The clocks are a changing!

When making a post, please ensure it complies with this site's Main Rules at all times.
  • Since this coming weekend is when the clocks in the UK get put back an hour from BST (British summer time) to GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) I thought I would start a thread.

    There some trains of thought that think we should stop doing this and either leave it as GMT all year around or leave it as BST all year round.

    I personally don't mind it and see putting the clocks forward in spring and back in autumn as recognition of the changing seasons and to be honest it's not that big a deal anyway.

    So what do others think?

  • I like the clocks going back. I see no reason to change that process just to satisfy some small groups of self obsessed idiots who think they would have longer at the theme park in the winter.

  • I am firmly in the leave the clocks on BST camp.

    By December it will be dark around 4-4.30pm and as I live by a primary school and some kids are still coming out of school clubs around that time, it's dangerous for them to be coming out into the darkness.

    But I want the clocks to stay as they are for purely selfish reasons. I want the extra light in the late afternoon, it makes the day a little longer and I hate the darkness.

    So, no. Don't switch over to GMT in the Autumn and keep things on summer time. Plus, there's another benefit. We'll be two hours ahead of those on the continent.:)

  • Almost all of my clocks change automatically so it's not really a big deal. It does seem pointless changing though.

  • I am firmly in the leave the clocks on BST camp.

    By December it will be dark around 4-4.30pm and as I live by a primary school and some kids are still coming out of school clubs around that time, it's dangerous for them to be coming out into the darkness.

    But I want the clocks to stay as they are for purely selfish reasons. I want the extra light in the late afternoon, it makes the day a little longer and I hate the darkness.

    So, no. Don't switch over to GMT in the Autumn and keep things on summer time. Plus, there's another benefit. We'll be two hours ahead of those on the continent.:)

    If we left the clocks as they, there would be darkness for longer in the mornings and more risk of children getting run over on the way to school as orientation is not as strong in the morning as it is in the evening. If we are two hours ahead of the continent it would catastrophic for business. We'd lose two hours of trade.

  • I think for kids travelling to school early, before 8pm, then some might travel in darkness, but most go to school after 8pm and its full daylight by then in the middle of winter.

    The business comment is a fair one and I seem to recall trade bodies like the CBI arguing against such a move for the reason you state. I think like trade with all other time zones, business' could adapt, but you're right, many business' in the UK would be against such a move.

  • The business comment is not fair. In my current firm we have S Korean and US divisions, had similar big time zone changes in the last firm. Not a big deal at all.

  • I'd prefer we went onto CET. That's effectively double summertime in the summer (GMT + 2) and BST in the winter. Would give some seriously nice evenings in Summer and the advantage of at least daylight for one of the school runs in mid-winter.

    For those trading with the EU that would also line up the working day.

  • I can think of one group who won't though, the Scots.

    It's the EU, how could they possibly object? :evil: They could always have JST. ^^

    The groups who shout out about this: Construction and farming are the two groups that can move their own days to suit and already do to an extent.

  • Our time zone is our time zone. It's British! And it's a time zone the rest of the world set theirs too. The Greenwich Meridian line is the most crucial timeline there is. Why are so many people wanting to give that up, the importance of it all, just to "get an extra hour in the evening in winter." The clocks are already only set to GMT for five months anyway. It may also not have occurred to some, that not everyone loves summer and wants lots of glorious warmth and sunshine. Therefore, what we have now is a fair compromise, and I think it is right and proper that we keep it the way it is.

  • Didn't they try it in from 1968 to 1971 when Harold Wilson was PM it was changed to BST all year around but got changed back when the Tories took over with Ted Heath as PM, no doubt it was a bad idea then because it was a Labour idea. :D

  • You might be right Ron, I'll check into that later. Thanks for posting it.

    Of course, extra light into the evenings wouldn't help some people who go onto forums very early in the mornings.;)

    Extra light in the evenings is pointless. Dark at 4.30pm or 5.30pm. What difference does it make? Most people would be travelling home from work at 5.30pm anyway. Keep the clocks as they are. Fall Back, Spring back.

    Here's the video from the BBC about when we changed the clocks to keep it on BST - renamed British Standard Time.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-200…-didn-t-go-back

  • I don't think we're going to get too much warmth into the middle of winter, wizzy, but yes, for an extra hour's light, I would change the clocks.

    When was the last time winter was cold? 2010/2011? Last Christmas Day it peaked at nearly 16 degrees in some places of England. I love winter, I like it the way it is.

Participate now!

Don’t have an account yet? Register yourself now and be a part of our community!