What, if anything, should be done about Daylight Saving Time?

[Roadwarriors79]

I figured since a thread on Daylight Saving Time has been ongoing for months, why not a poll on what members of this forum think. I included the US and Canada since both countries do the time changes at the same time (2nd Sunday in March, 1st Sunday in November).

For those wondering, every US state observes DST currently, except for Hawaii, and most of Arizona. None of the US territories observe DST.

[kalvado]

add another option:
whatever you do, set the clock AND DON'T TOUCH IT  - that is a combo of 2 options you have

[kphoger]

Can I vote more than once?

[Roadwarriors79]

Can I vote more than once?

Yes, or change your vote, or even choose more than one option.

[kphoger]

Can I vote more than once?

Yes, or change your vote, or even choose more than one option.

Hmmm..  Not sure how to vote more than once..  Put me down as 625 votes for "go to standard time year round," then.

[1995hoo]

My choice is not on there: Change the DST schedule to the last Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. In other words, leave the November end date as it is under the current schedule, but move the spring start date a couple of weeks later to coincide with when the clocks go ahead in Europe, simply because it makes doing business more straightforward. The second Sunday in March is simply too early in the year. I will concede, however, that the current date eliminates the issues that occurred when DST started on Easter Sunday!

I do find it a bit absurd that what we call "Standard Time" is in effect for only about four months of the year. But I see no benefit whatsoever from year-round DST because in the winter the majority of people in most of the country would still be commuting both ways in the dark, given that during the winter it's already rather dark prior to the actual "sunset" time.

[hbelkins]

I think my opinion is pretty well-known: year-round DST.

[tradephoric]

One reason i'm so in favor of permanent DST is because it would still allow states to opt out of DST if they so choose.  Forcing all 50 states to go to standard time would nearly guarantee that New England states (Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Vermont) would ban together and petition the federal government to switch to the Atlantic time zone.  Running standard time year-round pretty much guarantees that we increase from 4 to 5 time zones in the Continental US. 

[jp the roadgeek]

Didn't know which option to choose.  Should go to what is the equivalent of Daylight Time in some areas, but in doing so, switch to the Standard Time an hour ahead of what is current standard time.  The time zone map should be redrawn as such (I used the names of the current time zones, which would have to be renamed).

[Takumi]

I honestly don't care.

[abefroman329]

I honestly don't care.

[Eth]

Adjust both the start and end dates to match those currently used in Europe. Failing that, just go to permanent standard time.

[paulthemapguy]

Move the whole Chicago area where I live into the Eastern time zone.  We're east of 90°W longitude, so we SHOULD be in eastern time--which would be DST all year round, in other words.  Sunsets before 5pm are depressing as hell.

[hotdogPi]

Move the whole Chicago area where I live into the Eastern time zone.  We're east of 90°W longitude, so we SHOULD be in eastern time--which would be DST all year round, in other words.  Sunsets before 5pm are depressing as hell.

The dividing line should be 82.5°W, not 90°W.

[paulthemapguy]

Move the whole Chicago area where I live into the Eastern time zone.  We're east of 90°W longitude, so we SHOULD be in eastern time--which would be DST all year round, in other words.  Sunsets before 5pm are depressing as hell.

The dividing line should be 82.5°W, not 90°W.

[hotdogPi]

Move the whole Chicago area where I live into the Eastern time zone.  We're east of 90°W longitude, so we SHOULD be in eastern time--which would be DST all year round, in other words.  Sunsets before 5pm are depressing as hell.

The dividing line should be 82.5°W, not 90°W.

Time zones "should" be centered on the multiples of 15°, not have their boundaries on the multiples of 15°.

[jeffandnicole]

Oh good. As if one endless thread about a twice a year event wasn't enough...

[kalvado]

Oh good. As if one endless thread about a twice a year event wasn't enough...

How about separating these into a separate subforum?

[bandit957]

Probably nothing - as long as they move the Cincinnati area to Central Time where it belongs.

[hbelkins]

Adjust both the start and end dates to match those currently used in Europe. Failing that, just go to permanent standard time.

Why? Why should we follow Europe?

[hotdogPi]

Adjust both the start and end dates to match those currently used in Europe. Failing that, just go to permanent standard time.

Why? Why should we follow Europe?

It would just be a reversal of the 2007 DST extension; it has nothing to do with Europe itself.

[MikeTheActuary]

The utility of changing clocks twice a year is dubious.

I don't much care whether it's permanent DST, permanent standard time, or redrawn time zones.  Just pick one and stick with it.

Having said that, my past experimentation with going to UTC-4.5/-5.5/-6.5/ and tweaking the zone boundaries could produce very acceptable results.

[hotdogPi]

Why are NV, AZ, KS, MN, and NC split? Also, the Toledo area makes no sense.

[1995hoo]

Oh good. As if one endless thread about a twice a year event wasn't enough...

[kphoger]

One reason i'm so in favor of permanent DST is because it would still allow states to opt out of DST if they so choose.

States are already allowed to opt out of DST if they so choose.  Permanent DST would not give them that ability; they already have it.

Forcing all 50 states to go to standard time would nearly guarantee that New England states (Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Vermont) would ban together and petition the federal government to switch to the Atlantic time zone.

OK.  I'm fine with that.

Running standard time year-round pretty much guarantees that we increase from 4 to 5 time zones in the Continental US. 

OK.  I'm fine with that.