Vox Pop - Writer wants an end to Daylight Saving Time

Vox Pop

Imagine politicians telling everyone to get up one hour earlier, go to work one hour earlier, go to school one hour earlier, etc. How many people would put up with this. Still, in most states this happens every year.

Daylight Saving Time (DST) is a misleading title. It doesn’t save daylight; the daylight lasts as long as it would last anyway. Many small family dairy farmers milk the cows at a different time (which cows don’t appreciate) in order to stay in sync with feed mills, equipment dealers/ repair shops, restaurants, etc. who all change to the adjusted time. Not to mention having to wait an additional hour in the morning for the dew to come off so they can make hay or losing an hour in the afternoon to milk the cows. Every year we hear about health effects related to this change. How many people have sleep issues due to the later daylight hours all summer?

Without this change to DST you would have more time to enjoy a peaceful sunrise, go fishing, or just relax before joining the rat race. It would be light earlier, making it easier and safer for people going to work early to avoid deer.

Many politicians are pushing for permanent DST. Many more people would have to drive to work in the dark each morning. This would also have children in rural areas waiting for the bus in darkness much of the school year.

This concept of DST started during World War I to save energy, however, a 1974 Transportation Department study found no conclusive difference in energy usage. Now, many people would just as soon get rid of this program and retain standard time all year.

— Tim Kapfhamer, Colby