Every spring and fall the same debate can be heard around kitchen tables and at the local coffee shops.
For the most part people in this part of the country are either strongly for or against the implementation of Daylight Savings Time. It probably comes from being stuck in the dark going to and from school and work through the winter months.
When the country changes over to Daylight Savings Time each spring there are those who have been greeting the morning sun for a few weeks who feel they just got the short end of the deal in favour of those who prefer more sunlight after the regular work day ends.
There are all types of arguments for and against springing ahead one hour each March and falling back an hour each November. For those who enjoy as much time as they can get on the golf course, at the lake or working in their yards the changing of the clocks in the spring is a positive.
For those who have looked forward to seeing the sun as the head off to work early in the morning the plunge back into the dark is not a good thing.
The adjustment is not so hard in the fall, when everyone gains an hour, but it is a challenge in the spring when everyone loses an hour. Sleep deprivation specialists suggest everyone should go to bed a few minutes earlier each night leading up to the one hour jump. Easier said than done.
Even with media attention twice a year to the changing time, there are still those who miss all of the reminders and fail to set their clocks to the new time.
It’s a good thing the change takes place in the wee hours of a Sunday morning which gives most of the people who need to be at work or at school on Monday a whole day to make the adjustment.
While most people probably find the changing of the clocks twice a year to be more of a nuisance than a real problem there are those who strongly believe the whole thing should be scraped.
Maybe a good compromise would be 30 minutes. If everyone agreed to fall back just a half hour this fall and from that time forward leave the clocks alone than both the morning people and the golfers and gardeners would be happy.
That way no one would have to worry about being late for Sunday church services ever again but than again they wouldn’t have the time change to blame once a year for their tardiness.