A question for those in the know. Clocks changed to BST for the UK last night, and so I was talking about it to one of our other drivers. Now, he’s informed me that a mate of a mate of his brothers boyfriends sisters mate told him that as we work over the weekend (Thursday - Monday), we’re not allowed to change the time on our tacho until after our weekly shift. Personally, I think someone has been making stuff up, but this other driver has then told me the mate in question has spoken to Mr VOSA, who confirmed it. Can anyone confirm this?
I learned of this on my DCPC course yesterday 
I do not wear a watch, I go by the time on whichever lorry I am driving is displaying, I do not bother with time that much, as I feel it is used to enslave us and levy pressure for no good reason.
It seems I am correct.
There were a whole load of other offences as well that I could not believe…I am not sure I am going to continue with driving, as the fact that you can get a fine for having the wrong time has pushed it a bit over the edge for me
Reubs766:
A question for those in the know. Clocks changed to BST for the UK last night, and so I was talking about it to one of our other drivers. Now, he’s informed me that a mate of a mate of his brothers boyfriends sisters mate told him that as we work over the weekend (Thursday - Monday), we’re not allowed to change the time on our tacho until after our weekly shift. Personally, I think someone has been making stuff up, but this other driver has then told me the mate in question has spoken to Mr VOSA, who confirmed it. Can anyone confirm this?
Sounds like bull to me. The Local time displayed on the tacho head (and on the vehicle dash) has no bearing at all on the times recorded on the card. You can set it to show whatever you like and change it whenever you like (as long as the vehicle is stationary).
Roymondo:
Reubs766:
A question for those in the know. Clocks changed to BST for the UK last night, and so I was talking about it to one of our other drivers. Now, he’s informed me that a mate of a mate of his brothers boyfriends sisters mate told him that as we work over the weekend (Thursday - Monday), we’re not allowed to change the time on our tacho until after our weekly shift. Personally, I think someone has been making stuff up, but this other driver has then told me the mate in question has spoken to Mr VOSA, who confirmed it. Can anyone confirm this?Sounds like bull to me. The Local time displayed on the tacho head (and on the vehicle dash) has no bearing at all on the times recorded on the card. You can set it to show whatever you like and change it whenever you like (as long as the vehicle is stationary).
Well, I mentioned the UTC and that no matter what time a tacho unit says, it always prints off the UTC time. Just strange how I’ve never heard of this before.
I had 13 off last night according to the clock but I know the tacho has only registered 12 so no infringement for me 
now not to sound unbelieving about the £30 fixed penalty.
I would what to see the FPN before I believed it, as a uk driver he has 28 days either to pay it or appeal it, they do not take the money off you there and then.
if you were not a uk based driver with a uk address then vosa take a deposit equal to the fine or penalty, and there again they have 28 days to appeal. so for him to state that vosa took £30 off him has my suspicions up 
The clock in my 63 plate FH is exactly 3 mins slow and it really gets on my wick, i like it to be exact to the second (changes with my i-phone and the pips on radio4).
Now, i know how to do the 1min faster/slower once a week thing(you can only do this with your card out in my experience) thats not a problem, ive done it in a few motors…what happens with this tacho is it says UTC time is correct and im not allowed to adjust the time.
Volvo want paying to adjust it and my firm arent bothered that its slow.
It really ■■■■■■ me off!
A tacho unit is supposed to be referenced to UTC. I’ll say now there is unlikely a tacho in the UK actually set to UTC. An approximation maybe, set via a phone or similarly connected updated device. If Vosa are that ■■■■ on 7 minutes I’d like to know what the clever clogs is using a frame of reference to back up his punishment. The closest yet I’ve come to accurate time keeping in my other work is GPS time using the internal clock.
Mate of mine has just been relieved of £30 by VOSA for his tacho being 7 minutes out … is it not a bit unfair on the driver who has no way of setting it right ■■? surely its down to the vehicle operator and tacho centre… well, apart from maybe the driver putting a defect in for it… But on the other hand, I am an agency driver working for different companies, in a different vehicle every time, if i find a tacho a few minutes out do i refuse to drive the vehicle ■■?
The driver can change the time on the tacho - it’s one of the menu options, so it is down to him I’m afraid.
a driver surely can’t change UTC time??
I was shown once how to do it by using the ‘change from local to UTC time’ - it does it in 30 minute intervals, but it also corrected the actual time by a couple of minutes at the same time, unless the guy showing me did something else without me noticing…
Interestingly, just found this link: Tachographs: rules for drivers and operators: Overview - GOV.UK where it mentions that the operator must have the tacho recalibrated if the time is out by more than 20 minutes, so it looks like I stand corrected, but it also seems your mate was hard done by - may be worth querying if you can find definitive the rules.
If it is an analogue tachograph, it is down to the driver, he should check the time is correct before starting duty. If not he must adjust the tachograph clock.
However if it is a digital tachograpgh:
A driver can only adjust the time by one minute per week, if the clock is wrong, that is down to a workshop to put right.
It must be recalibrated in an approved workshop if it is more than 20 minutes out.
Your mate has either just been wrongly shafted or he is talking out of his arse
Wheel Nut:
If it is an analogue tachograph, it is down to the driver, he should check the time is correct before starting duty. If not he must adjust the tachograph clock.However if it is a digital tachograpgh:
A driver can only adjust the time by one minute per week, if the clock is wrong, that is down to a workshop to put right.
It must be recalibrated in an approved workshop if it is more than 20 minutes out.
Your mate has either just been wrongly shafted or he is talking out of his arse
wrongly shafted meethinks, he is a reliable source…
is there anywhere on vosa website where there might be a black and white answer for any leeway ■■
I can only find this… level one… (£30)
Fail to ensure that the time recorded
on the chart agrees with the official
time
Section 97 (1)(a)(iii) of the Transport Act
1968
Art. 15(3)/ Regulation
3821/85 (EEC)
so should you refuse to take a vehicle out if it doesn’t show the correct time by even one minute ■■..
we could all be shafted
Trukkertone:
I can only find this… level one… (£30)
Fail to ensure that the time recorded
on the chart agrees with the official
time
Section 97 (1)(a)(iii) of the Transport Act
1968
Art. 15(3)/ Regulation
3821/85 (EEC)so should you refuse to take a vehicle out if it doesn’t show the correct time by even one minute ■■..
we could all be shafted
Let me check my book and the current sanctions for 561/2006 etc
Give me 5
Wheel Nut:
Trukkertone:
I can only find this… level one… (£30)
Fail to ensure that the time recorded
on the chart agrees with the official
time
Section 97 (1)(a)(iii) of the Transport Act
1968
Art. 15(3)/ Regulation
3821/85 (EEC)so should you refuse to take a vehicle out if it doesn’t show the correct time by even one minute ■■..
we could all be shaftedLet me check my book and the current sanctions for 561/2006 etc
Give me 5
Under the Digital sanctions it says this.
AL means Advisory Letter. FUE means Follow Up Enquiry
The problem is, do you roll over and give them 30 quid or take a day off work to make some nameless scroat look a prat in court
i thought you were allowed +/- 3 mins for the clock to be out
jrl driver:
i thought you were allowed +/- 3 mins for the clock to be out
(EEC) No 3821/85 on recording equipment in road transport says that in use the maximum tolerances are ± two minutes per day, or ± 10 minutes per seven days.
Not sure if that it the same tolerances apply to digital but if on a digital the UTC is out by more than 20 minutes it must be recalibrated.