Thoughts on Daylight Saving Time...

[branmuffin]

I'm kind of torn about DST and the possibility of getting rid of it in Canada. I'm slightly north of Toronto so in the winter we don't get too much sun in the morning without DST. It's good for kids that have to go to school on buses and public transportation so they aren't leaving for school in the dark. Same for people who work. However, by the time 4:30 rolls around it's dark and most people are going home from work in the dark. For safety I think light mornings going to school and work is preferable than doing those things in the dark. When it comes to summer and we go back to standard time dawn arrives around 5-ish and it can still be light at dusk at 9:30 ish. It's always weird coming out of a movie theatre from a 7 pm show and it's still light outside at 9:30.

Did the EU ever switch back to ST? It would be odd if the UK still used DST if the rest of Europe ditched it. From a monetary perspective with stock markets would that be a boon to UK or the EU?

 

[branmuffin]

We had a work meeting online today with coworkers representing most states. The Arizona employing was laying it on thick about being the only one of us who wasn’t attempting to recover from DST.

When I worked for the OPP they had their own security guards who policed the Ontario Legislature and all the government buildings in the area. Most of them worked during the day when the buildings were operational and open to the public. At night there was a skeleton staff monitoring the areas. Some of these guys had worked for years when one guy had an epiphany and said something like, "Hey, wait a minute! When I work this shift in the winter, I get to go home one hour earlier but if I work it in the spring I have to work an extra hour and my paycheque doesn't reflect that." The brass tried to explain it all comes out in the wash when the work schedules are created and one shift offsets the other. Except that's not the way it worked since the day shifts outnumbered the night shift four to one. So the ministry had to go through years of schedules to find out who got short changed and who got paid for an hour they didn't work. The decision was not to deduct any money off those that benefited from a truncated work day since their pension contributions were based on salary, not hours worked, while those who worked the extra hour got paid as overtime, no pension contributions, and received some interest in lieu. Ah, unions, gotta love 'em.

So there are some issues not necessarily visible to the changes in the time change over and above the increase in heart attacks, car accidents, social jet lag, etc.

 

[neesaki]

My eyelids feel like dead weights (I refuse to glance in the mirror, lol)

The time change really messes with me. I mean, I always have had problems sleeping soundly all night…. Staying up late, getting up too early, etc. But this makes it worse. Why go through the rigamarole? We now have what, four months of Standard time and eight months of DST? Why?
Congress has been sitting on this for what at least two years, and can’t make a decision ? Where’s that Banghead emoji when I need it?

ETA: I have to add, that I do prefer more daylight in the evening hours. Our winter nights get dark so early and are rather depressing to me.
Still, I’d rather them choose one or the other and stop the back and forth. JMO

 

[mickey2942]

The time change really messes with me. I mean, I always have had problems sleeping soundly all night…. Staying up late, getting up too early, etc. But this makes it worse. Why go through the rigamarole? We now have what, four months of Standard time and eight months of DST? Why?
Congress has been sitting on this for what at least two years, and can’t make a decision ? Where’s that Banghead emoji when I need it?

ETA: I have to add, that I do prefer more daylight in the evening hours. Our winter nights get dark so early and are rather depressing to me.
Still, I’d rather them choose one or the other and stop the back and forth. JMO

I am the opposite, I prefer light in the morning. I love to go out around 6 am, do a quick run, putter in the garden, drink my coffee on the porch, watch the sunrise. This morning, it was pitch black outside!

And we are so far north, that in the summer, it doesn't get dark until almost 10:45 PM! Forget fireworks.

I don't care much about winter, it is cold and dark here all winter anyways.

 

[Eloise]

In Australia we get 6 months of each, which I definitely prefer to the USA schedule (its always first sunday of october and the first sunday of april). that said, I'd rather we didn't have it at all. I want permanent standard time, personally. It just suits my body clock better, I always really struggle with the time change forward. Its not so bad going back (although the older I get the rougher that gets as well - which is why I'd also take permanent DT if that was the decision). Its a shame I have no interest in moving to Queensland because its' lack of DST is very attractive otherwise.

 

[IceIce9]

I am the opposite, I prefer light in the morning. I love to go out around 6 am, do a quick run, putter in the garden, drink my coffee on the porch, watch the sunrise. This morning, it was pitch black outside!

And we are so far north, that in the summer, it doesn't get dark until almost 10:45 PM! Forget fireworks.

I don't care much about winter, it is cold and dark here all winter anyways.

My main objective to DST is that kids are walking to school or waiting for buses in the pitch black.

I remember how difficult it was to get my kids to go to bed on time when it was light out until 10:00 pm.

I just wish either DST or standard time would be chosen to remain permanently. No more time changing.

 

[PrairieWind]

My main objective to DST is that kids are walking to school or waiting for buses in the pitch black.

I remember how difficult it was to get my kids to go to bed on time when it was light out until 10:00 pm.

I just wish either DST or standard time would be chosen to remain permanently. No more time changing.

I agree. The fall change is easier, but spring is rough. And I don't like that kids were going to school in daylight last week, and in the dark now. I don't really care, I guess I'd prefer just staying on standard time, but permanent daylight savings is ok. Just pick one. The overwhelming number of Americans want to do away with time changes, why can't this happen?

 

[IceIce9]

I agree. The fall change is easier, but spring is rough. And I don't like that kids were going to school in daylight last week, and in the dark now. I don't really care, I guess I'd prefer just staying on standard time, but permanent daylight savings is ok. Just pick one. The overwhelming number of Americans want to do away with time changes, why can't this happen?

If DST became permanent maybe schools would back up the start time so kids wouldn’t be walking to school in pitch black darkness.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I'm with those who don't care whether its Standard Time or Daylight-Savings Time. Just STOP changing the time twice each year. Choose one or the other and stick with it - PERMANENTLY. JMO

 

[GRT]

It's time, once again, to set clocks, light-timers, watches, etc. forward one hour. We do the reverse in the fall and set such devices back one hour. Tonight, we "lose" an hour of sleep but will "gain" it back in the fall when we return to Standard Time.

Love it or hate it? Nuisance or worthwhile? What do you think of Daylight Saving Time?

This is my favorite time change because I'm always up around 4 am so it's always dark and there's no change for me. But, I do like longer light in the evenings. I know some feel the other way.