Double summertime?

[David M]

Looks like there is going to be a vote on whether the UK should shift itself into a different time zone.

This debate has been ongoing ever since I can remember, but apparently research has been undertaken and it has been revealed that such a move is likely to provide a boost to the country's economy.

It won't affect any animal other than the human being, since the actual hours of daylight obviously won't change, but how do UKB members feel about the proposals?

It'll be great in summer - dusk will only begin at about 10.30pm in the south of the country (and on the northern coast of Scotland it will still be light at midnight). However, in winter it'll be dead-set dark at 9am for about 6 weeks in deepest winter (something I'm not sure I could cope with).

I recall when I lived in the south of France that we would arrive for morning lectures at the university for 830am and it was absolutely dark. It didn't really get light till about 9.15am. That said, there WAS a compensatory benefit in the sense that darkness only fell after 5.15pm, which is roughly when it arrives in mid-February in the UK.

The BBC has an interesting page on this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12523164

[Piers]

My preference would be to put the clocks forward two hours this March, and then continue with back and forth Spring and Autumn as normal.

The result would be maximisation of daylight during hours of activity for the majority of people in the country.

Felix.

[millerd]

It makes sense to me - we should make the most of every scrap of daylight if we can. It always seems daft to be up after dark in the summer when it gets light soon after 4 in the morning. There was some nonsensical argument against this relating to farmers, I believe - it cannot make a jot of difference to anyone whose working hours are decided by the duration of daylight, not the clock. Let's harmonise with the rest of Western Europe.

Dave

[Matsukaze]

It does mean that looking for moths at dusk in high summer will be creeping over into the start of the next day.

[Piers]

Let's harmonise with the rest of Western Europe.

Now you're starting to put me off David...!

Felix.

[Susie]

I wish they'd blooming well leave it alone. I hate mucking about with the clocks as it is, two hours difference will be even worse! Meh!