Changing daylight savings

The Government is seeking input from the public on whether Bermuda should change its daylight savings schedule to match the changes recently introduced in the US. Starting in 2007, summer time in the US will begin three weeks earlier and end a week later.

I’m ambivalent. If the British and the Canadians do not change their schedule too, then whether we change or whether we do not we’ll be out of sync with one of our major business partners.

However, as there are probably more companies on the Island that deal with the US, it would seem to make most sense for our schedule to mirror theirs.

Comments

[wklc on 21.11.05 at 08:36]

This one doesn't make a big difference to me. Yes we do perform a great deal of business with the US and Canada, but remember there are (at least) 4 time zones in both these regions. Europe also is at least 4 hours ahead. Businesses here deal with both continents on a daily basis, and there isn't a great deal of chaos. Its just a matter of getting a timetable of what time it is in each country. But instead of the clocks going back in OCtober, and making it November, will allow for daylight a bit longer, and thus less energy is required regarding lighting.

[Mildred Mellie on 21.11.05 at 09:16]

As I've said before many times, I hate daylight savings because that extra hour of daylight bleaches my curtains.

[Combat Banker on 21.11.05 at 09:32]

What stuns me is that the Government has to poll for public opinion on even this!!! Can't they actually decide anything??? Sometimes I feel I have answered more government opinion polls than they have passed laws!

Stick with the US I'd say. 'International Business' is the only way the island brings in money these days, and the customer (indeed our only customer) is always right.

[Tiger Bay on 21.11.05 at 09:45]

Follow the US. No brainer.

[Chris Broadhurst on 21.11.05 at 09:45]

It is intersting that Gov wants our input on what is really quite an obvious choice, but they keep on ramming independence down our thoats and won't set a date for a referendum.

Go with the USA I'd say.

[wklc on 21.11.05 at 09:49]

And if the government just decided one way or the other, I guarantee many of you would be screaming the word of the month "dictatorship"!

[Yet Another Limey on 21.11.05 at 10:15]

Get rid of the outdated concept altogeher.

In the UK the darker evenings cause more child road deaths than darker mornings (when drivers are more alert), it only stays in for a handful of Scottish farmers who are too stupid to get out of bed earlier.

[Chris Broadhurst on 21.11.05 at 10:19]

YAL

This would mean keep daylight saving ON all the time surely??? Not get rid of it.

[Curried Goat on 21.11.05 at 10:36]

CB exactly. I.e. UK goes onto European time. It will give th UK something else to moan about.

"Whats next the bloody Euro?"

[Cancundreaming on 21.11.05 at 10:40]

Combat Banker wrote,

"What stuns me is that the Government has to poll for public opinion on even this!!! Can't they actually decide anything??? Sometimes I feel I have answered more government opinion polls than they have passed laws!"

What a silly thing to write. Isn't this HOW we WANT government to act, from Limey's post it only seems as if they are asking for input from the public, i can't think any policy were input from the public wouldn't be warranted and welcomed…

In regards to the daylight savings, up here in Canada the trend seems to indicate that they're going to follow the U.S. as well, although bizarrely, it seems that this issue is under provinces’ purview, nevertheless most people expect most provinces to change.... I say, just change it and let's move on…

[Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 21.11.05 at 10:43]

My vote is for more light....I guess my bias should be revealed.I love to expose myself all the time taking pictures.Yes I am a filmless wonder too!....Da ^..^ is a digital wonder now!

[NoVote on 21.11.05 at 10:44]

Daylight savings all year round would get my vote. I can deal with a little extra darkness in the morning, but it's hellishly depressing to spend all day in the office and then walk-out into darkness to go home.

As for international business, I don't think time-zone proximity really makes that much difference.

When I'm talking to colleagues on the west coast of the US or in Europe, I don't think they could care less whether it's daylight or darkness in Bermuda.......and they certainly don't care whether I'm talking to them within normal office hours in Bermuda or not. They expect me to be on the phone to get the job done irrespective.

People in Bermuda seem to be a lot more dedicated to the 5 o'clock rush. So, that being the case, on the odd occasion that I can join them, I'd prefer there to be daylight to greet me as I walk out the door.

[Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 21.11.05 at 11:40]

Five is a very complex....number and if you study numerology it can solve many difficult problems.....In Bermuda it means Home....what a comfort for the sunset. So I'll five ya later!

[Combat Banker on 21.11.05 at 13:42]

Cancun:

You are missing my point (not surprising as I hate long posts and did not really take the time to make it).

BEGIN RANT;
If you looked at the throne speech this year, nearly every initiative was to "Form a Committee", which from previous experince has turned into a long drawn out & expensive process, which in the end usually does nothing.

I understand that input from the populus is wonderful in democracy, but look at the context here. We have had so many "High Level Think Tanks" being formed with little to no action or ideas ever coming out of them. It is as if government has no real ideas of their own or management ability to implement them.

The only gumption seemed to come from the desire for Independence, where they so misread the popular mood and economics of the situation, that in the end it may well topple the government.

The need to poll for what should be such a simple decision is just adding to insult to injury here, for what has been tantamount to 8 years of governmental navel gazing.
END RANT;

Limey if you feel this is a hijack, please feel free to delete. I'm particualrly grumpy this morning for some reason.

[JJ on 21.11.05 at 14:10]

"Limey if you feel this is a hijack, please feel free to delete. I'm particualrly grumpy this morning for some reason"

CB looks like you'rve already put your clock back. This was posted at 1.42 PM!! ;-)

I do agree with your point though CB. These guys can't even make a simple decision. It's these kinds of things that I expect our town hall type government to make without setting up a stewards enquiry. But independence.....that's a tad more important.

[Combat Banker on 21.11.05 at 14:14]

JJ - Touche.

Guess the reason I'm grumpy is because I've accidentally worked through lunch!

[Yet Another Limey on 21.11.05 at 15:19]

This reminds me of a made for TV ‘1984’ style film I once saw in the UK.

The government brought in ultimate democracy, where every voter in the country had a TV set top box allowing them to vote on every decision that came before parliament. And so all members of the public would be woken at all times of night and day to vote on trivial matters. Eventually the voting public grew tired of being woken at two in the morning to accept or reject a trade treaty with Belize and simply voted to give all decision making power to the government.

[Mildred Mellie on 21.11.05 at 15:59]

Thankfully someone suggested I put my curtains on a north facing window.

[Combat Banker on 21.11.05 at 16:16]

Let me guess... Your bedroom windows face South?

[island dweller on 22.11.05 at 21:37]

This is an excellent discussion. We should set our time to our Caribbean cousins. We are trying to become more like them.