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If we didn’t change the clocks ?

76 replies

KangarooKenny · 30/10/2022 06:55

Where would it stop, BST or GMT ? And what would be the advantages/disadvantages ?
Every year this gets moaned about but nothing happens, a bit like the 6 week school holiday.

OP posts:
BobbyBobbyBobby · 30/10/2022 06:57

At the moment we are on what they call natural time and people feel all the better for it.

It’s the next time that they change that brings stress to many as the body is put out of its natural rhythm.

Punkypinky · 30/10/2022 06:58

I'd love to keep the longer evenings so BST I think I'm my opinion is better. I find it quite jarring when the clocks go back and they're kind of "stolen" suddenly. I don't care about a dark morning I'd just pop the lights on and get ready. I don't have to tend to animals or anything though.

Emanresu9 · 30/10/2022 07:03

I’d rather stay on bst. I think the darker evenings are more depressing for people than darker mornings.

TeenDivided · 30/10/2022 07:10

Usually the argument is regarding the Scottish who have much shorter days.
By the time the SNP gets their way and Scotland is independent then that argument will go.

We do need school children to be able to walk to and from school safely in daylight.

I live down south and have no problems with the clocks changing. It would be weird if we were on permanent summer time though, given time is measured from us! Rather than changing our clocks to be an hour ahead the whole time, we could always shift our day time schedules.

Furnitureflipper · 30/10/2022 07:11

I remember when one year the clocks didn't go back. I loved it as could play outside for longer. Everyone where I lived loved it. I never noticed the darker mornings, as it was light by the time school started.
Apparently the farmers complained, so the clocks went back the next year.

Solosunrise · 30/10/2022 07:23

I love the clocks going back as I'm an early riser and it's lovely to get daylight a little earlier. I also love the cosiness of the evenings drawing in.
I would hate sunrise to be at 9am as it would be late Dec/early Jan.
But by the end of March I'm looking forward to the clocks going forward again!
Winter time is the natural time where the sun is at it's highest at mid-day.

I never quite understand the argument about the days getting shorter because of the clock change. Daylight hours get shorter anyway in the winter. I know there's an argument about road accidents happening after school when it's darker, but people would be equally vulnerable first thing as it would be quite gloomy for the morning school run, with the added disadvantage of (teenagers in particular) not being quite wide awake, or people having overslept and rushing.

confusedlots · 30/10/2022 07:23

Furnitureflipper · 30/10/2022 07:11

I remember when one year the clocks didn't go back. I loved it as could play outside for longer. Everyone where I lived loved it. I never noticed the darker mornings, as it was light by the time school started.
Apparently the farmers complained, so the clocks went back the next year.

What?? When did this happen? I never knew this!

HauntedCabinet · 30/10/2022 07:24

Personally I'd prefer GMT.

The lighter mornings are far more valuable to me than the evenings.

tulips27 · 30/10/2022 07:28

People in favour of GMT push an argument about road safety, well how come the same arguments didn't apply when they decided to turn off street lights overnight in many places?

TeenDivided · 30/10/2022 07:28

confusedlots · 30/10/2022 07:23

What?? When did this happen? I never knew this!

greenwichmeantime.com/daylight-saving-time/history-bst/

Furnitureflipper · 30/10/2022 07:29

@confusedlots I think it was 1969, I was 10.
That extra hour of daylight really made a difference.

TeenDivided · 30/10/2022 07:30

tulips27 · 30/10/2022 07:28

People in favour of GMT push an argument about road safety, well how come the same arguments didn't apply when they decided to turn off street lights overnight in many places?

Because they didn't turn the lights off until later in the evening when school children were already home?

ie Not so much road safety as pedestrian safety.

Furnitureflipper · 30/10/2022 07:38

My grandchildren come home from school in the dark when the clocks have gone back, so why the fuss about mornings being darker?

tabulahrasa · 30/10/2022 07:40

Furnitureflipper · 30/10/2022 07:38

My grandchildren come home from school in the dark when the clocks have gone back, so why the fuss about mornings being darker?

Because ice and snow melts through the day

WeegieGranny · 30/10/2022 07:46

We do need school children to be able to walk to and from school safely in daylight.

With only six hours of daylight in central Scotland and further north, children can be travelling in dark both to and from school.

Personally, I prefer GMT, as it is natural The sun is at the highest point at midday, and anything else is wrong.

Lookingforrecommendations · 30/10/2022 07:47

I don't understand, it just buys light for literally 2 weeks then it's dark again in the AM anyway, what's the actual point??just messes up everyone's body clock not to mention the fecking oven clock, and parents and dog owners (looking at my pooch who was up at 6am) just end up sleep deprived.

thelobsterquadrille · 30/10/2022 07:48

I much prefer GMT.

garlictwist · 30/10/2022 07:48

I love this clock change as we get more light in the mornings for a while and that's when we need it - to feel alert and awake and get out and do stuff. I am happy for it to be dark in the evening when I just want to slob on the sofa.

SkylightSkylight · 30/10/2022 07:52

KangarooKenny · 30/10/2022 06:55

Where would it stop, BST or GMT ? And what would be the advantages/disadvantages ?
Every year this gets moaned about but nothing happens, a bit like the 6 week school holiday.

People moaning about something, doesn't mean it has to be changed. Minority whinging, doesn't mean it should be changed when it's either not the majority or there's a good reason for it.

GMT, as BST (British Summer Time) is the adjustment from GMT.

7Worfs · 30/10/2022 07:52

Personally, I prefer GMT, as it is natural The sun is at the highest point at midday, and anything else is wrong.

This ofc.

Dinoteeth · 30/10/2022 07:53

GMT is our natural time.
The weather rain, ice, snow, mist, is worse in the mornings than in the evenings. If we don't change we should stick with GMT.

But then we have an argument come spring of who really needs daylight at 6am when it's dark at 6pm?

theDudesmummy · 30/10/2022 07:55

I would prefer to stay on GMT. But I am in the west of Ireland and everything is later IYSWIM. Sun comes up at 9 o'clock in December so that would be 10 if we stayed on summer time.

ButterflyBiscuit · 30/10/2022 07:55

We're going to France next week - does France/Europe change same days as us? Presumably its not called BST there.... (are we on gmt now?)

MadameMinimes · 30/10/2022 07:58

If we decided to stop changing the clocks then GMT is what I would want year-round.
It’s the correct time for our geographical location and morning light is really important for our body clocks.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 30/10/2022 08:13

I was a child at primary school in Central Scotland when the experiment mentioned above took place, and we remained on BST all year round. It was so dark in the autumn, winter and early spring mornings when we were going to school that we were all issued with reflective armbands to wear to make it a bit safer for us to cross the roads.

I am a morning person and I much prefer it when we're back on GMT. My husband is fanatical about it and is always delighted when we 'fall back', and a touch grumpy when we 'spring forward' to BST.