[tz] Alberta MLA to table bill aimed at ending DST

[John Haxby]

On 18/12/16 18:43, lester at lsces.co.uk wrote:
> That is the whole case for summer and winter offsets. The problem is
> some people would prefer just to use the summer offset all year. I'm not
> convinced either way. Using a 'summer' setting may simplify some things
> and switching to it in spring gives two periods when one is blinded
> driving into the sun in the morning. Just using the unadjusted time is
> equally right in many latitudes? No compeling case for any one option :(

Even in the UK which is not especially huge nor especially northern
there's a big difference between North and South.

There was a short period when we stuck with "summer time" all year round
(you can look up the dates).  I remember the village policeman coming
round and issuing us all with rather smelly PVC fluorescent vests to
wear on the way to school in the morning while it was still dark.  We
were promised we could play outside when we got home because it would
stay lighter longer.

Yeah, right.

This was the north of England.

In the middle of winter it made next to no difference because (a) it was
dark by the time we got home and (b) it was winter, it was bloody cold[1].

In the south of England there's a regular clamouring to stay on "summer
time" all year round forgetting while today, here in Reading, sunset
would be just before 5pm, in the north where I lived sunrise won't be
until about 9.30 and in Scotland it'd be even later.

It may make sense to stick with "summer time" all year round in the
balmy (barmy?) south of England but not in the north where its a choice
between school kids going to school when it's more-or-less light and
going to school when it's completely dark[2].   And it's nothing to do
with energy saving.

What we really need are huge orbital mirrors to extend the daylight.[3]

jch



[1]
http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/emley-moor-mast-fell-46-8874429
   Ignore the headline date, it was 1969.

[2] My late mother-in-law claimed the year-round summer time experiment
died when a car ploughed into a bus stop where kids were waiting for the
morning school bus in the dark.

[3] xkcd or what if? I'm sure.