At the end of this month, most of us will be putting the clocks back an hour. There is this continued debate whether the UK should one year NOT put its clocks back at the end of October. By virtue of such an action, Great Britain would be on the same time as the rest of Western Europe. Can't say that the prospect is relished by those in Scotland. Particularly those of us in the far north would argue that it would be a dangerous move. It's nothing to do with chauvinism, but everything with geography.
Stornoway, my current location, lies at approximately 58 degrees latitude north and 7 degrees longitude west. This means that the sun rises and sets half an hour later than in London. That's the longitude effect.
In summer, we have those beautiful long evenings. Sun sets at 10.35pm, it doesn't really get dark until 11.45pm and there is always a smudge of light to the far north at the darkest point of the night at 1.20am. Dawn starts at 3am and the sun rises again at 4.20am.
Yippee!!! Not so in December.
The sun rises at 9.15am, which is 75 minutes after London. It sets again at 3.35pm, about 15 minutes before London. Net result, our day is 90 minutes shorter. Now consider the effects of putting the clock an hour forward through the winter.
Sunrise at 10.15am. It will be pitchblack when people drive to work and children go to school. Sunset at 4.35pm, big deal. People still return home in the dark.
No thanks.
As I said on my entry lets leave them alone lol ,.,.,Jan xx http://journals.aol.co.uk/jeadie05/Serendipity/
ReplyDeleteI meant 1015! Sheesh!
ReplyDeletePam
WOW I can't imagine having sunrise at 1030am!!
ReplyDeletePam
actually you have a point there,I always thought the clocks debate was because the farmers during the war needed more time to get their crops in,theres so many reasons behind it,but it does sound a bit off though for you xxzoexx
ReplyDeleteI don't blame you!
ReplyDeleteLori
http://beta.journals.aol.com/helmswondermom/DustyPages/
It is too bad Scotland couldn't govern their won time. It sounds like a better idea to me. I can't imagine having sunrise at 10:15,that is insane.
ReplyDeleteYes, there are always two sides to every story.
ReplyDeletehttp://journals.aol.co.uk/jeanno43/JeannettesJottings/
Can you get used to this??
ReplyDeleteValerie
Ok, we'll leave them as they are! Jeannette xx http://journals.aol.co.uk/jlocorriere05/Welcometomytravels
ReplyDeleteOregon is like Alaska during the winter..we drive to work and its still dark, just barely getting some light and after work, the drive home its pitch dark....Its like vampire land here...lol
ReplyDeleteRaven
wow!
ReplyDeletenatalie
You have good points as to why you shouldn't...
ReplyDeleteSomething we have here...we lose that 1 hour...that old saying, spring forward, fall back, rings true in our part of the world.
Take care!!!
Joyce
No disrepect to the people of Stornaway but schoolchildren in England are quite literally dying in road traffic accidents because they are forced to go home in the dark for 3 months of the year. Indeed the Monday after the clocks go back has one of the highest accident rates of the entire year.
ReplyDeleteIf we kept British summer time we would have daylight in London until at least 5pm all year round - good for schoolkids and more of a chance for people to enjoy days out in the afternoons at the weekend. Who needs daylight at 7.30am (we're all too busy rushing to work or in bed at the weekends)?!
Frankly why should millions of people in England be inconvenienced for the benefit of a few thousand in the north of Scotland. If its that much of a problem Scotland can have its own time zone and England can move to link its time up with mainland Europe!