Is Gmt Time Over Forever

[Bottesford]

I enjoy this debate :lol:

40 or more years ago people would come home from work and perhaps manage an hour or two of gardening before going to bed at 10 or 10.30 ready for work the next day; maybe they'd go out for a walk or a bike ride but I don't remember anyone complaining that there wasn't enough light, and that they needed to be doing these things until 1130 p.m or even later.

Times have of course changed - we're a more '24 hour society' then half a century ago. People today don't all head to their job at the factory (perhaps only a short walk away) at 6am, come home at 5pm and have their tea straight away then head to bed by 9pm because there's nothing else to do (and you're up at 5am of course). People work different hours and have more leisure time and for most - they'd prefer to relax *after* they've done a days work and not before (who can relax truly when they're waiting to go to work in a few hours?).

She also suggested that there would be less crime as it would be light for an hour longer and that more older people would be able to take part in more activities in the evenings and get back safely.

I can imagine would be muggers and burglars relinquishing their lives of crime at the prospect of 50 minutes of extra daylight. Perhaps Ms Harris hadn't thought that they might just wait an hour longer to take adavantage of all the old people coming back from their activites at 11pm rather than 10, or that they might just wait until a bit later to go out on the rob.

My good lady walks through a park on her way home from work during the lighter evenings but is forced to go the long way round during winter for safety concerns meaning getting a later train home. It won't stop muggers but it being light later means more people are home before it gets dark and the problem my lady deals with would be less long lived. There might be a reversal around the winter solstice where it'd be too dark in the mornings but this wouldn't last long around 0830 and besides 2 weeks of which you're off for xmas anyway.

During November to Feb I cycle home during the evening rush hour in darkness. Traffic is heavier in this period and there are a lot of conflicting maneuvers of people/cyclists/traffic in general. I feel quite unsafe at times. In the lighter months this is much less of a problem- traffic is less and people can see each other easily. A +1 hr clock change would reduce my darkness cycles from 4 months to 2 (2 weeks of which are xmas hols anyway). We would definitely benefit from +1 hour. Staying on BST all year adds a month on to these problems.

I do agree with you that the tourism argument is a poor one - no difference would be made. And again I agree the weather dictates evening activities more. However - sitting outside the pub in evenings can be done for longer during lighter eves simply as it stays warmer for longer. Sunset at 7pm might mean its too chilly by 8 to be out. Sunset at 8pm means you can enjoy the fresh air until 9pm.

My own preference is to stay on G.M.T throughout the year. The light mornings are vastly more preferable to light evenings as there are fewer people about, less noise and more peace. The prospect or even more people out even later having barbecues, shopping or whatever else is quite horrifying.

Obviously this is where we differ as we both know! At the end of the day this debate comes down to whether you are a morning or an evening person and by your own admission - there are less people around in the mornings so should we be pandering to the minority who like to be up with the crows or the majority who enjoy the evenings?

Honest question - if you're no big fan of sunshine, prefer winter and dark rainy skies - why do you want it light in the morning anyway? Surely getting up in darkness is fine if that's something you prefer.

[Terminal Moraine]

I enjoy this debate :lol:

Times have of course changed - we're a more '24 hour society' then half a century ago. People today don't all head to their job at the factory (perhaps only a short walk away) at 6am, come home at 5pm and have their tea straight away then head to bed by 9pm because there's nothing else to do (and you're up at 5am of course). People work different hours and have more leisure time and for most - they'd prefer to relax *after* they've done a days work and not before (who can relax truly when they're waiting to go to work in a few hours?).

My good lady walks through a park on her way home from work during the lighter evenings but is forced to go the long way round during winter for safety concerns meaning getting a later train home. It won't stop muggers but it being light later means more people are home before it gets dark and the problem my lady deals with would be less long lived. There might be a reversal around the winter solstice where it'd be too dark in the mornings but this wouldn't last long around 0830 and besides 2 weeks of which you're off for xmas anyway.

During November to Feb I cycle home during the evening rush hour in darkness. Traffic is heavier in this period and there are a lot of conflicting maneuvers of people/cyclists/traffic in general. I feel quite unsafe at times. In the lighter months this is much less of a problem- traffic is less and people can see each other easily. A +1 hr clock change would reduce my darkness cycles from 4 months to 2 (2 weeks of which are xmas hols anyway). We would definitely benefit from +1 hour. Staying on BST all year adds a month on to these problems.

I do agree with you that the tourism argument is a poor one - no difference would be made. And again I agree the weather dictates evening activities more. However - sitting outside the pub in evenings can be done for longer during lighter eves simply as it stays warmer for longer. Sunset at 7pm might mean its too chilly by 8 to be out. Sunset at 8pm means you can enjoy the fresh air until 9pm.

Obviously this is where we differ as we both know! At the end of the day this debate comes down to whether you are a morning or an evening person and by your own admission - there are less people around in the mornings so should we be pandering to the minority who like to be up with the crows or the majority who enjoy the evenings?

Honest question - if you're no big fan of sunshine, prefer winter and dark rainy skies - why do you want it light in the morning anyway? Surely getting up in darkness is fine if that's something you prefer.

I can tell I'm getting old, I much preferred it when it wasn't a 24 hour society. Even though people have more leisure time they also seem to be constantly rushing to fill it. I know people who have ten times the amount of leisure time that I do but who are constantly stressed because they're always rushing off here or there and then rushing back in time for work; they seem to be constantly doing things and going places without actually having the time to slow down and enjoy any of it.

This attitude towards life seems to become more prevalent as times goes on and in my opininon it's this constant pressure to be 'going, doing and spending' which is the driving force behind adding hours to G.M.T, so that we can all do more, go more places and spend more money. Perhaps it's just me but it seems to be like winding up a ratchet; how long would it be before another hour was added so that we could all be out there until midnight in the daylight, 'going, doing and spending'?

I have to admit that my attitude towards summer in general is coloured by the fact that I have two jobs and from about Easter until early September I have to work 7 days a week. Summer for me means endless work and endless daylight to do it in. Having said that, even if I were retired I would still prefer the dark cold rain and fog of winter to the frantic activity of summer. With regard to your point about the light mornings, if it has to be light then I prefer it to be early when it's peaceful and there are few people about rather than later when everyone is busy 'going, doing and spending'.

Basically I'm anti-social ( in the true sense of the term ) whereas your are social, and I suppose never the twain will meet as we approach the topic from opposite ends of the spectrum. Like you though, I do enjoy the debate.

[Anti Boring Weather]

good post i agree there are too many people busy for unnecessary reasons and they all complain they want more light, have they thought the weather comes first then daylight

if its raining they cant go outside to do anything anyway.

Edited April 5, 2011 by Anti Boring Weather

[Bottesford]

I can tell I'm getting old, I much preferred it when it wasn't a 24 hour society. Even though people have more leisure time they also seem to be constantly rushing to fill it. I know people who have ten times the amount of leisure time that I do but who are constantly stressed because they're always rushing off here or there and then rushing back in time for work; they seem to be constantly doing things and going places without actually having the time to slow down and enjoy any of it.

This attitude towards life seems to become more prevalent as times goes on and in my opininon it's this constant pressure to be 'going, doing and spending' which is the driving force behind adding hours to G.M.T, so that we can all do more, go more places and spend more money. Perhaps it's just me but it seems to be like winding up a ratchet; how long would it be before another hour was added so that we could all be out there until midnight in the daylight, 'going, doing and spending'?

I have to admit that my attitude towards summer in general is coloured by the fact that I have two jobs and from about Easter until early September I have to work 7 days a week. Summer for me means endless work and endless daylight to do it in. Having said that, even if I were retired I would still prefer the dark cold rain and fog of winter to the frantic activity of summer. With regard to your point about the light mornings, if it has to be light then I prefer it to be early when it's peaceful and there are few people about rather than later when everyone is busy 'going, doing and spending'.

Basically I'm anti-social ( in the true sense of the term ) whereas your are social, and I suppose never the twain will meet as we approach the topic from opposite ends of the spectrum. Like you though, I do enjoy the debate.

Can see where your coming from certainly in regard to the none stop of life these days. Consumerism has a lot to answer for!

Interesting you say 'frantic activity of summer' - living in the city I actually find summer the quietest time of year for traffic and people being in pubs and such. Certainly down to the student population here and that I pass through a student area going to work. Even now with the Easter hols started the number of parked cars and traffic volume has halved. August- no students, no schools, loads of people away on holiday - it's a very, very quiet run. Compared to late October/November when it's absolutely manic everyday (and dark too) it's just wonderful!

Sad to hear you must work so much during summer.. I suppose naturally we're meant to do 'more' during summer as we need a bit less sleep (and indeed food I find) than we do in winter but still a 7 day working week doesn't sound fun.

Glad the debates can continue from our opposite ends of the spectrum - if we were all the same the world would indeed be a dull place.

[Anti Boring Weather]

Can see where your coming from certainly in regard to the none stop of life these days. Consumerism has a lot to answer for!

Interesting you say 'frantic activity of summer' - living in the city I actually find summer the quietest time of year for traffic and people being in pubs and such. Certainly down to the student population here and that I pass through a student area going to work. Even now with the Easter hols started the number of parked cars and traffic volume has halved. August- no students, no schools, loads of people away on holiday - it's a very, very quiet run. Compared to late October/November when it's absolutely manic everyday (and dark too) it's just wonderful!

Sad to hear you must work so much during summer.. I suppose naturally we're meant to do 'more' during summer as we need a bit less sleep (and indeed food I find) than we do in winter but still a 7 day working week doesn't sound fun.

Glad the debates can continue from our opposite ends of the spectrum - if we were all the same the world would indeed be a dull place.

if we all agreed there would be no debates and arguements and we would all be freinds lol

[Terminal Moraine]

Interesting you say 'frantic activity of summer' - living in the city I actually find summer the quietest time of year for traffic and people being in pubs and such. Certainly down to the student population here and that I pass through a student area going to work. Even now with the Easter hols started the number of parked cars and traffic volume has halved. August- no students, no schools, loads of people away on holiday - it's a very, very quiet run. Compared to late October/November when it's absolutely manic everyday (and dark too) it's just wonderful!

It certainly seems frantic in the Peak District as, naturally, summer is the peak tourist time and on every fine day the roads are jammed with cars, caravans, motorbikes etc.

I shouldn't moan ( I'm beginning to take on the persona of Victor Meldrew here ) as obviously tourism brings loads of money to the local economy, and when I go to some other area of the country ( which isn't often as I don't have the time ) I'm a tourist myself, but it is a pain in the nether regions when you have to take 8 or 10 mile detours to get from A to B and avoid the tourist traffic.

Perhaps it's quieter in summer where you are because they're all where I am!

Getting back to the subject of GMT/BST etc it is most noticeable that, irrespective of how light it is in the evening, the number of people out and about depends entirely on the weather. A foggy wet and windy evening in late June is just as deserted as one in late October.

[jay1lk]

good post i agree there are too many people busy for unnecessary reasons and they all complain they want more light, have they thought the weather comes first then daylight

if its raining they cant go outside to do anything anyway.

Rain doesn't generally stop play. Come summertime tis generally warm rain anyway. So still go surfing, cycling. Admittedly puts a bit of a dampener on climbing but doesn't stop play.

Also as posted earlier it's not the extremes where it proves useful but around this time of year.

[Anti Boring Weather]

Rain doesn't generally stop play. Come summertime tis generally warm rain anyway. So still go surfing, cycling. Admittedly puts a bit of a dampener on climbing but doesn't stop play.

Also as posted earlier it's not the extremes where it proves useful but around this time of year.

i wasnt talking about cricket or whatever your on about im talking about walking or sitting outside

Edited April 6, 2011 by Anti Boring Weather

[jay1lk]

No mention of cricket but general outdoor activities.

Living out on the lump of rock that sticks out in the Atlantic our weather in Cornwall can be fairly fickle.

If you don't get out in the wind and the rain every now and then, no matter what time of year you ain't going to do much.

Wear the appropriate gear for the various weather and you can go out in all conditions, walking or otherwise.....

Sorry just don't do much "sitting" around when outside

[Eugene]

Glad they saw some sense, it was always a very stupid idea having sunset times around 11 pm in the June when most people need to sleep to get up for work and making the sunrise time 1 hour later in winter would be an absolute disaster, how depressing on dull mornings it wouldnt get properly light until after 9 30 am in december, it gets dark early in the afternoon in december no matter what you do adding 1 hour wouldnt make much difference at all.

It was just an idea for all those lazy people who want to stay in bed in the morning.

[Bottesford]

Oh you do make me chuckle!

Think we've done this one to death now and it looks like things will stay the same as they are now (a shame as it'd be fun just to try something different) - in June it will still be light during most peoples sleep time (4-6am) and dark in peoples awake time (9:30-11pm) and during winter we'll still have four months of evening rush hour in the dark instead of two months but there you go.