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Proposal on implementing permanent time zones in the European Union

timeuse.barcelona

41–50 of 264 posts

Re: Proposal on implementing permanent time zones in the European Union

#41
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never seen anyone propose moving in the opposite direction of summer time before. That seems needlessly awkward to me.

I don't think it is proposing that. From what I can tell their proposal is a (somewhat awkward) way of saying some countries will stick to their current summer (standard) time next time they switch to it. Other countries will stick with their current winter (DST) time when they next switch to it.

You got the 2 terms mixed up...

But yeah, assuming they want to do the magic in September: It would mean for countries where UTC+01:00 (standard time, winter time) makes more sense, they'd move to UTC+01:00 when the next switchover date in September shows up, whereas for countries where UTC+02:00 (daylight savings/summer time) makes more sense, they'd stay on that TZ past the September switchover date. They'd have to assign new names though, one can't have 1 timezone with 2 different names...

Re: Proposal on implementing permanent time zones in the European Union

#42
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The United States adopted summer time in the 70s but abandoned it because of complaints about the late darkness in winter mornings.

The sun setting at or before 5PM is so very much worse than morning darkness. Especially for kids. They need sunlight and their only real opportunity to get much time outside during the school year is the late afternoon and evening, especially as recess time has been cut post-NCLB (and public schools are absurdly timid about sending kids outside in the winter anyway). My kids are old enough that they won’t reap a lot…

Yeah, the argument made more sense in the 70s, but these days school districts have cut back on bus services so much that your child most likely wakes up in darkness anyways to catch a much windier bus route to school.

Re: Proposal on implementing permanent time zones in the European Union

#43
post #14

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: switching to UTC+0:30 will put a large number of countries in a common time zone without them deviating from their solar time too much.

This is a very special troll post, and I am all for this troll.

It’s not a troll post, I’m very serious: UTC+0:30 corresponds to the solar time at the geographical midpoint of the continental EU. The advantages are legion.

Re: Proposal on implementing permanent time zones in the European Union

#44

We (Europe) shouldn't fragment time zones that much. We (NL) should stay on permanent summer time. Reasons - criminality is lower when there's longer light - earlier darkness leads to more accidents. It's better to have longer darkness after the masses are RESTED (in the morning), opposed to when they're TIRED (in the evening) - longer day-time for office workers, is more productive - shorter time of year that has lo…

Criminals can't distinguish between 8PM and 9PM light because they don't operate on an hourly schedule

Potential victims sure do.

Re: Proposal on implementing permanent time zones in the European Union

#45

I find it kind of absurd that people claim that clock alignment has negative impact on their health. Studies show that but: You do it only twice per year. But how often do you stay late up because of an event or whatever. And how often do you travel to another time zone, sometimes even >6 hours. I think the latter effects outweigh the health impact of clock alignment significantly.

You find it absurd because you’re one of those people for whom the change isn’t hard. It’s hard for a good percentage of the population (like me). Please just stop messing with my clock!

Also just ask any parents of young children for a vocal opinion. Feel free to mess with the clock every other century or so, but not twice a year.

Re: Proposal on implementing permanent time zones in the European Union

#46
post #11

This sucks, not only will Greece not stay on summer time, we'll actually go to one hour back from winter time ? So not only will we not get one more hour of daylight in the evening (ie stay on summer time), we'll actually get one hour less than we have now? That's terrible.

Also, the Greek islands will have a different timezone from the Greek mainland? This must be a joke.

Re: Proposal on implementing permanent time zones in the European Union

#47
post #26
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And make converting time between different time zones/countries even more confusing.

India manages to deal with a fractional offset from UTC, as well as several other countries. It’s really not that big a deal.

That makes me wonder of the little adaptions they need, that we Minute-Zero-ians ;) don't notice... do many Indian desktops have world clocks, for example?

Re: Proposal on implementing permanent time zones in the European Union

#49
post #17
post #14

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: switching to UTC+0:30 will put a large number of countries in a common time zone without them deviating from their solar time too much.

And make converting time between different time zones/countries even more confusing.

The EU is big enough and the CPU in your watch is fast enough that it won’t matter.

Re: Proposal on implementing permanent time zones in the European Union

#50

"After agreement of a common date within the EU, we recommend doing the transition in 1 to 2 steps, depending on the member state: Step 1: All EU countries abolish the clock change to DST in spring and remain on the clock time they use in winter. For those countries whose recommended time zone is their current standard time, no further steps need to be taken. Step 2: Those countries whose recommended time zone is not…

I'd rather it be how it is in the spring rather than winter. When you get home there's at least a bit more time in the day to enjoy the sun.

If you live, vaguely, in the north (of the 45th parallel) you get that change either way thanks to the tilt of the earth.

I'd rather have the sunset start at 8PM and go over the horizon at 9PM (without DST) in the summer, than the current ends at 10PM in the summer. https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/usa/seattle

Now somewhere like Miami, FL https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/usa/miami with DST has a longest day of about 6AM to 8:40PM (civil twilight start / end), which without DST goes to 5AM and 7:40PM.

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