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AIBU?

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Original poster

to think it's too bloody dark too early and Scotland should have its own timezone if they want lighter mornings?

193 replies

MardyBra · 26/10/2014 17:55

Just that really.

OP posts:
HSMMaCM · 27/10/2014 09:50

Children in the south come home from school in the dark, so I'm not quite sure how school run safety works as a clock changing argument. DD has to leave for her school bus at 7:30 so she has both ends of the day in the dark. The clocks changing is just annoying to me and the light/dark thing is irrelevant. I can see that it does affect some people though.

duhgldiuhfdsli · 27/10/2014 09:55

It wouldn't make any sense at all for 2 time zones in such a small, united country.

Arizona doesn't follow daylight savings and remains on MST (UTC+7) all year around. Actually, not all of Arizona does, because the Navajo tribal lands switch to MDT, UTC+8, in the summer. So in the summer most of Arizona is one hour behind its immediate northern neighbour, Utah, which follows the MST/MDT switch, along with Colorado to its immediate east. Arizona's population of 6m is about the same as Scotland's.

Its argument for not taking daylight savings is not unreasonable: as you get closer to the equator, the difference between winter and summer sunrise becomes smaller, and what's good for Nebraska isn't necessarily good for Arizona. Arizona has a population of 6m, the same as Scotland, and at various times of the year is unhitched from the time zone along each of its borders (in the summer there's a two hour step as you cross into California, which is on PDT, UTC+9).

But thinking of Nebraska, that has two time zones all year around: the MST/CST line runs through the middle of the state, so even within one state (with a population of less than two million) there are two time zones.

PigletJohn · 27/10/2014 10:09

We are a United Kingdom and it makes sense for us to have one time zone taking into account the wishes of all our citizens.

If we become two countries, each will again take into account the wishes of its citizens, and what makes sense for itself. That might be same as we have now, or it might be different.

duhgldiuhfdsli · 27/10/2014 10:19

We are a United Kingdom and it makes sense for us to have one time zone taking into account the wishes of all our citizens.

The United States have multiple time zones.

Individual US states only have one legislature, and are distinctly more culturally and politically integrated (and homogenous) than the UK. Several US states have more than one time zone within their borders, with the boundary being a county line.

PoirotsMalevolentMoustache · 27/10/2014 10:19

Maybe we should just change the clocks by half an hour instead of an hour. Compromise a little.

I don't care either way, personally. I'm lucky enough to have windows in the office, so I can see the daylight when I turn my head.

wobblyweebles · 27/10/2014 10:19

I've been caught out by the different time zones in Arizona...

Original poster
MardyBra · 27/10/2014 10:33

"Duh ive seen your other controversial posts under your obvious name change. Why not man up and be stirry under your real name"

Is that aimed at me? I can assure you that I've been mardy for a good few years!

And please rest assured that the intention of this thread was not anti-Scottish. It's just that we always get the "farmers up north" argument trotted out, so I just thought this could come under the devo max option.

OP posts:
LineRunner · 27/10/2014 10:46

But the US has different time zones across longitude.

We are talking about latitude.

NinjaLeprechaun · 27/10/2014 10:55

The United States have multiple time zones.
The time zones in the US are East to West, not North to South. Sunrise today in San Diego is at 6:02 but in Portland it's at 7:44, despite the fact that San Diego and Portland are in the same time zone.
Keep in mind the the US is roughly the size of Europe, you can't really compare it.

Also, US states have two legislatures each - state and federal. Which is possibly irrelevant.

ItIsSmallerOnTheOutside · 27/10/2014 11:05

I have been saying this for a long time! We don't get enough sunlight as it is, this makes it so much worse.

Saltire · 27/10/2014 11:13

So for those o who live in Scotland but are only 5/6/7/8//9 miles North of the Border, and travel into England for work, we would leave our house at one time and it would be up to an hours difference when we got to work.

funkybuddah · 27/10/2014 11:18

I don't mind dark evenings. I found getting up this morning much easier as it was light

Artandco · 27/10/2014 11:35

I would rather it stayed as summertime

In the morning we get up/ ready/ school/ work. Nothing that really makes any difference how dark or light it is

In afternoons ds's get home about 4pm from school. They love going outside from then until it's dark. Now it's virtually dark as soon as home so 3/4 months a year of very little outdoor play mon-fri.

On work day in office I leave 6am and home 7pm so either way it's still dark those days

Tanith · 27/10/2014 11:47

I understand the desire to travel during lighter hours, maximise daylight - all of that.

What I cannot understand - what I find truly bizarre - is this "Let's Pretend" game of altering the clocks twice a year. Why do we do this? Other countries cope perfectly well without touching their clocks and many of them are further north.

WilburIsSomePig · 27/10/2014 11:57

Goady thread.

tabulahrasa · 27/10/2014 12:16

"What I cannot understand - what I find truly bizarre - is this "Let's Pretend" game of altering the clocks twice a year. Why do we do this? Other countries cope perfectly well without touching their clocks and many of them are further north."

That's the bit I find annoying too...I think having the daylight in the morning helps driving conditions over winter - I just don't understand why we bother changing it rather than leaving those hours all year round.

canweseethebunnies · 27/10/2014 12:24

There was an article in the paper at the weekend about exactly this. It seems there is already a campaign going on to move to Central European time whilst allowing Scotland to so their own thing.

Perihelion · 27/10/2014 12:34

BST in Edinburgh in the depths of winter would mean sunrise in Edinburgh at 9.44am, Fuck that.

Lucylambkin · 27/10/2014 12:49

Perhaps, when we have the European Referendum, question 2 could be about clock changing. Then everyone gets their say not just the "Westminster elite".

PhaedraIsMyName · 27/10/2014 12:55

Other countries cope perfectly well without touching their clocks and many of them are further north

Well I got caught out in Oslo one October Sunday morning when I hadn't realised they put their clocks back one hour and we got up an hour earlier than we needed to get a flight to Edinburgh.

I've also been in Amsterdam during the October holidays when clocks have gone back in Amsterdam.

QuillPen · 27/10/2014 12:57

We all just want it to be lighter longer and warmer... I vote for The UK to be moved closer to the equator...

PhaedraIsMyName · 27/10/2014 13:02

All of Scandinavia adjusts their clocks. Iceland doesn't. I used to take my son to a European city during the October break and I can't think of any city , after the Oslo mistake, which didn't adjust clocks at this time of year.

PhaedraIsMyName · 27/10/2014 13:04

I vote for The UK to be moved closer to the equator...

Drop Eck an email about it. He can add that to this list of "promises".

cloggal · 27/10/2014 13:13

SHHHHHH Phaedra don't mention the indyref... Wink

Actually, nah, everyone in Scotland, Northern Ireland and a good many in England and Wales would be like lobsters most of the time if we moved equatorward. Unless it's free factor 50 for all I'm staying put.

FannyFifer · 27/10/2014 13:18

Maybe Gordon Brown could start a petition.

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