EU polls citizens on abandoning daylight savings time

[xenopeek]

If you're an EU citizen you can fill this survey (till mid August) on whether to abandon daylight savings time (summertime) within the EU: https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/20 ... anguage=EN

For more information see: https://ec.europa.eu/info/consultations ... gements_en. Some relevant tidbits as to whether EU summertime arrangements are working:

A number of studies have been carried out over the years to assess EU summertime arrangements. Available evidence indicates the following:

* Internal market: At this juncture, evidence is only conclusive on one point: that allowing uncoordinated time changes between Member States would be detrimental to the internal market due to higher costs to cross-border trade, inconveniences in transport, communications and travel, and lower productivity in the internal market for goods and services.

* Energy: Despite having been one of the main drivers of the current arrangements, research indicates that the overall energy savings effect of summertime is marginal. Results also tend to vary depending on factors such as geographical location.

* Health: Summertime arrangements are estimated to generate positive effects linked to more outdoor leisure activities. On the other hand, chronobiologic research findings suggest that the effect on the human biorhythm may be more severe than previously thought. The evidence on overall health impacts (i.e. the balance of the assumed positive versus negative effects) remains inconclusive.

* Road safety: Evidence remains inconclusive with regard to the relationship between summertime arrangements and road traffic accidents. In principle, sleep deprivation from advancing the clock in spring could increase the risk of accidents. At the same time, extended daylight hours during summer evenings are considered to have a positive effect on road safety. However, it is generally difficult to attribute directly the effect of summertime arrangements on accident rates compared to other factors.

* Agriculture: Previous concerns regarding disrupted biorhythm of animals and changing milking schedules due to the time switch appear to have largely disappeared due to the deployment of new equipment, artificial lighting and automated technologies. An extra daylight-hour during summer can also be an advantage allowing extended working hours for outdoor activities, such as working in fields and harvesting.

As we recently had a good discussion about this in the topic Daylight Savings Time, Like it or Hate it? I thought to share this here as well.

[sdibaja]

thanks. every little bit helps.

BTW: "If you're an EU citizen"... actually you only need to State that you have EU citizenship, I see no way to verify that.

[AndyMH]

Should I or shoudn't I? Given that I'm not going to be an EU citizen for much longer

[Pjotr]

Voted against switching between times. Thanks for alerting us!

Now I wonder what this undemocratic entity will do with these votes....

[Schultz]

It would be nice if we had a poll like this in the U.S. Of course, it probably wouldn't accomplish a thing. What are the chances that the EU will do anything if the poll indicates most would want to do away with it?

[Pjotr]

What are the chances that the EU will do anything if the poll indicates most would want to do away with it?

My guess: probably near to zero, because listening to the people would be "populistic", and acting against the interests and wishes of the people is somehow very popular among the unelected and antidemocratic elite in Brussels. Oh well, chances are not entirely zero....

[jimallyn]

About 40 miles from here (straight line, but to get there you actually have to drive about 40 miles, take a 40 mile boat trip, then an 11 mile bus ride) is Holden Village. It started out as a mining town, but when the mine closed down in 1958 (I think), the Lutheran Church bought it (for 1 dollar, I think), and converted it to a retreat camp. It's been several years since I've been there, but what they used to do was vote each spring on whether or not to go to daylight savings time, then each fall vote on whether to go back to standard time. The only reason they need to know what time it is in the outside world is because they have to meet the boat every day, so other than that, it really doesn't matter what time they call it.

[richyrich]

The Canadian province of Saskatchewan (where I live) abolished DST the year I was born. Many politicians have tried to re-instate it through the years, but the people have always voted it down . . . That was 1961!

[BG405]

Should I or shoudn't I? Given that I'm not going to be an EU citizen for much longer

I'd say go for it. This might be our first and last opportunity to actually vote on something that affects us all; if the EU as a whole does stop this nonsense, the British Isles will no doubt follow. Otherwise we will be stuck with it.

* Agriculture: Previous concerns regarding disrupted biorhythm of animals and changing milking schedules due to the time switch appear to have largely disappeared due to the deployment of new equipment, artificial lighting and automated technologies. An extra daylight-hour during summer can also be an advantage allowing extended working hours for outdoor activities, such as working in fields and harvesting.

So agricultural workers really do have bell-to-bell working? They must have loud factory-style horns and sirens strung round the fields to order the farm workers to start working, when to have their breaks etc.. who'd have thunk it ...

[BigEasy]

If you're an EU citizen you can vote now (till mid August) on a poll on whether to abandon daylight savings time (summertime) within the EU:

I wish myself daylight savings time will my last and biggest problem in my life.

[Moem]

Now I wonder what this undemocratic entity will do with these votes....

It's a survey, not a vote.

[xenopeek]

That's my bad English. I meant to vote on the poll. I've clarified it's about filling a survey.

[Moem]

Thanks for clarifying that!

[Citizen229]

DST is invalid from the purpose of its inception. It was created to save energy. However, developed nations are, or near 24/7 operation. Its numbers on a dial versus the sun. Your body can adjust. I have worked offshift in manufacturing for over 20 years. I am not a daywalker.

[sdibaja]

It is hard to fathom the original logic of using DST.
Farm workers live by the Sun. DST is a silly annoyance, always has been.
Industry adapts to the workforce, today commute times dictate the working hours of many.
In the modern world we need to coordinate real time communication, and not much else... and that requires awareness of the differences.
Political pressures will dictate the retention or abandonment of the concept, it has little to do with efficiency or logic.

I did participate in the poll, it does effect Me.
Reduction of needless complications is in our best interest.

[jimallyn]

However, developed nations are, or near 24/7 operation.

No, not quite:

daily-demand-new-england-iso.jpg

This is for New England, but I suspect the curve would more or less apply throughout much of the world.

[GS3]

It's a survey, not a vote.

And a useless survey at that. Any survey where participants self-select is utterly useless as a representation of the position held by society at large.

[KBD47]

Daylight savings time just needs to die swiftly. I wish you guys in the EU the best. Here in the US we are probably stuck with it as there is no money for politicians in getting rid of it. Maybe I need to start a PAC or something

[rene]

And a useless survey at that. Any survey where participants self-select is utterly useless as a representation of the position held by society at large.

Quite agree. Democracy is utterly useless.

[BG405]

The site is rammed with scripts, mostly Google data-mining. By the time I tried to submit the completed survey having let through the necessary scripts to do so, it had timed out. Will try again tonight as I used a text editor to compose, as I often do.

However, I don't think they'll listen to us as England isn't a selectable option; neither are Scotland, Wales, etc.. I had to select "Other" & type England in. Not good enough, especially coming from the EU.