Hi All,
Been working on domestic & logbooks since I got my license so haven’t had to make use of my DigiCard… anyway, packing this job in and assume the next job I get will be under EU regs, so have been using my digicard (yes, and following EU regs) for the last week, really just so that I can learn how to use the bloody thing.
Managed to ■■■■ it up the other night by forgetting about it and leaving it in the truck (on other work), I (think) i’d taken sufficient breaks though when I was working to avoid a WTD ■■■■-up, and thankfully the dayshift driver noticed it and put it on rest then ejected it when he started, though he did drive for 10 mins first. It looks like i’ve done a 14hr duty, followed by 10h49m rest. 
oops.
Anyway, last night I put it on other work, went and put paperwork in then returned to the truck, put it on break/rest, then ejected it and went home. Today, when I put it into a different truck with an older Stoneridge VU, it didn’t ask me the “rest since last ejected” or “manual entries” questions… just the begin country and that was it. Done a printout, and instead of showing rest overnight, it’s showing 15h02m unknown activity.
Have done a search, and i see this unknown activity has popped up a few times, seems to be with older VUs. Assume it’s not going to cause an infringement or anything?
Anyone got any tips of best practice for ending your shift? Also, any helpful hints on how to remember to take the bloody thing out would also be good. 
Cheers,
Chris.
Wouldn’t worry about that. When the cards not in, it presumes rest so you’ll be ok there. However you can do a manual entry when you start stating what you’ve done in that 15hr.
It was an older type 1 digital tachograph, they don’t automatically record the daily rest period but show a ? symbol for the time the card is out of the tachograph, on those type of tachographs the DVSA will assume you was on rest when the card was out of the tachograph so you won’t get an infringement.
A type 1 digital tachograph does prompt you to do a manual entry but being a different tachograph to what you’re used to you probably missed it.
There’s a type 1 digital tachograph simulator you can practice on if you like.
When you’re using a digital tachograph while on domestic regulations you can put the tachograph on “out of scope”, Out of scope means out of scope of EU regulations, in other words it shows that the tachograph is not being used on EU regulations.
This way you can still use the tachograph in the usual way so get the practice you want but anyone checking your driver card will see that you wasn’t on EU regulations, so if you screw up it won’t matter because on domestic regulations you don’t have to comply with the EU breaks and rest period requirements 
To use out of scope go into the menu until you reach vehicle then press OK, go through the sub menu until you see Out→ then press OK.
You can see more about Out of scope on Siemens tachographs page 61 here, or on Stoneridge tachographs page 37 here.
The instructions in these manuals will change a bit according to the age of the tachograph.
dani1972:
Wouldn’t worry about that. When the cards not in, it presumes rest so you’ll be ok there.
That’s only the case on type 1 digital tachographs, if you make that assumption when using a type 2 digital tachograph you’re likely to be getting more infringements than you can shake a stick at.
Really? Thanks for that. I know it’s come up as presumed rest for me before, though I do manual entries almost all the time now, after this all the time.
Thanks, useful to know. I know about out of scope, just decided to stick to EU regs to get used to working to them ! On milk tankers, hence the OOS, but we don’t do particularly long driving duties anyway, and have plenty of time for breaks, so it doesn’t really matter.
Only tonights shift to go anyway, then i’m freeeeee
Is there an easy way to spot the older vs newer VUs ?