Card trouble

I've not picked up many shifts last week so I was glad to Jump into a nice new truck on Friday morning. The firm wanted me away nice and early as usual so I got myself settled in the truck, inserted the digi card in the tachograph and apart from a very loud whirring sound, not a lot else happened until it came out again.
After repeating the process countless more times I finally accepted that the card that was only a few months old, was knackered.
This brings up a whole new set of problems and having just been the subject of a random vosa stop check in Manchester last week, I wasn't best pleased.
Driving with a malfunctioning card is legal provided you take vehicle readouts before and after your shift, inform the DVLA as soon as is physically possible and no longer than 15 calendar days from the fault occurring. Easier said than done when you think about the unsociable hours that most of us work.
So I have to send my defective card off(done) and they agree to send me a new one in 5 days for free. Seems ok to me so long as everything goes smoothly and the postal system works'!
I was in Maidstone today and still driving on printouts which is a little off putting with the tacho sign flashing all day but I am getting used to it.
I'm still waiting for my last collection now and the clocks going back have made it pitch black here in the yard

I made it back at 7:30 tonight but luckily I'm not starting until the same time tomorrow.