Readers Respond: Daylight Saving Time Confusion

Responses: 164

By Matt Rosenberg, About.com Guide

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It is ridiculous getting dark by 5:00 p.m.! Instead of switch to Standard time in the Winter, we should add an additional hour (or Double Daylight Savings Time.) This would give more people waking hours when it is light.
—Guest Ron

I am in school, and DST give more daylight time in the afternoon, so i can enjoy sleeping in while and still have time to do things outside. In November, the extra hour of sleep in the morning and going to school during daylight is also appreciated- Some people arent morning people
—Guest student

Hey, modern world people- you know, the ones that live in cities and support the destruction of habitat for Wal Marts, and think that making things easier for farmers isn't useful anymore- may I ask who feeds you ignorant people. You think that food magically appears at McDonalds-some people have to stick with tradition! So keep DST
—Guest apalled

I thought the point of this was to tell a DST story. Everyone's whining about big government. DST was advocated in the US by Benjamin Franklin. It helped save candles. It is a CITY thing - NOT A RURAL thing. Time didn't exist in RURAL areas until the railroads came about. DST has nothing to do with farmers. I agree that it is obsolete now but not due to electric lighting but A/C. Which is why Arizona does not follow DST - we want it dark sooner so we can go out and play at night....
—Guest Baffled

I think it is bad for our health. and I don't see any benefit from it. I want it to stay the same.
—Guest Tena Locklear

Here in Alaska it's pretty pointless. In summer it's going to be light out no matter what time your clock says, in winter it's dark. DST literally does nothing but confuse people. Plus, most of our big businesses are mines and canneries, which both operate 24 hours a day! I don't know about the rest of the country, but why Alaska still observes this is a mystery to me.
—Guest dorp

I just wish they would do away with Standard time and make it Daylight Saving Time permanent. I hate going home in the dark after work in the evenings. It's very depressing to see how beautiful the day is and not get to experience it at all because it's dark when I get off work.
—Guest Shari

Although I dislike the early dusk that comes with the end of dst, it is nice for my children to walk to school when it is light. It's harder to get up for school when it looks like the middle of the night. And what a treat in March to get that extra hour of sunlight, and know that the spring and long summer evenings lie ahead.
—Guest guest lynn

Although I dislike the early dusk that comes with the end of dst, it is nice for my children to walk to school when it is light. It's harder to get up for school when it looks like the middle of the night. And what a treat in March to get that extra hour of sunlight, and know that the spring and long summer evenings lie ahead.
—Guest guest lynn

Can't we just leave it DST year round? Really don''t like going to work and coming home from work in the dark! Besides, with the dayligt ending so early in the late afternoon, depression is higher.
—Guest guest can't find way home in the dark

why would they take an hour away they say even though no or little energy is saved?
—Guest bhuhghbh

We all know that DST causes a problem for adults, but remember the children. They have to get up at 5:00 in middle school. Do you really want the easier day they wait for every year gone? Do you want our nations children to be disappointed? They are the adults of the future but cut them some slack right now okay? Would you want your only hours of relaxation taken from you? Wouldn't your school have been much easier if they gave you just one more hour of sleep? I hope you read this and understand, the government knows DST is not saving machines energy, it is saving the energy of the people by getting them well rested and ready to go at work and at school. Anyone who considers this message, realize this is a changed event, first it was just for energy, now it is for the people themselves so they will have a better day and a happier life for at least a month.
—Guest Granny Ward

Yes it's tough to get up in the dark, confusion for a few days, but come on, more daylight at night means, brightness on your drive home, kids can play outside a little longer, you can take a stroll in the park later, less crimes, and you can just enjoy the natural lighting... Standard Time = 1 hr more of sleep (YAY) but that's it, traffic will be in the dark and the day just seems shorter because you get tired earlier...
—Guest DST Double!

Matt Rosenberg
Geography Guide