Why Do We Still Alter The Clocks

[renegadefm]

Why do we still alter the clocks forward in March and back in October? I find it depressing, and so irritating.

My belief is if we just kept the clocks set at British Summer time, we wouldn't lose so much daylight in the evenings in October. 

Its really depressing being dark by 4 o'clock in the afternoon. 

As far as I am aware the UK is still the only country that alters the clocks. 

I work shifts, so occasionally we are forced to work an extra hour due to the clocks going back, it's so annoying. 

Its been proven that darker evenings genuinely causes depression in some people. 

Can't we just leave them alone? 

[renegadefm]

tomus42, 

I agree, it's about time it stopped. 

I would settle for 2nd best and keep them set to GMT, even if it means I don't feel that sudden loss of an hours daylight in the evenings in October. 

For me it really is all about that sudden loss when the clocks go back in October. 

I go into some sort of dark mood from October to March, it's difficult to put into words, but it prevents you doing all the things we can do in summer evenings, like going for walks with my daughter, she's only 8 now, but I can't go out with her after October, as it's dark after tea time. 

I find it a silly reason its so children don't walk in the dark to school, yet if it's dark by 4pm they can't go out at that end of the day either, it doesn't solve anything. 

[New Judge]

"Something to do with farmers and schoolkids that was relevant decades ago."

Nothing to do with either, tomus.

Farmers work when it's light and don't when it's dark. It doesn't matter to them (or the cows who need milking) what time the clock says.

The idea of "daylight saving" in the UK was promoted by a chap named William Willett.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Willett

[davebro3]

I thinks it a great way of ensuring most daylight at times when the majority of people are out and about. Lots of other countries do it & it would be a shame to stop.

I wouldn't like to live at or near the equator where there are (more or less) 12 hour days & nights with very little twilight. 

[renegadefm]

davebro3, 

I'm assuming you mean it's a great idea to keep changing them?

Not sure it is a better way to use daylight for when people are out and about, because for me in October when they alter the clocks back an hour means it's dark not long after the kids leave school, so they can't go out and play if it's dark. 

Plus all the outdoor jobs I want to do comes to a grinding halt from October to March. 

Personally I would leave them permanently set to BSR as they are now. 

But I would settle for 2nd best and keep them at GMT at a push. 

That way it wouldn't feel such a shock when we lose that hour of light in October. That's what affects me the most, and it really depresses me every year, always has done even as a child because I wasn't allowed out in the dark and rightly so. 

I'm 55 at the weekend, but it never gets any easier losing that hour of daylight literally over night, there is no gradual warning, it's like bang and it's dark by tea time. 

I don't know if counceling would help me.

I'm not alone, apparently it affects lots of people. 

[davebro3]

I'm sorry about your shock - I hope you find ways to overcome it. Maybe some sort of therapy? 

[renegadefm]

davebro3, 

Thanks, and I have tried getting over it by pretending the clocks haven't gone back and tell myself it's really 6pm or something. 

I think it wouldn't affect me if the change was more gradual by letting the seasons change naturally and don't try altering the clocks. 

Strange thing is dark mornings doesn't bother me because I know it will be light soon. 

Not sure therapy would help because it's a combination of things that affects me like not being able to go out walking with my daughter which we love doing in summer evenings. Plus I can't handle the sudden loss of daylight. 

I can trick myself for so long that it's 6pm, but because I work full time, I need to get back to reality or it could cause all sorts off issues with my job etc. 

I have actually been suffering with this all my life, I'm wondering if it's a kind of phobia. 

Sounds dramatic but could there be a phobia or fear of the clocks changing? 

[davebro3]

//

I have actually been suffering with this all my life, I'm wondering if it's a kind of phobia. 

Sounds dramatic but could there be a phobia or fear of the clocks changing? //

I know I shouldn't but I find this quite funny - are you doing a wind up?

[renegadefm]

davebro3, 

Trust me this is no wind up or joke, I wish it was something I could laugh at. 

I guess unless you suffer with this, it's hard to believe why this is even an issue for me.