What's so wrong with Daylight-Saving Time? (opinion)

What’s so wrong with Daylight-Saving Time? (opinion)

Please help me understand. I do not get why so many people don't like Daylight-Saving Time. About 85 percent in Marysville and 69 percent in Arlington say they do not want it, according to a survey we ran in The Marysville Globe and The Arlington Times the past two weeks.

April 16, 2015 7:29 pm

By Steve Powell

Globe-Times managing editor

Please help me understand. I do not get why so many people don’t like Daylight-Saving Time. About 85 percent in Marysville and 69 percent in Arlington say they do not want it, according to a survey we ran in The Marysville Globe and The Arlington Times the past two weeks.

Also, two of our state leaders introduced bills this session to try to get rid of it.

I am a member of the big minority when it comes to this issue. I love DST.

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My favorite thing about it is the summer, when it stays somewhat light until after 9 p.m. I love being able to get off work and play some golf. It helps me be active with so much light time.

I also like in the summer how it does not get really light until 4:30 or so in the morning. Staying up later means I want to sleep later without the sun waking me up at 3 a.m.

I actually wish it was DST year-round, instead of going back to standard time. In the winter, I see no advantage to it getting dark at 4:30 p.m. instead of 5:30. In fact, I would rather at least be able to drive home while it is light for better safety.

In winter mornings, it doesn’t matter if it’s dark at 7:30 or 8:30 to me, it’s still dark when I want it to be light.

To enhance that argument, if we did not have DSL, it would get light at 3 a.m. and dark at 7:03 p.m. on the longest day of the year, June 19. On the other side of it, if we did have DSL, on the shortest day of the year, Dec. 19, sure the sun wouldn’t rise until 8:46 a.m., but at least it would be light until 5:08 p.m.

I had to look online to see what the reasons are for getting rid of DST. The main points were that it is a “hassle,” and it causes “confusion.”

Are we really that lazy and stupid? I don’t think so. We are better than that. I’ve been doing it all my life, and the only problem it has ever caused me was being late to church twice.

I really need help in understanding this issue. Please email me at spowell@marysvilleglobe.com and tell me how wrong I am.