Daylight savings started today. Or is it ended? I never remember if Winter or Summer is Daylight Savings time! I guess because I was barely aware of it when I lived in the US as a child... In any case, as we'd say in Europe, we switched to "Winter time" and moved our clocks back an hour in the middle of the night.
Does anyone do that? Get up at 3 a.m. to switch the clock back to 2 a.m.? In this day and age most of us probably barely remember to do it, as our cellphones switch automatically. Wristwatches are easy and fast to change... but the car clock is a drag!!!
On the news today they were talking about the time change... showing the weirdness of the nighttime radio announcing it was 2 a.m. for the second time in the same night, or how people out partying enjoyed an extra hour before pubs closed, or how much it sucks for people working night shifts who end up working an extra hour and not getting paid for it!
But mostly they were talking about how this might be one of the last times we go through this... It's been commented more and more each year. About how annoying it is (twice a year). About if it's really useful/necessary (economists say the savings are basically nothing for the average household). Etc. Then this past summer the EU ran a poll on its Facebook page asking people across Europe to vote in favor of keeping/cancelling the time changes. And a majority overwhelmingly said ENOUGH! So now the EU has asked the countries to consider it... and there will be a vote in Brussels (if it hasn't already happened, I get timings mixed up) and then directive sent out to all governments stating the end of the changes. If that goes through then all EU countries have to stop with the Fall/Spring time change (or it will be confusing for businesses who deal across Europe, not to mention travel!). It will be up to each country to decide if they keep Winter or Summer time...
In the case of Spain the government is also studying replacing us in our "proper" time zone. Right now we're in GMT+1 (a.k.a. CET or Central European Time), but if you look on a map then you'll notice the Greenwich meridian goes right through Spain, we should be at GMT! Same time zone as the UK and Portugal... Franco's the one who moved Spain into GMT+1 out of solidarity with Germany I've heard (not sure as to the accuracy of that why). I wonder if the present Government will move us back when they decide on the time issue...
Personally I can't decide if I prefer the Winter or Summer time... I enjoy the nice long summer evenings, but they're not really necessary. However they also mean longer daylight in the second half of the day in winter. But that means it's bloody dark very late in the morning! I've always appreciated the Fall time change as it makes it easier for me to wake up in the morning (I need sun to awaken properly). But is it really worth exchanging slightly easier wake-ups for shorter days? Dunno!!!
Here we change our clocks next Sunday, a week from today we will "fall back" to standard time. I think I would prefer Daylight Saving Time all year round! I think it's almost over. After all, what good does it do? Moving them around isn't good, if you ask me. :-)
ReplyDeleteApparently once upon a time it was thought it would result in energy savings... but I think it's proven that those savings are ridiculously low, at least at the household level. Not worth the pain of switching twice a year...
DeleteOk, so DST is summer time! Will try to remember... As I leave the office this week and it's suddenly darker earlier than last week I tend to agree with you... but when my alarm rings in the morning and it's a bit light and not pitch black... that wins me back to keeping Standard Time! :p