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Changing the clocks

(71 Posts)
Nannylovesshopping Sun 24-Mar-24 15:54:16

Been perusing mumsnet today, thread on how out of date are restricted shopping hours on a Sunday. Got me thinking about clocks being changed twice a year, is this now outdated? I wish it was the same all the time, what do you think?

Milest0ne Mon 25-Mar-24 14:21:04

Our dog used to go out for a last comfort stop at 10.30 every night It only took her a few days to adjust, so I think it was the TV news which prompted her.
I worked in a tourist place which was open on Sundays so when Sunday opening started we noticed a big drop in customer numbers
Now I don't know what day of the week it is never mind the time of day.

Bazza Mon 25-Mar-24 14:43:12

Doesn’t anyone remember the experiment of not changing the clocks? It was from 1968 to 1971 I think, and I hated it, after spending my teenage years moaning about why it was necessary. Even if it gives me very slight jet lag for a couple of days I hope it never happens again.

AGAA4 Mon 25-Mar-24 14:49:29

Bazza

Doesn’t anyone remember the experiment of not changing the clocks? It was from 1968 to 1971 I think, and I hated it, after spending my teenage years moaning about why it was necessary. Even if it gives me very slight jet lag for a couple of days I hope it never happens again.

That was when they kept it on BST. I remember pushing my baby in his pram in the dark at almost 10am. It wouldn't happen like that if they kept to GMT.

chrissie13 Mon 25-Mar-24 14:51:48

Kandinsky

Not bothered about the clocks going backwards/ backwards, but I’d support shops closing completely on a Sunday. Give everyone a rest.
Go back to the good old days.
No one needs to go shopping on a Sunday.

For some families, Sunday is the only day they can all go shopping together.

Casdon Mon 25-Mar-24 14:53:06

AGAA4

Bazza

Doesn’t anyone remember the experiment of not changing the clocks? It was from 1968 to 1971 I think, and I hated it, after spending my teenage years moaning about why it was necessary. Even if it gives me very slight jet lag for a couple of days I hope it never happens again.

That was when they kept it on BST. I remember pushing my baby in his pram in the dark at almost 10am. It wouldn't happen like that if they kept to GMT.

It would be dark if you were pushing your baby in his pram at 3pm instead though, wouldn’t it?

AGAA4 Mon 25-Mar-24 15:05:00

Stays light till 4pm on the shortest day of the year where I live so I could push my baby (now aged 55) in the light at 3pm.

undines Mon 25-Mar-24 15:19:01

I like the changes, they sort of wake you up to life. I often find myself wishing garden centres were open later on Sundays but would also be happy to return to the 'old days' when life had a rhythm and things went quiet on Sunday. Sunday traffic is horrible now

pooohbear2811 Mon 25-Mar-24 15:20:00

I think again a lot of this was to help factories and such like was it not? When the world worked "9 to 5, what a way to make a living" I think it mattered more, With modern street lighting, so many places with extended or 24 hr opening then it is dark one end of the day or the other no matter what we do.
Could Scotland benefit from changing so we were different from the rest of the UK for 6 months of the year, or do they just change us by 30 mins and leave us at that all year round?

WonderBra Mon 25-Mar-24 15:28:38

It makes a huge difference to farmers and livestock owners in the Summer - especially around harvest time, and for those working, it means getting home in daylight (so being able to do stuff outside, and saving on lighting) for far more of the year. At the moment, by the time I get home there's only 45 minutes before it's too dark to ride, garden etc (so realistically, by the time I've tacked up / changed / got ready it's not worth it) but next week I'll have an extra hour. It means that for a couple of months either end of BsT I can do that after work, when otherwise I couldn't.
I think it's very much something that benefits, encourages people to get outside and get some fresh air, exercise etc - all of which are hugely beneficial to both mental and physical health.

DonnaB5959 Mon 25-Mar-24 15:57:48

I grew up in Saskatchewan Canada (middle of the prairies of Canada) and it still takes me aback to change clocks. I think it was originally done to assist farmers who did not have electric lights. Those days are gone. End this nonsense

Babamaman Mon 25-Mar-24 16:14:09

Totally agree. I remember when shop opening hours were 9 - 5.30 : half day opening on Wednesdays and definitely closed on Wednesdays!
Wouldn’t hurt going back - respect staff

yogagran Mon 25-Mar-24 16:29:12

When told the reason for daylight savings time the Old Indian said, "Only the government would believe that you could cut a foot off the top of a blanket, sew it to the bottom, and have a longer blanket."

midgey Mon 25-Mar-24 16:34:09

It began to save daylight.

Skye17 Mon 25-Mar-24 16:34:40

This study looking at deaths in Vienna from 1970 to 2018 found that the death rate increased in the week after the clocks went forward there in spring. The authors say that probably the time change is the cause of this.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7084938/

Other studies have found a similar rise in deaths, with one even finding an increase in suicides. Heart attacks and strokes generally go up.

According to an American business website,

//A study of over 700,000 car accidents from the mid-1990s to 2017 found a 6% increase in crashes the week after DST [Daylight Saving Time] comes into effect.

Researchers estimate this is partly due to sleep deprivation for drivers and pedestrians//

This website also says that the American Medical Association has called for an end to changing the clocks, and that changing them does not in fact reduce energy use.

www.businessinsider.com/daylight-savings-time-dst-death-heart-attacks-accident

If we kept the clocks on GMT all year round, Scotland would be no worse off in winter. We would still have longer light evenings in summer. There are the same numbers of hours of daylight per day whatever we do with the clocks.

MaggsMcG Mon 25-Mar-24 17:39:03

If it was the same then its the current time that is the correct one. I don't mind either way.

Cateq Mon 25-Mar-24 17:50:06

A lot of poster here today have never lived further north than the Home Counties. I remember as a child in Glasgow that it was dark going to school for 9am, it was a gift when the clocks went forward. As far a the shops closing on a Sunday I think whilst it was acceptable when we were younger, but nowadays it’s more than shops that are open just thinking about call centres the company I work for the call centre are open 7 days a week.

ordinarygirl Mon 25-Mar-24 17:51:37

for some people it is the only non working day that they have to shop. I remember when supermarkets closed at lunchtime ( the Co-op for one) and shut at 5.30pm most days of the week but stayed open till 6pm on a Friday. Not open on a Sunday
Even when Sunday trading was allowed it was illegal to sell certain types of tea. I can't remember if it was loose tea or teabags but I do remember Solihull council fining a shop for selling one of them . I see no problems with shops open on any day of the week and Sunday opening allows teenagers to get a part time job to help them earn money.
What I do hate is that betting shops are open on a Sunday .

Tattooedfidelma Mon 25-Mar-24 17:54:11

You’re wrong, 62Granny. I work for a bakery chain and we’re open Easter Sunday from 8-4 (I’ll be working 7-4.30). This will be the 3rd year we’ve opened on Easter Sunday and in the previous two years we have had a queue waiting at the door when we open and a steady stream of customers until closing.
It’s very sad but I think before long Easter Sunday will be ‘just another day’.

Germanshepherdsmum Mon 25-Mar-24 18:10:48

I remember that when I was young my Dad had to work on Saturday mornings, then that changed. Shops were closed on Sundays but there was still Saturday afternoon for shopping. I would love to see shops closed on Sundays again, but it won’t happen.

Skye17 Mon 25-Mar-24 18:23:34

Cateq

A lot of poster here today have never lived further north than the Home Counties. I remember as a child in Glasgow that it was dark going to school for 9am, it was a gift when the clocks went forward. As far a the shops closing on a Sunday I think whilst it was acceptable when we were younger, but nowadays it’s more than shops that are open just thinking about call centres the company I work for the call centre are open 7 days a week.

According to the Met Office, sunrise in Glasgow was at 6.05 am today, and that’s without the clocks going forward.

Sunrise still gets earlier as we approach 21 June, without changing the clocks.

Mojack26 Mon 25-Mar-24 18:27:31

Restricted shopping hours on a Sunday? Where do you live? Im in Scotland only restriction is some shops open at 10am instead of 9am....

mabon1 Mon 25-Mar-24 19:51:09

Funny how we managed years ago without fridges and freezers to get enough in when the shops closed at 5.00pm. Saturday and opened 9.00a.m. Monday and half day Wednesday closing.

charley68 Mon 25-Mar-24 20:21:15

I remember working a night shift on the night the clocks 'fall back'; that extra hour seems to last forever, and being so tired in the morning at the end of the shift.
I have also worked a night shift on the night the clock 'springs forward', we were always amazed at the difference one hour makes on either occasion!

CanadianGran Mon 25-Mar-24 20:22:20

It sounds like you have not yet changed clocks in UK. We did last weekend, and I think it's an outdated idea.

From what I understand, most of the world does not use DST, and not even all of Canada or US. I do find it disruptive and hard on children.

And as for store opening hours, it's really hard to go backwards. Many people are used to shops being open until 9pm. Both of our local grocery shops are open daily from 0700 to 10pm. That seems excessive to me, but then I'm not a shift worker! Actually, I was a bit shocked when I looked up the hours, I did not realize they had such long hours.

zakouma66 Mon 25-Mar-24 20:42:05

Where does the hour go anyway?