No daylight savings time?? (Phoenix, Congress: work, moving to, recreation)

[Calibelle]

Hey everyone! We are planning on moving to AZ in about 4 months, and I came across an interesting fact.... AZ does not observe Daylight savings time. I was just wondering why this is???? It doesn't matter to me, I actually prefer it this way! LOL. So.... does anybody know the answer to why there is no daylight savings in Arizona?

[silverbear]

Listen to this radio news report for a good explanation:

NPR : Arizona Says No to Daylight-Saving Time

[aj661]

Originally Posted by Calibelle

Hey everyone! We are planning on moving to AZ in about 4 months, and I came across an interesting fact.... AZ does not observe Daylight savings time. I was just wondering why this is???? It doesn't matter to me, I actually prefer it this way! LOL. So.... does anybody know the answer to why there is no daylight savings in Arizona?

The question shouldn't be why don't we, it should be why does everyone else? It's ridiculous. I don't see any upside to changing the clocks, not to mention my internal clock, twice a year. Why would anyone want daylight at 2100 hours? How can sending your kids off to school in pitch black be a good thing? Arizona and Hawaii got it right. The other forty-eight need to fix their problem, not create another one for us.

BTW, there is daylight savings in AZ: On the Navajo Reservation. But they are a sovereign nation and can do as they wish.

[Highpointer]

Originally Posted by Calibelle

Hey everyone! We are planning on moving to AZ in about 4 months, and I came across an interesting fact.... AZ does not observe Daylight savings time. I was just wondering why this is???? It doesn't matter to me, I actually prefer it this way! LOL. So.... does anybody know the answer to why there is no daylight savings in Arizona?

I live in Arizona but I would prefer that Arizona observe Daylight Savings Time. When I live in or visited Utah, which is at the same longitude as Arizona, I really appreciated the fact that I could go hiking, rock climbing, or mountain biking until past 9:30 pm during June and July. During part of one summer, I worked for a few weeks in Idaho, and it was great that it would stay light outside until 10:00 pm. Most of Idaho is actually west of Arizona yet its time is an hour earlier than Arizona, and it is farther north, so these all combine to keep it light outside a lot later in Idaho. This makes it great for the outdoor enthusiast who likes to do outdoor activities in the later afternoon and evening after work.

In contrast, here in Arizona it gets dark at about 8:00 pm. If Arizona did have DST, then there would be an extra hour of daylight in the evening which would provide me with the opportunity to do more outdoor activities after work and before going to bed.

[Calibelle]

Wow! Quick response! Thanx you guys! I see both view points, as to why some would like to have daylight savings, and others, not. Personally.... it is so hot in AZ... that I don't really care if there is an extra hour of sun or not. I am totally fine with not having to change my internal clock twice a year. It always bothered me!! I am also not a morning person... especially when it is pitch black outside! Brighter mornings are great, in my book.

[MagooASU]

Living close to Phoenix I like staying on standard time. I like to go outside and play basketball but it's too hot in the summer to go out and play on most days until it is dark. There are few outdoor activities that I've seen here that are during the day during the summer, but there are several at night.

If I lived in the northern part of the state I would want daylight saving time. I'm from Ohio so I know what it would be like to be in that kind of summer climate but not get the extended daylight.

[Magnum Mike]

The whole daylight savings time might have done some good 100 years ago, but not anymore. Thank God we don't observe DST in Arizona, which is a waste of time. It just doesn't make a bit of sense why they turn clocks backwards in the fall in the latitudes higher than 40 degrees North, where they really should be turning them forward to take advantage of as much daylight as possible in the fall, winter and early spring seasons.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by aj661

The question shouldn't be why don't we, it should be why does everyone else? It's ridiculous. I don't see any upside to changing the clocks, not to mention my internal clock, twice a year. Why would anyone want daylight at 2100 hours? How can sending your kids off to school in pitch black be a good thing? Arizona and Hawaii got it right. The other forty-eight need to fix their problem, not create another one for us.

Excellent points! DST is observed mainly for recreational purposes. Our stupid Congress even approved extending DST ... and that's why now it begins in March and doesn't end until sometime in November. So in reality, Daylight Savings Time is in place longer than standard time. Is that ridiculous or what???

I'm glad Arizona doesn't observe DST. Our summers are long, hot, and sunny enough. Why would we want to extend daylight well into the evening hours?! This time of year, the faster the sun sets, the better. I can go outside at 8 PM and not have the sun blasting more heat.

Originally Posted by aj661

BTW, there is daylight savings in AZ: On the Navajo Reservation. But they are a sovereign nation and can do as they wish.

AAARRRGHHH! Don't get me started on the Indians, and their sovereign nation crap. I find it disgusting that they have to have their own "nation", and can't blend in with the rest of us ... but that's another topic.

[Livewire]

If I remember correctly, parts of Indiana is the same way too, no daylight savings there....

[aj661]

Originally Posted by aj661

BTW, there is daylight savings in AZ: On the Navajo Reservation. But they are a sovereign nation and can do as they wish.

Originally Posted by Valley Native

AAARRRGHHH! Don't get me started on the Indians, and their sovereign nation crap. I find it disgusting that they have to have their own "nation", and can't blend in with the rest of us ... but that's another topic.

Sorry...it wasn't my idea, honest!


I'm going by memory here, but it seems to me Ben Franklin was behind this waaaay back when. His motivation was as simple as it is obvious: He and those other party animals, -the American farmer, got to sleep in an extra hour in the spring!