Paphos Life

Although autumn seems to have missed its train this year, residents of Cyprus still anticipate the annual ritual of turning back the clocks, signalling the end of daylight saving time (DST).

On Sunday, October 29, 2023, at 4 a.m., people will bid farewell to DST, gaining an extra hour of sleep as they set their clocks one hour behind.

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I wish the clocks would stay at GMT.

The change of the hour is a pain, having to change all the clocks twice a year, including the central heating boiler clock. Shift workers messed about twice year. The reason for introducing BST is no longer valid, time to go back to GMT, and stay there.

And try telling my cats that it's not tea time for another hour!

Another hour of purgatory tomorrow night!

I too wish they would leave the clocks on permanent Summertime. I cannot see in Cyprus who benefits with it going dark an hour earlier

trevnhil wrote: ↑Thu Oct 26, 2023 6:43 pm I too wish they would leave the clocks on permanent Summertime. I cannot see in Cyprus who benefits with it going dark an hour earlier

I'm looking at this purely as a tourist, so I'm aware residents (especially those who work for a living) might see it differently.

I arrive for my annual fortnight in Paphos around the time of the December Solstice (a few days before Christmas). The sun rises a few minutes before 7am and sets around 4.45pm. Whilst it's nice to have that first coffee on the balcony (if it's warm enough) watching the sunrise, I'd be perfectly happy to have breakfast while it's getting light and have the daylight until nearly 6pm, when it's time to get ready for the evening.

But as I said, I'm on holiday. I do love those two weeks of having two hours more light than the UK, and temperatures up around 20 on a good day.

Lincoln wrote: ↑Thu Oct 26, 2023 8:02 pm It benefits all the school children who have to walk to school. It is getting darker longer in the mornings, Also benefits the early morning workers.

Those were the groups I had in mind when I demurred slightly before giving my selfish tourist POV.

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Lincoln wrote: ↑Thu Oct 26, 2023 8:02 pm It benefits all the school children who have to walk to school. It is getting darker longer in the mornings, Also benefits the early morning workers.

How many school children walk nowadays to school? I guess 90% getting a lift with the car from their parents, the rest take a bus. The darkest time in Cyprus are the first two weeks in January, (6.26 AM)after that time civil twilight changes, but is still 1/2 hour before schools are starting.

(Civil twilight is the period when enough natural light remains that artificial light in towns and cities is not needed. source:Wikipedia)

I personally would prefer if the summertime stays all year long...

Max

I too really want to keep summertime all year round - but worry that they'll opt to stick to winter time all year because of schools starting so early.

I work near a school and can see plenty of students walking home afterwards - it's in town so there are loads of houses close by. I presume some will walk to school too (thankfully I don't start work that early!). Even if they don't, they still have to wake up in the dark and perhaps walk to and stand at bus stops in the near or near dark. Not fun.

So I guess the solution is to keep summertime all year and start school a little later

AVO wrote: ↑Thu Oct 26, 2023 9:03 pm

Lincoln wrote: ↑Thu Oct 26, 2023 8:02 pm It benefits all the school children who have to walk to school. It is getting darker longer in the mornings, Also benefits the early morning workers.

Those were the groups I had in mind when I demurred slightly before giving my selfish tourist POV.

North Cyprus did keep summer time for one year (2016) before reverting to changing the clocks back in 2017.

'The decision by the Northern Cyprus government comes after protests from Turkish Cypriot teachers, reports the Cyprus Mail.
In December last year, 2 teenage girls and a bus driver were killed on their way to school in the dark, sparking demonstrations across the Mediterranean island'.
https://www.timeanddate.com/news/time/n ... s-dst.html

Think I might have put the cat among the pigeons here.

I would like to see us stick to GMT, which it will be Sunday am. The UK did keep BST one year, some time in the sixties, but children were going to school in high viz jackets, as it was still dark when they went to school. Not ideal.

Firefly wrote: ↑Fri Oct 27, 2023 2:52 pm Think I might have put the cat among the pigeons here.

I would like to see us stick to GMT, which it will be Sunday am. The UK did keep BST one year, some time in the sixties, but children were going to school in high viz jackets, as it was still dark when they went to school. Not ideal.

But I think you are referring to the UK, and Not Cyprus..

Yes I was Trevor, even more confusing with two hours difference anyway.