I know there are threads on this, but I can’t find one that seems to do what happened to me today.
My journey on M25 was from J12-17, which was really crap today stop start all the way, there was an accident in the slow traffic too which ballsed me up even more. I left Thorpe with just over 2 hours left before I needed a 30 minute break for 4.5hours.
When it was clear i wasnt going to make it, a parking space magically appeared next to me as I rolled over 4 hours 29 minutes, switched to break just as it flashed at me for 4 hours 30 minutes. I pulled over and took my break because I thought I wasnt doing anything tonight, desperate enough, to warrant bending my card etc etc. I was 20 minutes from base.
I get back and since that was so close I would do a print out and double check. Bugger me, when I added up the driving minutes it came to 4 hours 34 minutes! I did print outs signed the back with the reason and I know it’s not a problem if I’m stopped etc. But that isn’t the point. I could have carried on and done 4 hours 24 minutes, been home 30 minutes earlier and still had the same amount of post driving crap to deal with.
Stoopid me for trying to play it straight, I guess I’m just venting really. Just wondering if anyone had a similar problem with it.
Having had 43 hrs weekly rest I put my card in a Stoneridge only to be told via a flashing display that I was due 24 hrs weekly rest !!
Anybody know why this would happen ?
The end of the previous weeks work was over 5 days and all within legal hours.
The week before that I only worked 3 days.
Do the Stoneridge Tacho’s recognise reduced hrs etc ?
I’ve always found the new Stoneridge tachos far superior to the Siemens.
Posted it up before, but for some reason when I’d take 2 different motors into London, I always seemed to total less driving hours with the Stoneridge. Up to as much as half an hour when on a run that took 7.5/8.5 hours. Both newish trucks a 12 and a 13 plate. Both with new tachos. I know my old 60 plate used to jump up a couple of minutes from time to time (Siemens) and there have been guys at our place that have pulled up at a stop with 4.28 showing, only to find the next time they look, it’s flashing 4.31.
Stoneridge wins it hands down for me. Nice clear display telling you what you need to know. No buggering about before you move off, while it decides to wake up, then go for a ■■■, before doing its maths. Even tells you what break you need next.
Ah,the days of “Frisby” flying analogue tachos.
Ghost names on the chart such as Reagan Ronald.
Duck Donald.Mouse Mickey.
The distant memory of “coffee money” donation to the officer in Euroland.
Back then it was considered normal to drive 20 hours with no breaks.
The freight forwarders and receiving warehouses expected that.
If it was done legal,they would go mental.Why so long.What is the delay.
They would find another haulier that could run bent.
But i never heard of drivers crashing due to fatigued.
If tired,pull over.Sleep.Coffee.Carry on to make the ferry booking.
Cherbourg or Ouistreham to Madrid/Valencia/Malaga/Gibraltar/Lisbon or Porto in one shift.
Going through the Spanish Basque area would make many nervous as they were not to be messed about with.Red berets.Red uniforms.Most looked like rugby players with beards.