likes to KICK a man while he is down?
Not at all, but Davey and yourself are all full of sympathy for the guy which somehow makes me think that bizarrely you’ve missed the point that he has BLATANTLY EXCEEDED HIS DAILY DRIVING HOURS BY T H R E E A N D A H A L F H O U R S
this is what ive harped on about for ages this… DRIVERS KICKING DRIVERS WHEN THERE DOWN… shame on you rob k…(IN MY OPINION). for wanting to see a fellow driver in serious trouble…i think you have a cheek to ask for help //advice on these forums when you are so ready to comment like you have on this topic… GOOD LORD WHERE IS THE SOLIDARITY… one mistake and you want the guy hung drawn and quartered… shame on you
and before its said… he didnt have an accident or kill any one
ohterry555:
this is what ive harped on about for ages this… DRIVERS KICKING DRIVERS WHEN THERE DOWN… shame on you rob k…(IN MY OPINION). for wanting to see a fellow driver in serious trouble…i think you have a cheek to ask for help //advice on these forums when you are so ready to comment like you have on this topic… GOOD LORD WHERE IS THE SOLIDARITY… one mistake and you want the guy hung drawn and quartered… shame on you
Yeah, but it was no accident Terry; it wasn’t a case of “oops, I’ve lost track of my hours and I’ve gone over by 20 minutes”. It was a case of, “Oh well, I’m stuck in traffic but to hell with it, I’m still going to get where I’m going, [zb] the drivers hours regs, I’m up to my 10hrs driving limit but the chances of getting caught are very slim so I’ll do another 3.5hrs to get where I want to be”. That’s some traffic jam, eh
What he’s done is bang out of order and I never thought I’d see you speaking from do-gooder side of the fence, backing the guy up Terry
We all make mistakes[/i] and sometimes we do things we later regret. I would stand by and offer help to any driver who wanted it if I could, but this instance was a blatant ignorance of the law by a large amount and I’ve no time for drivers who deliberately run bent on driving time and rest periods.
we obviously fell from different trees rob … no disrespect 2 ya… thank the good lord we all have different views…
People in glass houses etc Rob. On another thread you have quite openly said you take your unit home and are looking to move to a place where you will be able top do this regularly. While this is not on the same scale as driving 3.5 hours extra it is still blatantly ignoring the law.
Placid has admitted he was stupid to do what he did, is prepared to accept his punishment, which is likely to hit his pocket hard, and from what he has said is unlikely to do it again. I in no way condone what he did but I respect him for having the guts to post it on here and seek advice about what he could expect no doubt knowing he would attract flak.
I’m a new driver compared to you guys, but I’m inclined to agree with primo. Taking all sentiment out of the equation and how sorry he may have been, how much sorrier would he have been had he fallen asleep at the wheel and wiped out several families’?
Nobody really wants to see a fellow driver get kicked when they’re down but in the cold light of day, every lobbying do-gooder will only ever look at the facts.
But on the plus side for our fellow driver, he knows he’s done wrong and it would appear that he is unlikely to do it again, because we all know that regardless of legislation there are those who repeatedly break the rules.
another point is how long was he up in total.i mean 2x45 minute breaks plus loading/unloading and being up in the morning.it could add up to being awake for 18hrs
In this job thats along time, but like I said its how he deals with it from here on