Friday, 06 Dec On this day ...
Greg Alexander, owner of The Clock shop in Glebe. Customers break clocks trying to move back 1 hour instead of 11 forward in the fall. Image Steven Siewart/Fairfax Media
Q1. Daylight saving time (no "s" at the end of "saving") is the practice of advancing clocks an hour during warmer months so that sunrise and sunset come at a later clock time. All US states, with the exception of Hawaii and non-Navajo Arizona, observe DST between the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November. Assuming all states were to employ the same system of time-keeping, which would you prefer?
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Do not employ DST (never move the clocks, and summer sunrise and sunset are an hour earlier than most Americans are used to)
44%
39%
47%
47%
31%
43%
20%
40%
52%
49%
Employ DST for the summer only (as is done now in most of the US)
19%
20%
17%
19%
13%
19%
13%
33%
18%
15%
Employ DST for a different part of the year than summer, and not in summer
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
Employ DST year round (never move clocks, and winter sunrise and sunset are an hour later than most Americans are used to)
28%
32%
28%
21%
38%
35%
47%
20%
27%
31%
None of these
2%
4%
0%
3%
6%
0%
7%
0%
0%
Don't know
2%
0%
3%
0%
0%
3%
7%
0%
3%
Don't care
5%
5%
3%
8%
6%
0%
7%
7%
3%
3%
Q2. Proponents of daylight saving time say that it shifts an hour of sunlight from a time in the morning when people are typically asleep (circa 5.30am on the mid-Atlantic coast of the US in June) to a time in the evening when they are typically awake (7.30pm) thus saving energy (fewer lights needed) and promoting health (more time for outdoor activities). Opponents say the energy savings are unproven, and the changes to DST and back disturb our circadian rhythms and impair health. Your view? (Please choose two, one from each of A and B)
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
None of these
2%
2%
1%
1%
6%
1%
0%
0%
3%
3%
Don't know
10%
4%
15%
10%
6%
10%
13%
7%
9%
8%
Don't care
4%
2%
6%
4%
0%
4%
7%
7%
3%
3%
Q3. Which of those below have you experienced or felt in the aftermath of changing clocks to or from DST? (Please check all that apply)
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Missed an important meeting/call
9%
11%
8%
10%
13%
9%
7%
10%
12%
8%
Was late for school
11%
13%
8%
8%
13%
11%
20%
17%
6%
5%
Was late for work
20%
18%
21%
17%
25%
22%
13%
30%
21%
13%
Missed a bus, train or flight
4%
6%
2%
4%
6%
3%
0%
10%
4%
0%
Had someone miss an important meeting/call with me
8%
10%
6%
8%
13%
6%
0%
10%
12%
5%
Used as an excuse for being late/missing something
19%
18%
19%
18%
13%
19%
33%
30%
15%
5%
Felt worse than normal
45%
43%
48%
35%
56%
54%
40%
56%
45%
41%
Felt better than normal
11%
9%
13%
7%
6%
16%
27%
20%
4%
5%
Was pleasantly surprised by how light or dark it was at a certain time of day
28%
23%
33%
19%
31%
35%
47%
30%
25%
15%
Was unpleasantly surprised by how light or dark it was at a certain time of day
37%
38%
37%
28%
44%
46%
40%
50%
37%
26%
Does not apply because I never lived in an area that changed clocks
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
None of these
19%
23%
16%
26%
13%
15%
27%
7%
16%
31%
Don't care
1%
1%
1%
3%
0%
0%
0%
0%
1%
3%
Nineteen states have enacted legislation or passed resolutions to provide for year-round daylight saving time to avoid what they consider to be a cumbersome and confusing clock change twice a year.
However, individual states are prevented from moving to year-round DST by the federal 1966 Uniform Time Act, which became law as a result of the haphazard way states had been observing DST until then. The Act says states either have to change their clocks to DST at a specified time and day, or stick with standard time throughout the year.
If the Uniform Time Act is not repealed, a state could effectively stay on DST year round by appealing to the Department of Transportation to be moved to a different time zone and then opting out of DST.
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