Daylight saving - I'd like to make a withdrawal please!

Unity

rl290 wrote: »

My understanding is that at some point in the past, a horseman riding through the English countryside on a summer's morning noticed that, despite the beaming sun, no one was out working in the fields. He figured that all over England countless working hours were being lost, so suggested the idea upwards for moving clocks FORWARD in summer (and not backwards in winter - they just stayed as they always were). A few years later an act was passed by parliament to this effect. I think I read this in The Times a while back.

It is also worth noting that there is some evidence to show that, back then, people used to sleep three times a day. The current notion of taking all your sleep in one-go then goes decidedly against how we are designed. My point: the way we live have changed so much that it seems right to rethink whether clock changes are needed. That said, I believe that, if only for school children, things should stay as is.

R

It makes for interesting reading the way often outmoded practices, dictated by history remain unchanged in the present day. Technology strides forward in leaps and bounds, computers once took up a whole room (see early James Bond films ) and when watching 'Tomorrow's World' who'd have thought we'd end up with the mobile phones we have today? Despite this, we still religiously change our clocks back and forward and it seems no one ever questions why? I am really surprised that Brussels hasn't put a stop to this, along with straight bananas and oddly shaped strawberries - but perhaps it is one of the few remaining things the government has some control over.

I must admit I'd never heard that we used to sleep three times a day, :think: but certainly I've often thought the continental idea of a siesta is much better than caffeine and chocolate to counteract the mid afternoon slump - though lots would disagree . Being narcoleptic I fall asleep at odd times anyway, in fact I will have done so at least once whilst typing this .

I don't remember it causing any problems for us kids in '68 when it was tried, because if anything we were more aware - as it was drilled into us, plus reflective strips were given out similar to those worn by cyclists. It's a six and two threes here in the North, once the winter really sets in, it gets dark a lot earlier, so children are coming home in that dangerous stage of twilight - when lots of motorists either forget, or don't think it is dark enough to warrant putting lights on.

geordieracer

momoyama wrote: »

Can Scotland not just have a seperate time zone?

No, because timezones are not set by each country but where you are to the meridian line.

Imagine how much hassle it would be if you wanted to get a train to ediburgh and arrive at a certain time - the timetable would be screwed and most folk would still get it wrong. And then any planes that travel over socttish air space would really be screwed.

A little know fact that because of the railway we are tied in to the same time where-ever you are in the mainland..

trisontana

geordieracer wrote: »

No, because timezones are not set by each country but where you are to the meridian line.

Imagine how much hassle it would be if you wanted to get a train to ediburgh and arrive at a certain time - the timetable would be screwed and most folk would still get it wrong. And then any planes that travel over socttish air space would really be screwed.

A little know fact that because of the railway we are tied in to the same time where-ever you are in the mainland..

What about Spain and Portugal? They are on different time zones.

geordieracer

trisontana wrote: »

What about Spain and Portugal? They are on different time zones.

Here is a map for you http://www.worldtimezone.com/

EDIT and they are separated by latitude, not longitude as in britain

st999

What about Spain and Portugal? They are on different time zones

They are two different countries, why not?

Stan

trisontana

geordieracer wrote: »

Here is a map for you http://www.worldtimezone.com/

EDIT and they are separated by latitude, not longitude as in britain

If you look on that world map you will see countries which are on the same longitude but are on different time zones.

dizzybuff

For the OP . I bought these a while ago , we all get down in our house during the dark times lol.. These really helped

http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/Round-The-Clock-Shop_Light-Bulbs_W0QQ_fsubZ5427266QQ_sidZ215394581QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322

K

fiddiwebb

Must have been confusing before GMT.............

Until the nineteenth century, these relationships were not formalised and clocks were simply set to local time. Midday was simply the point when the sun was as its zenith, thus local time in London was twenty minutes ahead of a clock at Lands End. The local time was more advanced the further west one went. At this stage there was not even consensus on when the day should begin, or the precise length of an hour. Travellers simply adjusted their pocket watch to local time whenever they reached a new town. As the railways burgeoned, long-distance travel increased and telegrams appeared on the scene, "local time" increasingly impeded the smooth running of society. Rail timetables, for example, were impossible to draw up as there was no standard time which did not rely on location.

p00hsticks

Chester85 wrote: »

I'm sure the people of Scotland and the North of England will be delighted to be plunged into darkness for longer periods of time

They'll be in darkness for exactly the same amount of time whether the clocks go backwards ,forwards or stay still, surely ?

ariba10

cajef wrote: »

Interesting theory but as Freemasonry is a secret society how did you know they are masons, do they walk around with one trouser leg rolled up.:D

A Freemason would argue that it is not a Secret Society but a Society with Secrets.