Am I right in saying that since I have never had a digi card I can’t drive a truck with a digi tacho?
If I am asked to do a manual entry I should refuse unless the card is lost or stolen?
Why Do I Need a Smart Card?
New legislation coming into force deems it necessary to have one of these smart cards in order for you to drive a vehicle fitted with such a Tachograph. If you, as the driver, do not have a smart card then the law says you should not be allowed to drive a vehicle and therefore it is becoming increasing necessary to have one.
Lifted from www.yourdrivinglicence.co.uk
And if you always work on the old anologue tacho,and you break down,the firm or agency you work for, may turn up in a vehicle with a digi tacho,most agencies insist on having a digi tacho,i thought it was law that you have to apply for one,as if you went to europe,the coppers would nick you for no records,even though you may be in an anologue truck.
A digi card is a must have item for the modern day trucker now. It’s not the law to have one but let’s face it you are not going to get far without it in today world.
Sounds a reet arse! 
Digital Tachographs have been in use since May 2006, most hire vehicles had them fitted from those early days, being as the average fleet haulier replaces their lease trucks after about three years, the driver without a digi card is selling himself a bit short to an agency.
But to answer your question, if you have never applied for a digital card, you will never drive a vehicle so equipped legally 
Edited introduction date 
Turning the question round, I am driving a digi-equipped vehicle and it breaks down, if the replacement is analogue-equipped do I use a disk or a manual entry on the printout. I always carry half a dozen disks with me.
waddy640:
Turning the question round, I am driving a digi-equipped vehicle and it breaks down, if the replacement is analogue-equipped do I use a disk or a manual entry on the printout. I always carry half a dozen disks with me.
You should keep those half a dozen cards with you as the VOSA guide mentions keeping mixed records, digital for a VU, wax charts for an analogue.
It is possible that a driver may during the course of a day drive two or more vehicles where both
types of recording equipment are used. Drivers in such a situation must use a driver card to record
while driving a vehicle with a digital tachograph and a tachograph chart when driving a vehicle
equipped with an analogue tachograph.
Note: A driver who is not in possession of a driver card cannot drive a vehicle equipped with
a digital tachograph.
waddy640:
do I use a disk or a manual entry on the printout. I
Use a disc, but don’t “overlap” the two,
i.e.
If you change vehicles at 15.00 hrs, you FINISH the digi @ 15.00 and START the analogue @ 15.00.
Same if you swap from analogue to digi
redboxer850:
waddy640:
do I use a disk or a manual entry on the printout. IUse a disc, but don’t “overlap” the two,
i.e.
If you change vehicles at 15.00 hrs, you FINISH the digi @ 15.00 and START the analogue @ 15.00.
Same if you swap from analogue to digi
When doing this I always make a note on the back of the wax chart to the effect that eg 0800-1500 on digicard.
redboxer850:
waddy640:
do I use a disk or a manual entry on the printout. IUse a disc, but don’t “overlap” the two,
i.e.
If you change vehicles at 15.00 hrs, you FINISH the digi @ 15.00 and START the analogue @ 15.00.
Same if you swap from analogue to digi
I always leave a 5 min gap to be on the safe side
Santa:
redboxer850:
waddy640:
do I use a disk or a manual entry on the printout. IUse a disc, but don’t “overlap” the two,
i.e.
If you change vehicles at 15.00 hrs, you FINISH the digi @ 15.00 and START the analogue @ 15.00.
Same if you swap from analogue to digi
I always leave a 5 min gap to be on the safe side
Then you will get an infringement for that 5 min gap unless you show on the tacho those missing 5 mins.
tofer:
redboxer850:
waddy640:
do I use a disk or a manual entry on the printout. IUse a disc, but don’t “overlap” the two,
i.e.
If you change vehicles at 15.00 hrs, you FINISH the digi @ 15.00 and START the analogue @ 15.00.
Same if you swap from analogue to digi
When doing this I always make a note on the back of the wax chart to the effect that eg 0800-1500 on digicard.
I do the same although it’s rare I drive one with a digi as our spare trucks are all around 10 years old
bald bloke:
Santa:
redboxer850:
waddy640:
do I use a disk or a manual entry on the printout. IUse a disc, but don’t “overlap” the two,
i.e.
If you change vehicles at 15.00 hrs, you FINISH the digi @ 15.00 and START the analogue @ 15.00.
Same if you swap from analogue to digi
I always leave a 5 min gap to be on the safe side
Then you will get an infringement for that 5 min gap unless you show on the tacho those missing 5 mins.
Circle checks are not just for the start of a shift. But making sure the time is correct on the analogue could save you some grief. finish at 14.59, start at 14.57
Wheel Nut:
bald bloke:
Santa:
redboxer850:
waddy640:
do I use a disk or a manual entry on the printout. IUse a disc, but don’t “overlap” the two,
i.e.
If you change vehicles at 15.00 hrs, you FINISH the digi @ 15.00 and START the analogue @ 15.00.
Same if you swap from analogue to digi
I always leave a 5 min gap to be on the safe side
Then you will get an infringement for that 5 min gap unless you show on the tacho those missing 5 mins.
Circle checks are not just for the start of a shift. But making sure the time is correct on the analogue could save you some grief. finish at 14.59, start at 14.57
Wise words, I have a 57min overlap on my printouts because I didn’t check and the two tachos were an hour apart.
You are committing an offence if you in the course of your work drive a tachograph-equipped vehicle without having a driver’s card. Not only will you face a heavy fine, you risk suspension from driving, your employer will also be fined.
If you have a driver’s card you can only drive using manual printouts if your card is lost, stolen, or malfunctioning, and that is only for a maximum of 7 days.
You must also carry your driver’s card on you if you drive a vehicle with an analogue tacho as the card carries driving records for the last 28 days and must be presented to Vosa or the police.
Banquo:
You are committing an offence if you in the course of your work drive a tachograph-equipped vehicle without having a driver’s card. Not only will you face a heavy fine, you risk suspension from driving, your employer will also be fined.If you have a driver’s card you can only drive using manual printouts if your card is lost, stolen, or malfunctioning, and that is only for a maximum of 7 days.
You must also carry your driver’s card on you if you drive a vehicle with an analogue tacho as the card carries driving records for the last 28 days and must be presented to Vosa or the police.
Like the seat belt thread, only if they are fitted
If you have never applied for a digital card, you can still drive an analogue equipped truck all day long
Wheel Nut:
you can still drive an analogue equipped truck all day long
WOW 
Banquo:
You are committing an offence if you in the course of your work drive a tachograph-equipped vehicle without having a driver’s card. Not only will you face a heavy fine, you risk suspension from driving, your employer will also be fined.If you have a driver’s card you can only drive using manual printouts if your card is lost, stolen, or malfunctioning, and that is only for a maximum of 7 days.
You must also carry your driver’s card on you if you drive a vehicle with an analogue tacho as the card carries driving records for the last 28 days and must be presented to Vosa or the police.
15 days. The 7 days is the time limit for reporting the problem to the DVLA
It will likely have far more records on it than 28 days, records covering in excess of 11 months is easily possible on a digi card, even thos that are used every working day.