EU to recommend abolishing DST

highdef

....... wrote: »

I did mean 8.30am thanks!

Because there is little worse than conducting your morning business in the dark IMO - one of the reasons that Sweden has the highest suicide rate is due to so much darkness in winter.

Im up and about from 6am winter and summer so thats when I would get the benefit of the extra hour. Im in bed asleep by 10pm winter and summer so staying bright til 10.30pm is just a hindrence to me.

And that is another example of how the times of daylight suit different people and different lifestyles. I'm up since 04:30 this morning as had night work from home to do. The darkness did not bother me as I was working (ie: not personal time) although it does get bright quite early at this time of year anyway (will briefly change from Sunday, for a few weeks).

Sweden is further north than us and has much shorter days than us in winter with sunrises (for Stockholm) as late as 08:45 and sunsets as early as 14:46 with days with the sun above the horizon being not much more than 6 hours during the period of shortest light. During the longest days of the year, sunsets in Stockholm are later than they are in Dublin with the sun rising at about 03:30.

The extremes get more extreme the further north in Sweden you go though. Kiruna, with a population of about 17,000 (so it's a decent sized town) has the sun below the horizon from about the 11th of December until the beginning of January. Conversely, the sun does not set in Kiruna from the end of May until mid July!!!

So I don't really think your comparisons between Ireland and Sweden are really suitable as they are so dramatically different and really cannot be compared.

seamus

Speaking as "people with kids" who also commutes, summertime is preferable.

I want the mornings to stay as dark as possible for as long as possible. Summer is a pain in the hole enough, they start stirring at 6am no matter how thick the blackouts blinds are. The youngest has started kicking off around 6:30 this week, whereas over the winter she'd be out for the count till 8:00.

And going to work in the dark with the sky gradually brightening is far nicer than stepping out of the office to go home and it's already pitch black.

Fr Tod Umptious

facehugger99 wrote: »

There's no way people are going to trade the extra brightness in the evenings of November, February and March for a bit of extra morning sun in December.

Once we change we'll never go back - it should have happened decades ago TBH.

It did, between 1968 and 1971, and we went back.

Now one reason for going back was because the UK went back and their reason was people traveling to work and school in the dark in winter.

But if it happens again I can see us having problems with people traveling to work and school in the dark in winter.

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/changing-the-clocks-not-a-waste-of-time-1.3285759

However, in 1968, Daylight Saving Time was adopted all the year round on an experimental basis in Britain and Ireland. This had the advantage that in the winter the time in Ireland was the same as in Germany and France. It also meant that it was bright later in the evening, potentially moving peak demand for electricity in the winter.

Britain decided to drop this experiment in 1969, partly because people were travelling to work and school in the dark in winter. However, there was some debate In Ireland as to whether we should again follow the British example or re-establish Irish time.

.......

....... wrote: »

The morning is more important because its the start of the day.

On any given morning I will have travelled for 30 minutes, had just over an hour in the gym done and showered, dressed, make up and breakfast done before 8.30pm.

I dont trudge into work personally, I bounce in full of energy because Ive already been up for 3 hours!

God even the thought of your morning routine would send a shiver up my spine sounds like absolute torture. By 8:30am I am to have rolled over in bed to turn on the radio to listen to the morning traffic report and decide if I will get up or if there is a crash stay longer! If it’s dark or bright in the mornings it makes zero difference to me.

On the other hand I like to try so stuff in the evenings and there is nothing worse than the short evenings and I’d wager the vast majority of people do stuff in the evenings far more than the morning so will benefit for more from brighter evenings. I don’t ever go to bed before 12 at the earliest so I very much benefit from the very late brightness in the height of summer too.

.......

Leroy Cuddly Warmonger wrote: »

God even the thought of your morning routine would send a shiver up my spine sounds like absolute torture.

LOL - believe me, I have lived the other way too - rolling out of bed at 8.40am and dashing to get into work for 9.15am or so. Probably most of my 20s.

However, I find I am healthier, happier and less frazzled with the early to bed, early to rise routine that I have settled into now.

Edited to add - tbh I dont mind what "clock" I keep so long as I get 8 hours of sleep a night. My "early riser" is mostly dictated by my working hours/an effort to miss the worst of the traffic and the fact that I get more out of the gym when I work out fasted. My husband is the opposite, he gets more out of it when he works out fed, so he gets up even earlier to allow time to eat a meal before he goes.

facehugger99

It was mentioned a few pages back that Varadkar had come out with something about not having 2 timezones on the island - I did not see this or can't find the quotes - can anyone provide them?

If he did say this, he needs a good slapping.

facehugger99

....... wrote: »

LOL - believe me, I have lived the other way too - rolling out of bed at 8.40am and dashing to get into work for 9.15am or so. Probably most of my 20s.

However, I find I am healthier, happier and less frazzled with the early to bed, early to rise routine that I have settled into now.

Got up at 5.30am for years to beat the traffic into work.

Now I get up at 7.30am for a 15min commute.

I would never go back to getting up at 5.30am for any money.

If you have kids, you'll want to spend quality time with them in the evening, not spend a couple of hours in the morning wandering around like a zombie for 2 hours in darkness.

.......

....... wrote: »

LOL - believe me, I have lived the other way too - rolling out of bed at 8.40am and dashing to get into work for 9.15am or so. Probably most of my 20s.

However, I find I am healthier, happier and less frazzled with the early to bed, early to rise routine that I have settled into now.

Edited to add - tbh I dont mind what "clock" I keep so long as I get 8 hours of sleep a night. My "early riser" is mostly dictated by my working hours/an effort to miss the worst of the traffic and the fact that I get more out of the gym when I work out fasted. My husband is the opposite, he gets more out of it when he works out fed, so he gets up even earlier to allow time to eat a meal before he goes.

I just don’t go to the gym (morning or evening) solves any issues around eating or not eating .

As for rushing for work, don’t do that either I get to work when I get to work, none of this rigid start time nonsense and later is far better for traffic than earlier.

Paddy Cow

seamus wrote: »

Speaking as "people with kids" who also commutes, summertime is preferable.

I want the mornings to stay as dark as possible for as long as possible. Summer is a pain in the hole enough, they start stirring at 6am no matter how thick the blackouts blinds are. The youngest has started kicking off around 6:30 this week, whereas over the winter she'd be out for the count till 8:00.

And going to work in the dark with the sky gradually brightening is far nicer than stepping out of the office to go home and it's already pitch black.

I don't have kids but I do have cockatiels and the little feckers have been waking at 6.30 since mid-March, full of the joys of life and like to let me know by screeching their heads off :rolleyes: Roll on the darker mornings so they stay asleep!

facehugger99

" I can't wait until we have year-round wintertime and we get those 3.55am sunrises in June"

said nobody ever.

highdef

facehugger99 wrote: »

" I can't wait until we have year-round wintertime and we get those 3.55am sunrises in June"

said nobody ever.

:pac::D:pac::rolleyes:

Franz Von Peppercorn

....... wrote: »

LOL - believe me, I have lived the other way too - rolling out of bed at 8.40am and dashing to get into work for 9.15am or so. Probably most of my 20s.

However, I find I am healthier, happier and less frazzled with the early to bed, early to rise routine that I have settled into now.

Edited to add - tbh I dont mind what "clock" I keep so long as I get 8 hours of sleep a night. My "early riser" is mostly dictated by my working hours/an effort to miss the worst of the traffic and the fact that I get more out of the gym when I work out fasted. My husband is the opposite, he gets more out of it when he works out fed, so he gets up even earlier to allow time to eat a meal before he goes.

Apparently people get better sleep if they get to sleep pre midnight. My problem is I don’t sleep immediately. To get your 8 hours you need to drop off at 10pm. Earlier if you really wake at 5:30 with the husband. For me that would be bed at 9 at the latest. I get home at 6-7 so that’s not much time for fun.

.......

Leroy Cuddly Warmonger wrote: »

I just don’t go to the gym

That certainly saves time

Paddy Cow

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

Apparently people get better sleep if they get to sleep pre midnight. My problem is I don’t sleep immediately. To get your 8 hours you need to drop off at 10pm. Earlier if you really wake at 5:30 with the husband. For me that would be bed at 9 at the latest. I get home at 6-7 so that’s not much time for fun.

That's actually a myth, based on the fact that the first part of sleep is the most restorative. The most important thing about sleep is to have a regular bedtime.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

Leroy Cuddly Warmonger wrote: »

Your obsessed with the morning, I really can’t see why you care if it’s dark or not as you trudge into work for the day.

If that’s the case, then those who want year-round summertime are obsessed with the evening. We’re all thinking selfishly here, let’s be honest.

.......

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

Apparently people get better sleep if they get to sleep pre midnight. My problem is I don’t sleep immediately. To get your 8 hours you need to drop off at 10pm. Earlier if you really wake at 5:30 with the husband. For me that would be bed at 9 at the latest. I get home at 6-7 so that’s not much time for fun.

Yes, I go to bed around 9.30pm usually. We are both champions at dropping off to sleep. Head hits pillow, sleep happens.

I dont get home from work til around 6-6.30pm. But Ive had 3 hours "me time" in the morning rather than the evening (where i would probably just veg on the couch and not be productive).

I often get stuff done before work like little errands (going to LIDL for a few bits) - in fact, it annoys me more shops dont open at 8am because I could get loads done!

Franz Von Peppercorn

....... wrote: »

Yes, I go to bed around 9.30pm usually. We are both champions at dropping off to sleep. Head hits pillow, sleep happens.

I dont get home from work til around 6-6.30pm. But Ive had 3 hours "me time" in the morning rather than the evening (where i would probably just veg on the couch and not be productive).

I often get stuff done before work like little errands (going to LIDL for a few bits) - in fact, it annoys me more shops dont open at 8am because I could get loads done!

Not sure if that’s a great way to live, or a crap way to live. :-p

.......

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

Not sure if that’s a great way to live, or a crap way to live. :-p

Ah come on - its obvious no?

Its ****e!!! Utter ****e!! 40 hours a week wasted working for the man!!

In an ideal world Id get up around 10am, spent a leisurely 2 hours in the gym, pool, sauna, etc come home to a delicious lunch, watch a spot of telly, do a bit of study/hobby, get the dinner ready and do some small household chore, go for a nice walk, and relax into the evening with a glass of something and the telly or a book.

They could change the clocks to be on Timbucktu time then for all I care.

Roll on retirement........

Paddy Cow

I heard some politician say on the radio news today that he is aware that 80% of people want to stay on summertime and this maybe reflected in the legislation. It's great that he acknowledges public opinion but what's with the maybe?

As for Leo wanting to stay on the same time as the UK, that's not going to happen because if the UK do end up leaving the EU, they will probably stay on the system they have now, so no matter what time we chose, we'll still be out of sync with them for half the year if they have DST and we don't. If we can manage half the year, then we can manage a full year. It's not our problem if the UK want to do their own thing. Let them off.

FrankieFeeler

The entire process around this is a load of nonsense.

The EU claims the majority want to get rid of the changing of the clocks however I don't remember there being a referendum about just an EU website set up to gauge people feelings which of course will only be visited by people who actually cared about the issue in the first place and therefore would want rid of the changing of the clocks.

Likewise when the options were given to us on the Irish website people were given the choice between Summer Time and Winter Time,hardly a surprise which one of these 2 options won the vote.Completely neutral terms should have been used for the 2 options if it was to be a fair vote.

The entire process so far has had a large degree of bias to it.

We should be trying to stay on the same time zone as the UK, completely stupid for a small island to have 2 different time zones and with the amount of business we do with the UK we should have the same time zone as them.

FrankieFeeler

FrankieFeeler wrote: »

The entire process around this is a load of nonsense.

The EU claims the majority want to get rid of the changing of the clocks however I don't remember there being a referendum about just an EU website set up to gauge people feelings which of course will only be visited by people who actually cared about the issue in the first place and therefore would want rid of the changing of the clocks.

Likewise when the options were given to us on the Irish website people were given the choice between Summer Time and Winter Time,hardly a surprise which one of these 2 options won the vote.Completely neutral terms should have been used for the 2 options if it was to be a fair vote.

The entire process so far has had a large degree of bias to it.

We should be trying to stay on the same time zone as the UK, completely stupid for a small island to have 2 different time zones and with the amount of business we do with the UK we should have the same time zone as them.

We should go for year round summer time and F the UK.

FrankieFeeler

Leroy Cuddly Warmonger wrote: »

We should go for year round summer time and F the UK.

Lots of people have to work with UK companies in their jobs also year round summer time will push us one hour further away from America where we do lots of business with also.

There's nothing wrong with the way things are at the moment it's just the sort of ting people whine about for the sake of.

dxhound2005

FrankieFeeler wrote: »

The entire process around this is a load of nonsense.

The EU claims the majority want to get rid of the changing of the clocks however I don't remember there being a referendum about just an EU website set up to gauge people feelings which of course will only be visited by people who actually cared about the issue in the first place and therefore would want rid of the changing of the clocks.

Likewise when the options were given to us on the Irish website people were given the choice between Summer Time and Winter Time,hardly a surprise which one of these 2 options won the vote.Completely neutral terms should have been used for the 2 options if it was to be a fair vote.

The entire process so far has had a large degree of bias to it.

We should be trying to stay on the same time zone as the UK, completely stupid for a small island to have 2 different time zones and with the amount of business we do with the UK we should have the same time zone as them.

We do a good deal of business with the UK, but it is a fairly small proportion of our international trade. And most economic activity is domestic as it is elsewhere.

Having different time zones in neighbouring countries is not uncommon. Even in the United States some individual States not much bigger than Ireland have two time zones.

FrankieFeeler

FrankieFeeler wrote: »

Lots of people have to work with UK companies in their jobs also year round summer time will push us one hour further away from America where we do lots of business with also.

There's nothing wrong with the way things are at the moment it's just the sort of ting people whine about for the sake of.

An hours time difference is meaningless, most of my work is with other eu countries it’s a 1 hour and sometimes 2 hour time difference. It is a non issue.

I also work with some us companies adding another hour for some of the year will make little difference.

Things are not fine the way they are time changes are a massive pain and we spend a lot of the year wasting light in the evening in favor of the morning when it’s pontless for most people’s the polls clearly show the majority would prefer summer time.

Spanish Eyes

I have just put my clocks and lamps on timers forward, everything else is auto.

I am jetlagged already

Paddy Cow

FrankieFeeler wrote: »

The entire process around this is a load of nonsense.

The EU claims the majority want to get rid of the changing of the clocks however I don't remember there being a referendum about just an EU website set up to gauge people feelings which of course will only be visited by people who actually cared about the issue in the first place and therefore would want rid of the changing of the clocks.

Likewise when the options were given to us on the Irish website people were given the choice between Summer Time and Winter Time,hardly a surprise which one of these 2 options won the vote.Completely neutral terms should have been used for the 2 options if it was to be a fair vote.

The entire process so far has had a large degree of bias to it.

We should be trying to stay on the same time zone as the UK, completely stupid for a small island to have 2 different time zones and with the amount of business we do with the UK we should have the same time zone as them.

What neutral terms are you looking for. It's either winter time or summer time?

The UK are the ones making a big song and dance about wanting to leave. Why should we wait for them to make a decision and then follow suit? People trade internationally all the time with multiple time zones. If we do end up an hour a head of the UK, it's not going to be armageddon.

FrankieFeeler

Paddy Cow wrote: »

What neutral terms are you looking for. It's either winter time or summer time?

The UK are the ones making a big song and dance about wanting to leave. Why should we wait for them to make a decision and then follow suit? People trade internationally all the time with multiple time zones. If we do end up an hour a head of the UK, it's not going to be armageddon.

Option A or Option B.

Once you describe one as Winter time and one as Summer time the chance of a completely fair vote is gone.

dxhound2005

FrankieFeeler wrote: »

Option A or Option B.

Once you describe one as Winter time and one as Summer time the chance of a completely fair vote is gone.

I understand what is meant by those terms. So do you. Why would you think other people would not know?

Paddy Cow

FrankieFeeler wrote: »

Option A or Option B.

Once you describe one as Winter time and one as Summer time the chance of a completely fair vote is gone.

It doesn't matter what you call the two options, you still have to explain what they are. You could call them Z and Y and once people realise that Z means less light in summer and Y means more light in summer, 80% of people are going to vote for Y.

no.8

FrankieFeeler wrote:

Lots of people have to work with UK companies in their jobs also year round summer time will push us one hour further away from America where we do lots of business with also.

Lots of people work with or for continental European and Asian as well so again please try look a little bit further than the usual suspects