More on Daylight Savings

[gemfyre]

Here is what I posted on angriest's discussion about my thoughts.

I'll be voting yes.

I believe in the past I have voted no. I know that if the referendum had been held 2 years ago when I lived in Narrogin I would have voted no then.

In Narrogin I was living in the country, finishing work at 4/4:30 (and living a 2 minute walk from my workplace). My house faced west and I had a piddly air-conditioner in the lounge room. Summer was almost unbearable, having the sun not go away until 9 (and glaring into my loungeroom and bedroom windows until I did get below the horizon) was horrid.

Then I moved back to Perth. I lived near the beach, the house I lived in had a spa, and air conditioning. I got a job that didn't finish until 5:30 in the evening. Suddenly that bit of extra sunshine was the best thing since sliced bread.

I kinda think Daylight Savings would be better in winter than summer. In summer there is plenty of sun anyway. It's not even winter yet and almost dark when I finish work (and fully dark by the time I'm home after a 30/40 minute commute). It also sucks that my current place (alas, not the place with air-con and a spa) has no outside lighting of note, so I can't water the gardens or do anything useful outside once I'm home from work.

Someone mentioned that we should do away with DST and buisnesses and employees should just be allowed to be more flexible with thier hours. This is a BRILLIANT solution which also supports extended trading, which I am an emphatic yes for (while I'll be voting yes for DST, I won't be put out if it's a no verdict, extended trading I'm a lot more passionate about). It requires more social change, but it would suit EVERYONE. If you want more light at the end of the day and don't mind travelling to work in the dark - start at 6am and finish at 4. If you prefer to sleep half the day but are a night person, you can start at 1pm and finish at 9pm. Brilliant!! How do I vote for it??

Comments

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

extended trading I'm a lot more passionate about

I just can't believe how backwards Western Australia is with both of these issues, really. :(

[aurickandrien.livejournal.com]

Well, Perth is arguably one of the most isolated major cities in the Western world.

[jet-ski.livejournal.com]

DST was horrible in Kal. And it's horrible in the middle of summer in Perth when you are trying to get home from work and it's the hottest part of the day at 4 or 5pm. I physically burned myself on the stem of my bicycle once, it was that hot on the ride home, and it was 5pm!!! :P

Guess how I voted

[morningglorymlp.livejournal.com]

We went back to DST a couple of years ago. I hate it. We're on the far western edge of our time zone so it doesn't get dark until 10pm at night. Most mothers I know hate it because it's hard to put kids to bed when it's still light out.