I still don’t know why most states adhere to the Day Light Savings time change. I understand that it once had to do with either the agrarian economy, meaning farmers having more daylight to harvest, or maybe something to do with the trains. I may be a bit confused on the train thing, I think that had more to do with the different time zones. However, most people I know and talk to, fret over the time change twice a year.
In the Spring, when it’s time to spring forward, most happy go lucky folks like the additional hour of daylight in the evenings. Those long days remind most of us of our care-free childhood when summer meant no work and all play. Yet, I think that if we didn’t spring forward, we would still get to enjoy the lingering light as summer approached. Take Arizona, for instance, they don’t adhere to Day Light Savings Time. Due to their scorching summers, why add an additional hour of blazing sun to their day? However, they still end up with plenty of evening sunlight. The Earth’s tilt makes sure of that.
Come Fall, or Autumn (for those East Coasters), falling back an hour makes most of us cranky. Yes, we do get that one additional hour of sleep on the first day of Standard Time, but the rest of the first month of two, as we adjust to regular time, the days grow shorter. The darkness makes 5:00pm feel like 8:00pm, our bodies tell us it’s bedtime. Many people driving home from work at this time, struggle with the new found darkness. A few years ago, I read an article that said that states that follow Day Light Savings, which means they change their time twice a year, have more car accidents following the time change. People have to readjust to the darkness or lightness for those first few days. So, on top of having to change all of the clocks in the house, and being cranky, I am also more likely to have a car wreck!
Some people may argue that they prefer Falling Back to standard time because it gives them that extra of hour of sunlight in the morning. Those happy morning people are probably elated when it’s time to set the clocks back. In some ways, I will also like the additional hour of sun in the morning. But mostly, this is due to my safety. I like riding my bike to work 2 or 3 times a week. Lately, I’ve been leaving my house in pitch darkness, I could still see stars and the moon shining above my head. So, my morning commute will be safer. In contrast though, my evening commute will be less safe because it will be darker, thank goodness for LED bicycle lights!
I guess the time change is a catch-22 until states decide to eliminate Day Light Savings. Hopefully everyone has remembered to set their clocks, unless, of course, you live in Arizona, you lucky devil!
2 Comments
Yay, that’s us! Lucky devils! 🙂 I have never lived anywhere else but here, and can never remember when the change comes, nor whether it’s going forward or backward. I do try to be aware when calling someone who lives in CA as sometimes they are on our time, sometimes ahead, don’t want to call too late or too early.
So lucky! We have family in Arizona and they only have to remember the time differences with other relatives in other states as well.
thanks for the comment!