It's that time of year again. The time that all Vancouverites turn
their clocks back one hour tonight. "Spring forward, Fall back" right?
Wait a minute! Won't turning the clocks back make it get darker sooner?
Yes. And do we want it to get darker sooner? No.
So why are we moving it back?
Every person I've come across agree that the lost of daylight in the
winter afternoons/evenings one thing that bothers them around this time
of year. Ask anyone around you there's a good chance you'll get a
similar response.
Then, in the spring when we are about to 'spring forward' you hear
people say: "Boy I can't wait until we move the clocks forward to get
more daylight in the evenings". Well, why on earth did we move it back
in the fall in the first place? Doesn't make sense does it?
Compared with the mornings, most human outdoors activities takes place
in the afternoon and evenings. When waking up in the morning our eyes
are already used to darkness. But in the afternoon/evenings, after most
of us have spent hours under bright florescent lamps, the sudden change
from light to dark is the most troublesome. People end up driving home
in the dark. There is also a slight loss in business due to darkness.
And we arrive home to turn our lights on an hour earlier
than we would if we'd leave the clocks alone.
What harm would it do to leave our clocks on daylight saving time all
the time? After all, there are parts of Canada that never bother
playing with clocks. Why are we different? I think we should leave the
clocks alone and enjoy one extra hour of daylight and next spring we
won't need to 'spring forward'.
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