ncooper:
So you can’t drive for 4.5 hours with only a 15 minute break.
If you split the break, BOTH parts must take place BEFORE you reach 4.5 hours.
In your scenario, you would need a 45 minute break instead of the 30 minutes and the 15 minutes would have been wasted.
I don’t know where you got your copy of the EU regulations from but I can assure you that you’re wrong about that, here’s the rules copied directly from article 7 - 561/2006.
Article 7
After a driving period of four and a half hours a driver shall
take an uninterrupted break of not less than 45 minutes,
unless he takes a rest period.
This break may be replaced by a break of at least 15 minutes
followed by a break of at least 30 minutes each distributed
over the period in such a way as to comply with the provisions
of the first paragraph.
As you can see you can indeed drive for 4½ hours either before having a break or with just a 15 minute break 
Yes, I stand corrected.
I have viewed the rules as VOSA see them, in one sentence it says
Alternatively, a full 45-minute break can be replaced by one break of at least 15 minutes followed by
another break of at least 30 minutes. These breaks must be distributed over the 4.5-hour period.
which I understood to mean within the 4.5 hours driving,
then below, they show a chart with one 15 minute break in 4.5 hours and 30 minutes at the end?
To me, the 30 minutes is not distributed over the 4.5 hour period, which has finished.
It is, however, distributed over the total 5.25 hour period ( of driving and break) that we all require to complete 4.5 hour’s driving
and it might have been less ambiguous if that was stated instead.
Regards,
Nick.
ncooper:
Yes, I stand corrected.
I have viewed the rules as VOSA see them, in one sentence it says
Alternatively, a full 45-minute break can be replaced by one break of at least 15 minutes followed by
another break of at least 30 minutes. These breaks must be distributed over the 4.5-hour period.
which I understood to mean within the 4.5 hours driving,
then below, they show a chart with one 15 minute break in 4.5 hours and 30 minutes at the end?
To me, the 30 minutes is not distributed over the 4.5 hour period, which has finished.
It is, however, distributed over the total 5.25 hour period ( of driving and break) that we all require to complete 4.5 hour’s driving
and it might have been less ambiguous if that was stated instead.
Regards,
Nick.
Another grey area mr cooper 
ncooper:
Yes, I stand corrected.
I have viewed the rules as VOSA see them, in one sentence it says
Alternatively, a full 45-minute break can be replaced by one break of at least 15 minutes followed by
another break of at least 30 minutes. These breaks must be distributed over the 4.5-hour period.
which I understood to mean within the 4.5 hours driving,
then below, they show a chart with one 15 minute break in 4.5 hours and 30 minutes at the end?
To me, the 30 minutes is not distributed over the 4.5 hour period, which has finished.
It is, however, distributed over the total 5.25 hour period ( of driving and break) that we all require to complete 4.5 hour’s driving
and it might have been less ambiguous if that was stated instead.
Regards,
Nick.
It’s always worth remembering that GV262 is a guide to the regulations and as such the wording may not always be precise.
As you can see in the actual regulations it says that split breaks should be “distributed over the period in such a way as to comply with the provisions of the first paragraph”, the first paragraph makes it cleat that the driving time must not be exceeded before having the break, or in this case the accumulated break.
hope this makes it simple to understand
OnlyAlan:
Scenario is this:
Stint 1. I drive for 2 hours and then take a 15 minute break.
Stint 2. I then drive for 2.5 hours and take a 30 minute break (this resets my digital tacho).
yes so you now have another 41/2 hrs drive left
Stint 3. I then drive for 2.5 hours.
this is the start of your second stint of driving so you have another 2 hrs driving left
Have I broken the law because I have driven 5 hours (stints 2+3) with only a 30 minute break, even though my tacho is happy?
no beacuse stint 3 is after you have had 45mins so stints 1 and 2 are together stint 3 is after 45 mins brk so is included in your next 41/2 hr driving time
I found myself in this situation yesterday so took a further 15 minute break 30 minutes before the end of stint 3, but did I need to?
no you didnt as you were perfectly legal
I sometimes take 15 mins whilst being unloaded sat in cab so means i only need to take 30 mins when 41/2 hrs are up means get home a bit earlier !!
Hope this makes it easier
Jx
Jennie:
hope this makes it simple to understand
OnlyAlan:
Scenario is this:
Stint 1. I drive for 2 hours and then take a 15 minute break.
Stint 2. I then drive for 2.5 hours and take a 30 minute break (this resets my digital tacho).
yes so you now have another 41/2 hrs drive left
Stint 3. I then drive for 2.5 hours.
this is the start of your second stint of driving so you have another 2 hrs driving left
Have I broken the law because I have driven 5 hours (stints 2+3) with only a 30 minute break, even though my tacho is happy?
no beacuse stint 3 is after you have had 45mins so stints 1 and 2 are together stint 3 is after 45 mins brk so is included in your next 41/2 hr driving time
I found myself in this situation yesterday so took a further 15 minute break 30 minutes before the end of stint 3, but did I need to?
no you didnt as you were perfectly legal
I sometimes take 15 mins whilst being unloaded sat in cab so means i only need to take 30 mins when 41/2 hrs are up means get home a bit earlier !!
Hope this makes it easier
Jx
Which is exactly correct Jennie, as was the very first reply on the 11th July. I am not sure how anyone managed to confuse things
Wheel Nut:
Jennie:
hope this makes it simple to understand
OnlyAlan:
Scenario is this:
Stint 1. I drive for 2 hours and then take a 15 minute break.
Stint 2. I then drive for 2.5 hours and take a 30 minute break (this resets my digital tacho).
yes so you now have another 41/2 hrs drive left
Stint 3. I then drive for 2.5 hours.
this is the start of your second stint of driving so you have another 2 hrs driving left
Have I broken the law because I have driven 5 hours (stints 2+3) with only a 30 minute break, even though my tacho is happy?
no beacuse stint 3 is after you have had 45mins so stints 1 and 2 are together stint 3 is after 45 mins brk so is included in your next 41/2 hr driving time
I found myself in this situation yesterday so took a further 15 minute break 30 minutes before the end of stint 3, but did I need to?
no you didnt as you were perfectly legal
I sometimes take 15 mins whilst being unloaded sat in cab so means i only need to take 30 mins when 41/2 hrs are up means get home a bit earlier !!
Hope this makes it easier
Jx
Which is exactly correct Jennie, as was the very first reply on the 11th July. I am not sure how anyone managed to confuse things
just thought was getting a bit in depth and thought a simple answer would help
im all for keeping it in laymans terms
jx
Jennie:
just thought was getting a bit in depth and thought a simple answer would help
im all for keeping it in laymans terms
jx
Not entirely wasted though, I learnt something I didn’t know.
Much as I do most days.
Regards,
Nick
Me too, handy folk to know 