Letter to the Editor: Keep Standard Time Year-Round

Posted

You gotta love the debate over daylight saving time in the current media. Your recent article from The Seattle Times is a prime example. It was titled “Get Ready to Spring Forward: Into Daylight Savings Time and Longer Days.” I hope this was the Times headline and not written by The Chronicle staff, because I don’t really believe that a legislative body has the power to make days longer. I think the 24 hours in a day has been standard for an extended period of time.  Subtle propaganda to make us think there is something to be gained from moving the clocks.

Then I am astounded how we have to relearn lessons from the past. The U.S. Senate has passed a bill to keep the clocks on daylight saving time year-round. This was tried for a two-year period during the Nixon administration because of a fuel shortage. It was rescinded before the two years was up because darkness lasting until later in the morning caused safety problems.  There was concern over children walking to school in the dark or waiting for the bus in the dark. A number of studies have shown teenagers naturally are slow to be alert for school early in the morning, with daylight saving time compounding that situation. Of course we always follow the science in this country!

I urge folks to let your U.S. House member you want them to vote against the bill. Then support a bill to keep standard time year-round. If you want another hour of daylight after work, find a job where you can go to work an hour early.



 

David Fenn

Lewis County