Daylight Savings - Yay or nay?

[Calvin6s]

Are we talking about cell phone laws now?  Those are good ones.

But how do you determine if they are quickly glancing at the driving directions on the phone or a text?  And I don't really have a problem with people that quickly use it at a stop light.  Say to ask Siri where the nearest gas station is.  As long as they don't have tunnel vision.  Is it really that hard to check your phone for 5 to 30 seconds and still be aware when the light turns green.  Seems to be.

But I did have a problem with a dude way before the cell phone laws came into play.  Dude was in front of me on an off ramp in the left turn lane.  He's chattering away on his phone.  Light turns green.  He starts to go with traffic.  Light is still totally green and he just slams on his brakes for no reason.

Was it his cellphone or DST?  You be the judge.

[El Barto]

The solution to cellphone laws is pretty simple. Take 20% of the cops you use for speed enforcement and have them write tickets for failure to use a turn signal and obstructing traffic, as well as for jabbering/texting.

[puppyonacid]

I was driving home from my girlfriends house early one morning a few months ago. I use the motorway as it's a straight between here and there.

So, I'm tootling along one morning and I overtake a Ford Escort Van. I'm sure it said forest ranger on it or something like that. As I passed I noticed he was drinking a drink from a travel mug which he was holding with his right hand and looking at his phone which was in his left hand as he was texting or whatever....I shit you not.

The arrogance baffles me. I really hope he hit a tree or something. Hopefully that would show him why not to do it without hurting anyone else. People driving and texting really winds me up.

I think in traffic that's at a stand still is fine. God knows I've been stuck in traffic and needed to let someone know I was going to be late. Texting and or using a mobile phone when driving though should rightly be outlawed. It's massively irresponsible.

[Ben_Jamin]

The only thing I enjoy about DST is traveling from New Mexico to Arizona,  we gain an extra hour that stores and the like would be open.

I don't understand it at all, but it does fuck with our minds only because things are set at a specific number. Businesses opening/closing, shows...hahaha I just thought wouldn't that mess with your pill schedule?

[Calvin6s]

The solution to cellphone laws is pretty simple. Take 20% of the cops you use for speed enforcement and have them write tickets for failure to use a turn signal and obstructing traffic, as well as for jabbering/texting.

I would have said it is because those are harder to prove, but not if they have cop cams   

And I am 100% convinced that they are setting up traffic lights to encourage speeding so they can write you a ticket.  Around here, if you go the speed limit (or even a mph or two over) you seem to hit EVERY SINGLE red light.  It can take you 15 minutes to go a couple miles down the road.  But if you go about 10-15mph over the speed limit, you hit green lights 90% of the time.  I've tried this out in many cities all around the Southwest and it works every time.

And at least some cops have control of at least some traffic lights.  I think I already told this story here, but I sat at a red light for quite a long time with a cop behind me.  It was almost if he was going to wait all night until I decided the light was broken, go through the light and then give me a ticket.  When I didn't, he put on his lights anyway and asked where I was in a hurry (or something like that).  From what I recall, he then finally let the light turn green and then pulled me over for "looking like" I was in a hurry.

I blame it on DST

[Calvin6s]

As I passed I noticed he was drinking a drink from a travel mug which he was holding with his right hand and looking at his phone which was in his left hand as he was texting or whatever....I shit you not.

You don't have to sell me.  You just described half of the people driving around here.  Sometimes I'm even the passenger and I can't relax the entire drive.  One time a heavy texter asked me "do you want to drive?" and I said "gladly."  I absolutely prefer being the passenger to the driver, but simply because you can relax.  If you can't relax, you might as well be the driver.

And a serious question.  What is so important that you can't do it when you arrive at your destination (usually 5 to 30 minutes away) or at worst, while at a stop?  I'm sure they were busy discussing Portnoy being a douchebag.  Stuff like that can't wait.

[bosk1]

I only text when traffic is moving so far in excess of the speed limit that I know there is no chance of anyone stopping and I can take my eyes off the road for literally minutes at a time without having to worry about hitting anyone.

[El Barto]

The solution to cellphone laws is pretty simple. Take 20% of the cops you use for speed enforcement and have them write tickets for failure to use a turn signal and obstructing traffic, as well as for jabbering/texting.

I would have said it is because those are harder to prove, but not if they have cop cams   

And I am 100% convinced that they are setting up traffic lights to encourage speeding so they can write you a ticket.  Around here, if you go the speed limit (or even a mph or two over) you seem to hit EVERY SINGLE red light.  It can take you 15 minutes to go a couple miles down the road.  But if you go about 10-15mph over the speed limit, you hit green lights 90% of the time.  I've tried this out in many cities all around the Southwest and it works every time.

And at least some cops have control of at least some traffic lights.  I think I already told this story here, but I sat at a red light for quite a long time with a cop behind me.  It was almost if he was going to wait all night until I decided the light was broken, go through the light and then give me a ticket.  When I didn't, he put on his lights anyway and asked where I was in a hurry (or something like that).  From what I recall, he then finally let the light turn green and then pulled me over for "looking like" I was in a hurry.

I blame it on DST

I got the impression the lights in Cali were timed specifically to increase traffic. Perhaps to encourage alternate transpo; I dunno. And down here cops just flip on their overheads and siren and run the light if they don't feel like stopping. I actually had cop light me up so I'd slow down and pull over, just so he could pass me and go on about his business; dick.

[Calvin6s]

I only text when traffic is moving so far in excess of the speed limit that I know there is no chance of anyone stopping and I can take my eyes off the road for literally minutes at a time without having to worry about hitting anyone.

That sounds like playing with fire.  But maybe where you live you are talking about open road to the horizon with super wide highways?  People slam on their brakes for the dumbest reasons.  One second they are 12 car lengths ahead of you, you turn your head to look over your shoulder for 1-2 seconds, turn around and they have screeched to a near stop.

I would say that happens all the time, but around here if you leave the recommended safe car lengths between you and the car ahead of you, another car will just fill that space.

[Prog Snob]

Are we talking about cell phone laws now?  Those are good ones.

But how do you determine if they are quickly glancing at the driving directions on the phone or a text?  And I don't really have a problem with people that quickly use it at a stop light.  Say to ask Siri where the nearest gas station is.  As long as they don't have tunnel vision.  Is it really that hard to check your phone for 5 to 30 seconds and still be aware when the light turns green.  Seems to be.

But I did have a problem with a dude way before the cell phone laws came into play.  Dude was in front of me on an off ramp in the left turn lane.  He's chattering away on his phone.  Light turns green.  He starts to go with traffic.  Light is still totally green and he just slams on his brakes for no reason.

Was it his cellphone or DST?  You be the judge.

I've been more distracted by conversation of a person sitting next to me to the point where I've missed making a turn a number of times.  I don't have problems with texting and driving or talking on the cell phone and driving.  Personally, I'm tired of all of these laws.   If it weren't for the fact that so many kids these days need to get a car the second they get a license, I'd be all for drinking and driving again.  I've done it.  I'm alive.  I know it's an ignorant way to look at things but when do the laws actually stop?  How about making elderly people get tested every year once they reach a certain age? Not just a driving test but a vision test. I guarantee that would do more to alleviate bullshit driving than banning cell phones.  My grandmother was in her 80s with her license. She had cataracts.  She rolled through a red light on a major street nearly causing a huge accident because she thought the bottom light was lit up and not the top one.  We took her license away after that.

Cell phones are not the issue.  Eating while driving is not the issue.  It boils down to each person.  If a person is a shitty driver, then no law is going to save your ass.

[Chino]

It's not long now before phones/wearables are constantly connected to your vehicle. The day will come where the law won't be that you can't use your phone while driving. The law will instead force auto makers to engineer their cars to not allow driver cellphone use while the car is in motion.

[Phoenix87x]

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senate-approves-bill-that-would-make-daylight-savings-time-permanent-2023-2022-03-15/

[Lonk]

I'll post the same thing I posted on the General Chat thread:

Not sure how I feel about DST being permanent, because that means in winter, the sun will rise after 8am for me. I personally don't care about the late sunset, but EST would mean an early AF sunrise in the summer.

FWIW, this isn't the first time this has been done.

https://www.washingtonian.com/2022/03/15/the-us-tried-permanent-daylight-saving-time-in-the-70s-people-hated-it/

I'm just not sure if it will last (if the House pass the legislation in the first place). People in the northern half of the country will complain about the late sunrise in winter and how dangerous it is for kids to go to school while it's still dark outside.

[splent]

Keep Daylight Savings permanent. My biggest issue is the time change. I like it staying lighter later in the day, esp in the winter since I always feel like I drive to work and drive home in the dark. I’d rather drive home with some light.

[El Barto]

Keep Daylight Savings permanent. My biggest issue is the time change. I like it staying lighter later in the day, esp in the winter since I always feel like I drive to work and drive home in the dark. I’d rather drive home with some light.

Sunlight's more important in the morning, though. Sunlight in the evening is nice and all, we can go to Home Depot to buy lawn furniture at 2100, but sunlight in the morning is what allows us to function.

[hefdaddy42]

I don't care which one they pick, it's the changes that kill me.  Pick either one and stay with it.

[hunnus2000]

I feel for people in the East. I would have to travel once a year to NY and there were days where I would get to work in the dark and get back to my hotel in the dark.

Yuck. 

[Dublagent66]

I live in AZ.  DST doesn't exist here. 

[pg1067]

I don't care which one they pick, it's the changes that kill me.  Pick either one and stay with it.

This...exactly.

My son was born in May, so he was 5+ months old when "fall back" happened.  We had just gotten him into a decent sleeping schedule at night, and the time change completely fucked that up.  Nowadays, I don't mind the fall time change, but the "spring forward" sucks so hard I can't even explain it.  Like Hef said, pick one or the other...or split the difference; I don't care.

I feel for people in the East. I would have to travel once a year to NY and there were days where I would get to work in the dark and get back to my hotel in the dark.

Yuck. 

I used to get up around 5:15 a.m. and leave the house before 6:00.  For a decent chunk of the year, the sun didn't rise (at least not fully) until I got into my office.  After the "fall back," if I stayed at the office much past 5:00 p.m. I wouldn't see the sun except at lunch.  I f'ing LOVED that!

[cramx3]

Like Hef said, pick one or the other...or split the difference; I don't care.

I don't get why I don't see "split the difference" optic more often.  I feel like next time we spring forward, just move it 30 minutes instead of 60 and be done with it.  Just my thoughts.

[T-ski]

Like Hef said, pick one or the other...or split the difference; I don't care.

I don't get why I don't see "split the difference" optic more often.  I feel like next time we spring forward, just move it 30 minutes instead of 60 and be done with it.  Just my thoughts.

Not sure how that would work with international time.

[cramx3]

Like Hef said, pick one or the other...or split the difference; I don't care.

I don't get why I don't see "split the difference" optic more often.  I feel like next time we spring forward, just move it 30 minutes instead of 60 and be done with it.  Just my thoughts.

Not sure how that would work with international time.

Me neither but we already have oddities with certain timezones and DST happening/not happening.  It would be weird though.

[faizoff]

Like Hef said, pick one or the other...or split the difference; I don't care.

I don't get why I don't see "split the difference" optic more often.  I feel like next time we spring forward, just move it 30 minutes instead of 60 and be done with it.  Just my thoughts.

Not sure how that would work with international time.

Me neither but we already have oddities with certain timezones and DST happening/not happening.  It would be weird though.

It can be done, there are countries like India that have a 30 min differential so those adjustments are already there.

[El Barto]

Like Hef said, pick one or the other...or split the difference; I don't care.

I don't get why I don't see "split the difference" optic more often.  I feel like next time we spring forward, just move it 30 minutes instead of 60 and be done with it.  Just my thoughts.

Not sure how that would work with international time.

I can't say that I like the idea of zulu being a half hour increment from us, and Arizona would be weird[er], but that honestly might be the best solution. You're never going to get people to agree on which direction to go, and the various retail lobbies will saddle us with DST for their own benefit, so at least splitting the difference would be a compromise. Honestly, Canada and Mexico will do what we do, so if Arizona changes its ways then it'll probably work out alright.

[pg1067]

Like Hef said, pick one or the other...or split the difference; I don't care.

I don't get why I don't see "split the difference" optic more often.  I feel like next time we spring forward, just move it 30 minutes instead of 60 and be done with it.  Just my thoughts.

Not sure how that would work with international time.

There are several places in the world that are off by a half hour.  https://www.worldtimezone.com/

It's no big deal.

[T-ski]

Like Hef said, pick one or the other...or split the difference; I don't care.

I don't get why I don't see "split the difference" optic more often.  I feel like next time we spring forward, just move it 30 minutes instead of 60 and be done with it.  Just my thoughts.

Not sure how that would work with international time.

There are several places in the world that are off by a half hour.  https://www.worldtimezone.com/

It's no big deal.

Huh, guess I learned something today.

[Melphina]

Maybe it's just me but man do I see hyperbolic reactions to DST everywhere this news is being discussed. It's not THAT bad. I don't care too much either way although I would be fine if it just stayed the way it is. I for one prefer the night, and I prefer early evenings in the winter. I'm legitimately happier and feel better (physically, mentally, spiritually, everything) in the colder months where there it gets darker earlier. Later sunrises are cool but I like when the sun starts to hang low in the early/mid afternoon. Oh well.

[Ben_Jamin]

Here's what I said about it in the General Chat thread...

It's hilarious. I ended up looking at some articles about trying to adjust time, and the reasons make me laugh.

First was because of war and saving energy. Then we get the need to determine a set time schedule to agree upon because the railroads were seeing a lot of train crashes or conflicts due to the states having different times.

Then there's this article which is a fascinating take for the farmers not wanting Daylight Savings Time, because it also effects their production and supply distribution.

http://archive.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/08/22/massachusetts_sprang_forward/

The idea of falsifying clocks to delay sunrise and sunset times came to New England from old England. British architect William Willett noticed people were sleeping through sunrise. In 1907, he published ''The Waste of Daylight," which inspired Germany, then Great Britain and the United States, to shove ahead their clocks during the First World War, hoping to conserve fuel.

It didn't work. It did work for Boston department store magnate A. Lincoln Filene. He knew evening sunlight encouraged working people to shop on their way home. Filene was chairman of the Boston Chamber of Commerce, which produced the influential 1917 study, ''An Hour of Light for an Hour of Night." This became the basis for the national daylight saving campaign. Filene predicted a boon to the health and morals of the nation, and he outlined ten specific benefits for farmers. Each one was at odds with the experience of actual farmers.

Filene claimed that produce harvested before sunrise retained dew, making if fresher and more appealing at markets. Farmers knew crops could not be harvested until the sun had dried that dew. Filene predicted farmers would enjoy sleeping later, but they rose earlier than ever with one less hour of light to get their dairy to cities. Filene said animals preferred to work in the cool darkness of morning. Farmers said roosters did not wear watches.

Congress repealed daylight saving in 1919, despite intense lobbying from the Chamber of Commerce, Wall Street, professional baseball, and golfers. Except for an unpopular experiment during World War II, we had no national policy until the Uniform Time Act of 1966.

Most Americans still believe we save daylight to help farmers. Massachusetts residents should know better.

[Cool Chris]

Sunlight's more important in the morning, though. Sunlight in the evening is nice and all, we can go to Home Depot to buy lawn furniture at 2100, but sunlight in the morning is what allows us to function.

Not disagreeing, but it was nice this week to come home and see the neighborhood kids outside playing. 

[Stadler]

Maybe it's just me but man do I see hyperbolic reactions to DST everywhere this news is being discussed. It's not THAT bad. I don't care too much either way although I would be fine if it just stayed the way it is. I for one prefer the night, and I prefer early evenings in the winter. I'm legitimately happier and feel better (physically, mentally, spiritually, everything) in the colder months where there it gets darker earlier. Later sunrises are cool but I like when the sun starts to hang low in the early/mid afternoon. Oh well.

That's kind of me; I don't give a shit either way.  Let me know when Law And Order is on, and when the Patriots play, and as long as I'm not an hour off for every concert I see, I'm good.

[ReaPsTA]

The sun setting at five during the Winter messes up my brain. DST all year plz

[TheRich13]

I’m in Florida so yes DST for me always yes !

[cramx3]

Hope everyone home in the US is enjoying their lost hour!  I, for once, am enjoying it!

[Phoenix87x]

I looked at the clock when I woke up and was like "wow, I actually slept 8 hours" but then was like "oh yeah, daylight savings" 

Apparently this is the end of daylight savings in the US though. Its never really bothered me, but that will be interesting to see how noticeable it is no longer doing it.

[jingle.boy]

Apparently this is the end of daylight savings in the US though. Its never really bothered me, but that will be interesting to see how noticeable it is no longer doing it.

Wait, wut?

It seems that a bill (Sunshine Protection Act) was approved LAST YEAR?!?!?!  Never heard about it, and I don't recall Canada ever following suit.  More digging - the bill passed last year in the Senate, but stalled in the house.  Rubio re-introduced it last week.

So, in the famous words of Winston Wolff... let's not start suckin each others' dick's quite yet.