Reader Responses March 13, 2008

SURVEY SAYS: Would You Abolish DST?

March 13, 2008 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Well, it may not save any daylight, but now that most of us have "sprung forward," it's nice to see a bit more sunshine at the end of the working day (it's ALWAYS dark when I get up).
Reported by

Still, there are problems associated with the shift back and forth – and this week I asked readers, If it were within your power, would you abolish Daylight Saving Time?

As it turns out, most of this week’s respondents would – 59.6% , to be exact – not quite twice the nearly 34% who said they wouldn’t.   The remainder said they were “OK either way.”

The comments on DST were numerous.   Mostly folks seemed fine with either DST or not – but the switch was problematic.   And, generally speaking, folks were very happy with having some extra hours of daylight at the end of the day – even with the “loss” of the hour.   And, it’s worth noting, a goodly number, like yours truly, head for work in the dark all year long already.   As one reader noted, “This time of year with the testing deadlines I’ve been to busy to notice. It’s still dark when I get up and seems to be not as dark when I go home, to work more from there. As work always starts too early in the dark I like the part of DST where it’s lighter out side later in the day. Being just east of the Rockies (Denver) we loose about 1 hour of evening sunlight every day just because we are in the shadow of the mountains.”

“The fall back part is ok but the spring forward does me in every year,” said another.  “Takes weeks to adjust to.”

There were a number of suggestions to improve the process:

“They should do the time change on a Friday night/Saturday morning. That way it will give us two days to adjust before going back to work on Monday.”

“Fall back is fine – I appreciate the extra sleep but Spring Forward kills me every year – at least a week of being tired all day. How about if we adjust work hours instead of the clock? I wake up naturally without an alarm clock as the birds begin greeting the sun – just let me be due at work when getting up with the birds gets me there regardless of what time that is and on rainy overcast days let me sleep.”

“This year, I’m making a conscious effort to get to bed earlier. My theory is better rested, less crabby. It seems to be working, but you’d have to check with my family. I’m a little biased.”

“If we could keep folks from complaining about the change back and forth as the reason they are unproductive for a week … that would be a blessing!”

We had several interesting observations on the consequences:

"My poor ole HP PDA is so confused that it refuses to display my appointment calendar."

"As the father of a 6 month old who gets up at 5 am, turning the clocks back in the fall really stinks. My guess is that the creator of daily savings time didn't have young children."

"And finally, what's up with this you'll "lose an hour" or "gain an hour"? In the Spring you lose 2 hours: one because of the time change and the other when you go around changing all the clocks. In the fall you get that hour back, but have to squander it changing all the clocks back."

"Energy savings??? Now instead of having to turn on my bedroom lights at night I have to turn them on in the AM too."

"Can you send the results to all government officials and tell them to vote it out?"

"Your link stated that we should respond by 2pm ET. Is that 1pm ET and 2pm Eastern Daylight Savings Time, or is it 3 pm. I'm not sure."

But this week's Editor's Choice goes to the reader who observed, "Daylight may be saved, but I'm still behind."

Thanks to everyone who participated in our survey!

My husband and I were visiting a new church one Sunday when we realized, on the cburch steps, that the time had changed and that we were not there at the right time. A lady from my new place of work (we had just moved to town) was on different steps of the church. When we turned around to leave, she shouted my name out in her booming voice to get me to stay. We had scheduled lunch with my family, about 100 miles away, so we couldn't stay an extra hour. I had to go explain to her, but I was so embarassed when she called my name in front of all the people who were entering the church for Sunday School.
Only if you consider "fun" the fact you can never call anybody on the mainland after you get home from work since they are now three to six hours ahead of you.
Until the last couple of years, I've always lived in states that had always observed DST. Since I moved to Indiana, which just switched to DST last year, I have been amazed at the general outcry against it. People moan and complain about being exhausted about losing that one hour (although they don't seem to be especially energized when they gain one), they kvetch about "having to adjust their schedules to those East Coast people", and every time change is accompanied by announcements, discussions, memos, reminders and more memos, emails, discussions and reminders that everything went OK.
The first morning of DST, my poor dog looks at me like I'm crazy because to him we are getting up at 4:30 in the morning! And he has never been a "morning dog".
As the father of a 6 month old who gets up at 5 am, turning the clocks back in the fall really stinks. My guess is that the creator of daily savings time didn't have young children.
Several people I talked to this year said that they were prepared and changed all their clocks to the correct time, but still ended up being late to church, meetings, etc. because they forgot to change their watches.
We had two maintenance guys adjusting the clocks on Monday. One guy set half the clocks forward an hour and the other guy set the other half back an hour. It was late Tuesday before they were all set correctly.
On the surface and because it's done on the weekend, it doesn't look like a big deal, but come Monday, it's a whole other story. The alarm clock may say "4:30" but the body says "3:30" and doesn't move for another hour 🙂
I used to live in the tiny section of Indiana that did not change. Half of the year we were in Central time and half of the year in Eastern time. The problem was that we lived on the line. So my school was in one time zone and I lived in another. So for me, the clocks didn't change, but the school day did!
One time in Indianopolis before they used DST, I thought a terrible tragedy had happened because the time when the news came on was off by an hour--by my "sprung forward" thinking coming from Chicago. Then I was totally confused what time it was--because I had indeed made my plane, attend my meetings and made it to the hotel for the evening. For a moment, I didn't have a clue what the time was where I was...
I was in Iraq in 2003, about 10 days before clocks would change in the U.S., I started asking our command if we would be "falling-back" like we do at home. No one seemed to know the answer, even the CIA "fact book" on Iraq didn't cover it. The day before the change we still weren't sure what was going to happen. At about 9pm the night before I finally get the word we will change back an hour. Six months later, in the Spring of '04 we're still in theater, and again I ask our command group when or if we are going to "leap-forward'. I reminded everyone above my pay grade that it took almost two weeks to find out in the fall what was going to happen. By now we have a new command group, so for them its the first time addressing this issue, and they had no idea who to go to, to find the answer. The evening before we get the "final" word that we will need to set our clocks forward one hour. Hopefully the Pentagon has had enough time to sort this out!
Abolish DST? Not a chance. A co-worker and I play "Guess Who Will Be Late and Blame It on the Time Change". Monday, lunch was on him! Folks in our office are too predictable. Amazing how the same folks always seem to forget to set their clocks ahead....but they are never early when we go the other way.
I bought a couple of alarm clocks that automatically set themselves for DST... a year before Congress decided to expand it. Imagine my delight in springing forward/falling back 4 times a year.
My 11-year-old, thinking she was helping, pushed @ 1/2 our clocks back...we were confused for a while!
First, saying we lose an hour's sleep is over-stated. How can we lose what we never had? Second, here it is Wed, and some employees still haven't turned their clocks back yet, at least that's the assumption based on what time they are rolling in the morning.
I use my cell phone as my alarm clock and I have it set to go off at the same time every weekday. I overslept on Monday because not only did my cell phone advance the time one hour, it also advanced my alarm by an hour awakening me an hour late! I made it to work on time thank goodness. I can only imagine the razzing I would have received from my employees for being late because of an alarm clock malfunction!
A friend once fell back in the spring when it coincided with Easter and couldn't figure out why everyone in her family was showing up so early to her house for brunch. No one offered explanation to being "early" and offered to help. Finally someone looked at a clock and said, "No wonder you aren't ready - your clocks are all two hours behind!" Brunch turned into an early dinner, and she has never lived it down.
Sunday mornings can be fun if you "forget" the switch the night before. You might make it to church service halfway through and spend 15-20 minutes trying to figure out why you're late!!
My alarm clock is programmed to change with DST, however, when it did not change on Sunday morning I changed it. It changed on Monday morning.... Not pleasant to lose two hours in the same week.
If it were in my power I'd extend DST
DST for me came as I was ending a 30 hour day, returning from vacation overseas. With DST, it was a 31 hour day - or was it? 2:30 in the morning, or 3:30 in the morning - I was tired.
The funniest story I've heard was when a local resident complained to the paper that the extra hour of daylight was killing her plants.
I was always late for Easter Mass a couple of times becuase I forgot about the change.
It's always "fun" to try to figure out what I'm supposed to do with recurring meetings in Outlook now that DST has been moved to start earlier (and ended later last year). Again an example of the federal government making changes for the greater good without an understanding of how those in the private sector manage their work days. Even if we are saving energy, if we tried to figure out the "cost" of lost work hours to manually "patch" Outlook, I think we would be in the hole. I'm sure that our systems people have better ways to spend their expensive and limited resources than trying to herd a bunch of cats (us) into making their meetings on time.
This year, I'm making a conscious effort to get to bed earlier. My theory is better rested, less crabby. It seems to be working, but you'd have to check with my family. I'm a little biased.
In a former career, I used to co-manage a large grocery store with over 100 employees. Invariably, I would get stuck working the Saturday night before the time change. It wouldn't have been so bad, except for the "fall back" change. You see as manager, I was responsible for setting the two timeclocks, which could only be changed by turning it forward. Which again wouldn't be so bad, except that the time clocks were also day stamped, so I had to turn the clock forward six 24 hour periods then one 23 hour period to set the clock. Which again wouldn't be so bad except for the sharp pointed edges on the wheel I had to turn to set the clocks. Which again wouldn't be so bad, except when I would miss setting the correct time and have to do it all over again! Just one of the reasons I hated DST....and the grocery business. Hey I understand timeclocks are digital now. Well good for my successors.
In general I think it's good but I didn't think so Sunday morning when I was supposed to be at church half an hour early but was half an hour late. Oops!
It was strange seeing the sun out at 7pm this past Sunday, with nearly 2 feet of snow on the ground (we live in Buffalo, NY)
My poor ole HP PDA is so confused that it refuses to display my appointment calendar.
People always show up late or early for church the Sunday after it happens.

I also asked readers about their plans for St. Patrick's Day:

  • 43.2% - will be wearing green
  • 27.9% - will dress without regard to the day
  • 25.8% - haven't given it any thought
  • 7.0% - will drink green
  • 3.1% - will NOT wear green
  • 1.3% - will wear orange

Among the comments/clarifications:

Wear green...if I remember

Not all green, just something green.

The priest has told us not to celebrate it under threat of excommunication. Guess I'm going to the other place.

Plan to wear green and then probably forget.

But this week's Editor's Choice goes to the reader who noted, "Green isn't the best color for a job interview (I'm the candidate)."

Good luck!  And thanks to everyone who participated in our survey!

I wouldn't necessarily abolish DST per se -- instead I'd keep it all year round. Just no more switching back and forth, please!!!
I'm sure I'm too late for the survey, but my answer would have been, "Oh, yeah, I would do away with DST in a New York minute." I doubt it saves energy since people will be driving later and stores keep their lights on no matter how light it is outside. I'm personally inconvenienced because I have relatives in AZ (a state that doesn't "spring forward") so now the time difference is 3 hours instead of 2, making it harder to find a mutual time to talk on the phone or e-mail. And finally, what's up with this you'll "lose an hour" or "gain an hour"? In the Spring you lose 2 hours: one because of the time change and the other when you go around changing all the clocks. In the Fall you get that hour back, but have to squander it changing all the clocks back.
There was an article in my local paper titled "Daylight Spending Time". I've yet to read it since I'm an hour behind.
I have always hated DST. I don't care if they want to call noon midnight. I just want them to fix the clocks and leave them there!
I love DST!! I don't mind waking up in the dark, but I LOVE driving home when it's still light out - it's miserable for weeks in the winter when it gets dark so early.
I wouldn't abolish it, just keep it the way it was with the changeover in early April and November. I run in the mornings so when there is a late sunrise, it makes it hard to get out early because we have no streetlights where I live. I also hate to see the kids walking to the school bus stops in the dark.
I would keep Daylight Savings Year Round. I like having it light later, rather than in the morning.
I will keep DST permanently
I like having more daylight hours in the summer. It means I can still enjoy some outdoors fund after work. In the winter, I like less daylight. It means the kids will be inside earlier to complete their homework and its too cold to do stuff outdoors anyway.
I like the added daylight hours during the evenings.
I really like the daylight in the evening, I like to garden and this gives me more time.
I like that it is lighter in the evening. I would keep it that way all year long.
would leave it on daylight savings time. It iis always dark when I get up too! I enjoy the "extra" usable sunlight!
We're messing with nature! The sun should determine what time it is.
I loved it when I lived on the west coast, and didn't realize how great the east coast had it until I was in Louisville during the summer and it didn't get dark until 9pm!
The only good thing about Daylight Saving Time is the extra hour we get when we "Fall back".
Could we at least get ALL states participating (or not participating) in DST?? It's really annoying to try and remember when I am and when I'm not in the same time zone as my plan provider and other offices.
What's the big deal?
Daylight may be saved, but I'm still behind.
I see no reason for it at all. There is no proof any energy is saved - it's just a way to make the over-worked and tired more tired...
I wouldn't abolish Daylight Saving Time, but I would stop changing back to "normal" time. Daylight Saving Time might not save energy, but it does give me more opportunity to get out of the house and enjoy life more. I might even spend a little time exercising in the evenings. However, every time we change back and forth, my body takes weeks to adjust. In fact, I am about to fall asleep right now. Thanks!
They should do the time change on a Friday night/Saturday morning. That way it will give us two days to adjust before going back to work on Monday.
I would not abolish DST, however, I would graduate it in through the month, i.e., 15 minutes one weekend, 15 minutes the next, etc. That hour all at once messes with me for a week or two...aahhhh old age!!!
If it's a simple yes or no I'm going with "yes"...but I much prefer a later start (say early to mid April and a close no later than first week in Nov. This March start is nuts.
Now that a clock is built into everything it's a real burden to change them all twice a year. And the stuff that's supposed to change automatically via radio signal now is off since the US isn't in sych with the rest of the world. It's stupid. BTW, China not only ignores DST, but there are no time zones either!
Yes, I would abolish Daylight Saving Time. Since relocating to Arizona, I no longer have to adjust my clocks. The most annoying part of dealing with DST is keeping up with the time difference from east to west coast when making phone calls.
There is nothing better than an after work bike ride - and I'd get a lot fewer of them if there was no DST.
"Daylight Savings Time" means I spend more time driving in the dark to get to work in the morning (I start at 7:30 am and have a 30-mile commute). It also means there are more children walking to bus stops in the dark, which, in my town, means more children are struck by cars.
I don't understand how extending DST can save energy (seems like heating my house earlier than otherwise when it is colder will actually do the opposite) but I enjoy the extra time one has in the evenings to 'play' outside.
I run and prefer to run after work rather than before. DST allows me to do so safely.
Haven't been able to see the benefits. Causes problems with 24/7 operation scheduling, the kids are back out in the dark getting on school buses that slow commutes and productivity is down for several days while everyone changes biological time. And of course dependent upon your server, calendars often don't match up future meetings and Blackberry went nuts. Then we do it all again in the fall...
IMHO I think DST should be abolished. I think we are resourceful enough to cope with shorter days and longer nights and the reverse as they naturally occur. I don't think we are smarter than the natural course of things.
Abolish it if you leave it where it is now. I like the light at the end of the day.
I would do the opposite. I am a huge proponent of having DST all year round. There are significant benefits to having more daylight at the end of the day.
I would leave it on daylight savings all year long. Most people here like the extra light in the evening.
The original reason for Daylight Saving Time occurred during World War II --- as a help to farmers to get their crops in the fields as well as harvest time. I don't believe we're an agrarian economy any more. It's always dark when I get up; nothing has changed there, and it's usually dark when I get home. It's the "physical" change that's a "hassle" for me --- when the alarm goes off in the morning, I think -- "but it's only 3:30 a.m.; and then at night I have the same issue..
The only reason to keep DST is if it saves lives, perhaps by providing more light when schoolchildren are walking to school and crossing streets, etc.
Kill it.
I don't know that I'm OK either way. I guess I am conflicted. I like the extra daylight in the evening. However, the conflicts created by the change, especially when it occurs other than the time originally designated by FDR. My cellphone still is on Standard Time. My wife's is on Daylight. Same provider. She hates the change which is somewhat difficult to put up with. My dog used to refuse to recognize the change; but we had to put him to sleep last month, so that is no longer a problem. Although I'd rather have the problem. The greatest concern is in wondering; Is Indianapolis on Daylight or Standard time this year, is Arizona on west coast time for the summer? Do the milking cows really care? Dave Fletcher
It's great for those of us who enjoy getting exercies outdoors after work--and makes working longer some evenings less annoying.
I would like to have it year round.
Move the time 30 minutes and leave it year round......
Where I live, it stays light until almost 10 pm in June with daylight savings time. It just seems like we really don't need it.
We need to have it lighter, longer in the evenings....anything to have Americans outside and moving about more! It's certainly motivating to me!
This time of year with the testing deadlines I've been to busy to notice. It's still dark when I get up and seems to be not as dark when I go home, to work more from there. As work always starts to early in the dark I like the part of DST where it's lighter out side later in the day. Being just east of the Rockies (Denver) we loose about 1 hour of evening sunlight every day just because we are in the shadow of the mountians so the shift helps.
I like the extra daylight at the end of the day, If it were in my power, I'd make daylight saving time permanent.
Two days after changing clocks in Spring or Fall, it really should be a non-event. Complainers should just "get a life" and roll with it.
Of course, we don't get any "more" time or daylight than we would if we didn't change the clocks. I don't think it's worth all the hassles.
Instead of abolishing DST, I'd make it the standard time. Up here in the northern Rockies winter we go to work when it's dark and go home from work when it's dark. Keeping DST all year might give us 15 minutes of light when we leave for home. Also, if the point of DST is to save energy, what about saving productivity? It usually takes my body a week to recover from the spring forward, and I know I'm not as productive when I'd really rather have that extra hour in bed that I had last week. Kill standard time!
I have never understood this concept of "saving" daylight. The number of hours of daylight is exactly the same!
The fall back part is ok but the spring forward does me in every year. Takes weeks to adjust to.
If we could keep folks from complaining about the change back and forth as the reason they are unproductive for a week ... that would be a blessing!
If we can't abolish DST, let's just use it year-round instead of this switching back and forth. I especially hate the change in the fall when one day I'm going home in daylight and the next day it's pitch dark.
The older I get the harder it is for my body to adjust.
A total "waste" of time.
Absolutely abolish DST! I want my "extra" hour back. Maybe then I can catch up!
If you're an early riser, I'm not sure if it makes a significant impact other than it takes a couple of weeks to readjust. If you're a late riser (like me) it is difficult to readjust your morning routine (especially with the kids for bedtime and waking them up in the morning). I feel better during standard time - more in sync with my schedule. I always struggle during DST and was very disappointed with the increase in the duration last year.
Absolultely do away with it. It's outlived it's usefulness!
I would vote to have DST all year round - or somehow be able to change 8 - 5 working hours to 6-3. It is so depressing to go to work in the dark and then come home in the dark. During DST I feel like I am getting a half day off when I come home and it is still light out.
Not being a morning person in a major way, for me the extra hour of sleep I feel like I'm getting when we "fall back" in no way compensates for the hour of sleep we lose when we "spring forward." Monday morning was even more brutal than usual.
Not sure having DST is saving anything, just making co-workers crankier on the following Monday because they still haven't adjusted.
but why stop at only 1 hour. I would puch the clocks ahead 2 hours. If not 2 hours, then meet half way - 90 minutes.
Foggy minds equals foggy work product.
If anything I'd make Daylight Saving Time the permanent time.
I'd like to know what is being saved. If resources ARE actually being saved, I could be convinced to retain the inconvenience. But I don't know what we're saving. Does anybody know?
Get rid of Standard Time instead!!
I do like having more light hours in the evening, but even without DST, it would be light until 8:30 or after, which is great. It doesn't matter to me that it's still light at 9:30 in the evening.
I would actually keep the clock on the Daylight Savings Time all year round. I was told as a child that we changed the clocks to help the farmers who had to work outdoors year round. I used to feel sorry for the farmers. Not so now! Based on the prices of wheat and corn, I think they are doing just fine.
That "dark at 5" deal is depressing...DST is the cure.
After a long day at the office, it's wonderful to have some daylight after hours to enjoy. Plus it allows for gardening and other yardwork during the week, and more free time to play on the weekends.
I'd prefer to spring forward a couple of weeks later in March--when there's actually enough daylight to "save" some.
I think we should wait another month before we spring forward.
What's not to like about having an extra hour of daylight after work to shoot some hoops, go for a bike ride, etc. with the kids?
I'd rather have DST all the time. It was very uplifting to get off the train at 6:45 on Monday night and find that it was still light out. I was getting tired of leaving and returning home in the dark.
I live in a northern tier state and DST is nice for keeping it lighter longer during the warmer months when we tend to be outside more in the evenings tending to tasks around the home. Also, the sun rises early enough during those months that it gets light early enough, even under DST. The benefits go beyond saving energy, and frankly, even if energy is not being saved, it's still worthwhile. However, I do not see the need for extending it beyond May through October.
I also like some daylight at the end of the day. It seems the older I get, the harder the switching. We just need to keep daylight savings all year round and stop the moving back and forth. Why have the time different 4 months of the year?
Is this a trick question? Cause I am so confused now that we have sprung forward is this "Daylight Saving Time" or was it before? Anywho, I like it now - more light after work.
It's great- it is much better to have more light at the end of the day. I'm more of a night owl- "morning people" may feel differently.
I wish we could just stay on one time. My internal clock doesn't work that well normally. The time changes just make it worse.
At least I see my yard when I get home
If it's supposed to save energy, why doesn't Arizona do it where energy resources are more limited and very expensive?
I like the phychological lift that I'm getting more daylight hours in the spring and it looks like the government is finally making an effort to straighten it out, so why not?
Fall back is fine - I appreciate the extra sleep but Spring Forward kills me every year - at least a week of being tired all day. How about if we adjust work hours instead of the clock? I wake up naturally without an alarm clock as the birds begin greeting the sun - just let me be due at work when getting up with the birds gets me there regardless of what time that is and on rainy overcast days let me sleep.
I would prefer to keep it all year. It would give me more desire to go and work out after work and not just go home and crash.
I live in the Northeast and any additional hint that spring is on its way via DST is always welcome (even if it does mean it is dark when I wake up).
I love it. Wish we could have it 12 months a year.
Would love to know how much money this costs. I'm sure it saves none.
I love DST -- love to exercise outside after work in light not dark -- play tennis, go for a run or a walk. It cheers me up!
I prefer lighter earlier. It makes you want to rise and shine and get your day going and start to be productive. Also, for those of us who live in the hot and humid Northeast during the summer months, the morning daylight is much cooler than the evening daylight.(Why not have more of that) Arizona has the right idea and I congratulate their legislature for "sticking to their guns".
Growing up I was taught that we had to change our clocks to stay in sync with the time the cows would need to be milked. Now how ridiculous is that!
I doesn't make a real difference. It's just the reverse. Rather than coming home in the dark, we leave home in the dark.
It gives me the opportunity for a long walk in the evening. I love it!
Working late hours and starting early, I also arrive at work usually before dawn all year, even though I live in the South. At least when I go home during DST even if it's late, I have time (and light enough) to do things outside that I wouldn't be able to do otherwise.
Energy savings??? Now instead of having to turn on my bedroom lights at night I have to turn them on in the AM too.
If anything, I'd keep the clocks on DST all year. Since, like you, its always dark when I get up, I enjoy having it stay light later.
I like getting home from work in the summer while there is still enough daylight to go for a short sail.
I was at charity golf outing one July day and after dinner I noticed a beautiful sundial on the patio outside the clubhouse. I looked at the time on the sundial then at the time on my watch, which was exactly an hour ahead of the beautiful sundial. And I thought: "that %$#& manipulative government of ours, I could still be on the golf course!"
I do like the light in the evening i just don't like the week of the switch. Me and my kids seem to take a whole week to adjust. I think we should stay on Daylight saving time all year. It lasts 8 months now as it is.
I like the additional daylight at the end of the working day, too. I may not abolish Daylight Saving Time because of this reason, but I think I might like to keep it around all year.
DST means we can conserve energy in the evening, so we can consume more of it in the morning... Anyone who knows me, knows I cannot afford to lose an hour of sleep - EVER...
Move the clocks 1/2 hour to compromise.
It was designed to same money on energy but we all adjust with out being told to by changing the clocks. Kids are most effected by the 1 hour change. It takes a long time to get children to adjust. Most households are trying to conserve energy anyway. The only good thing I see out of it is that the headlights on your car are not on as long. Big savings there!!!!
I am always in a "fog" for at least a week after we spring forward. My body clock has a tough time adjusting to the new time.
No matter how you slice or dice it there is still only so many hours of sunlight each day. If you want more time in the sun at night, go to work earlier and leave the rest of us alone!
I would go with daylight savings time year round, if I ruled the world.
It's hard on workers, children waiting for the school bus, it's dark when I leave for work. I really don't see that it is being economical.
Keep it. The summer sailing season is too short even with the extra hour.
Rather than abolish it, we should just institute it all year round. That way we would still have brigher afternoons (like you, it's always dark when I get up) and not have to re-set all of those infernal gadgets we insist on having!
Practical Solution: I'd prefer going on permanent DST to keep the extra hour of daylight in the evening. Like you, I go to work in the morning dark anyway, so the benefit would be the later sunset. Impractical Solution: To accomplish the same thing, stay on standard time but ask (demand?) the business world to shift work schedules, daily deadlines, etc. by one hour. After all, life is all about me, isn't it?
I wouldn't abolish it, but I would make it "daylight savings" year round!
Useless.
I'd keep it year round....and I come to work in the dark every day, too. nO BIG DEAL
I heat a 200 year old house with oil at nearly $4.00 a gallon. While the extra sunlight helps to keep several rooms a little bit warmer longer in the day, EVERY little bit helps.
When is someone going to re-look this again and say 'Hey, it was done a long time ago to save money but now it's costing more money. Maybe we should just leave it alone!'
Your link stated that we should respond by 2pm ET. Is that 1pm ET and 2pm Eastern Daylight Savings Time, or is it 3 pm. I'm not sure.
Used to live in a state where there was no DST (IN) and loved it. Now, I have to recover for a week b/c my kids have to recover from it. I wish it would just go away since it isn't even saving on energy!
I hate daylight savings time. I can't get to sleep earlier and I fight with my kids to get them to try going to sleep earlier. We are usually just crabby and deal with an hour less of sleep for the length of the day light savings period. My dogs also don't get why in the world I am waking them up earlier to go outside. Then in the fall, they still want to get up early to go out and I don't.

«