Here we go again

Cue the House of Representatives singing "Oops, I did it again!" (you're welcome). As they do every few years, the House today voted 308-117 to move the country to year-round daylight saving time:

Proponents argue it would spare Americans from having to change their clocks, disrupting young children’s sleep schedules and arguably causing more seasonal depression. But detractors say it could have economic consequences, particularly for farmers who would have to wrestle with later sunrises.

Proponents of Tuesday’s measure argue dropping the clock change would come with a raft of benefits, including sparing Americans from losing an hour of sleep in the spring and other inconveniences. They argue more work hours in sunlight means less seasonal depression, more recreational and economic activity, and less crime in the evenings.

This is the farthest such a measure has gotten since 1974, which people absolutely hated. Let's review the latest sunrise time in several US locations to remind ourselves why:

It gets better. Recently, Alberta, Manitoba, and British Columbia passed versions of the same idea, the result of which will be people in Edmonton waiting for sunrise on Christmas morning until 9:49 am.

The problem with people is that they're people. Congress doubly so. I just hope the Senate has more important things to do than to move this forward.

For the really nerdy, you can read the TZDB discussion thread from the last time we discussed this nonsense.

For the record, I am in favor of harmonizing North America and Europe, with everyone changing to DST on the last Sunday in March, and changing back on the last Sunday in October. Alas...

The UK tried this experiment from 1968 to 1971. It was very unpopular in Scotland (VERY late midwinter sunrises) and with farmers, postal workers and construction workers. Public opinion in England was neutral. It was meant to reduce road traffic deaths among kids walking home from school on dark evenings, and there was indeed a fall, but it coincided with a harsher drink-driving law which may also have contributed. And more kids were killed on dark mornings as they walked TO school. The experiment has never been repeated.