I am SO not looking forward to the end of Daylight Saving Time next Sunday. I was a Morning Dove when younger, but I'm a Night Owl now. These days I get up later. I spent 35 years getting up at 5 am to get ready to commute to work (45-60 minutes away) and I grew to hate it. After I retired 16 years ago, I expected to sleep late for a few months to "catch up". I haven't caught up yet! Getting up at 10 am is routine now. 😁
So Daylight Saving Time means I have an extra hour in my day outside when there aren't as many of them as for earlier-risers. Standard time means that by the time I shower, dress, and eat lunch (while reading the newspaper), it's Noon. Having it get dark at 6 pm is bad enough. Come Sunday, it will be 5 pm.
5 hours of daytime... I can barely get an outdoor project started before it starts to get dark. It is actually worse than that. The huge old trees on the west side of the yard (in my neighbor's yard, so I can't do anything about them) make it darker even before sunset.
When I was still working, Standard Time meant that, for Dec/Jan/Feb, I left home in the dark and returned in the dark. I could only do outside stuff on weekends. Not that there was a lot to do outside in Winter, but you might be surprised. Winter is the best pruning season and I have a lot of specimen trees and shrubs. There is compost in the bins to be turned over for faster breakdown. It is a good time to attack weeds in the flowerbeds. There are tools to be cleaned and sharpened. And even doing work inside feels different; when it is dark outside, it feels harder to do useful work inside. I feel like I am awake in the middle of the night doing work. I need all the lights on (I do thank the inventor of LED bulbs for making that MUCH cheaper).
There was some discussion (here in the US) about just making Daylight Saving Time "Standard Time". I supported that very much, but nothing seems to have come of it. The Senate passed a bill supporting that (effective next year), but I don't think the House did.
I understand the reasons why Daylight Saving Time exists. I also understand the reasons why some objected to it and want the current bi-annual change to continue. And I know some people want Standard time to be in effect year-round.
But I sure would like it if we decided to make Daylight Saving Time become "Standard Time"!
4 comments:
For those of us who do get up early, dislike getting up in the dark! Even now with a sunrise around 7:30, on a sunny day it is after 8 AM before the sun begins to rise above the houses to shine in the windows. By evening, I am inside, cooking dinner, so sunset isn't that bad.
With year long Daylight Saving, the sun would not be rising until around 8:30 where I am, and I am in the far eastern portion of my time zone. For those in the far west, sunrise would be after 9 AM. That means you have kids going to school in the dark, which to me is unsafe.
If we have to only have one time, leave it at standard time.
I agree with Ducky's Mom 0 its called "Standard" time for a reason. But the whole time change is annoying. Aroiund here kids are waiting for the school bus at 6:30 am DST - it is pitch dark. Either way kids are usually home by 4 or 5 pm and it is not completely dark then.
Daylight Saving Time messes with the sundial. Noon (sun at zenith) isn't at 12:00.
People living in the middle of a time zone aren't affected as much as people near the edges.
I'd rather have Standard Time all year, but I'd rather not have to change the clocks at all. So I wish they'd hurry. California voted to go with one time as soon as the nation does.
I'm voting for no daylight savings where I am - it means that in summer, it can still be quite hot at 9pm or 10pm.
Megan
Sydney, Australia
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