For many New Yorkers, the joy of receiving an extra hour of sack time — as will happen this Sunday when we turn our clocks back one hour — is eclipsed by dismay at darkness descending earlier, and the various forms of physical and family chaos that will cause.
Having to switch time twice a year "is a headache!" said Jack Blazejewicz, 42, a transit worker who lives on Long Island.
Adding and subtracting an hour throws the sleep schedule of his two young sons — and his own — into havoc. And overnight workers "have to work an extra hour" this Sunday, Blazejewicz noted.
A Rasmussen survey in March said that only 37% of Americans believe daylight saving time is worth the hassle.
"People in the eastern part of a time zone like DST, while people in the western part of a time zone don’t" like it, as they already reap its benefits during standard time, said David Prerau, author of "Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time."
Jeffrey Wendt, 43, would love to see DST year-round. Not only does his appetite increase when the days get shorter, but as a bicycle commuter, he worries about getting hit by a car in the dark. Once the clock hiccups, "I can’t wear all black any more. I have to start wearing reflective clothing," said the Greenpoint photo editor.
Steve Calandrillo, a professor at the University of Washington School of Law, has been trying for years to convince Congress to switch to DST all year long. He argues that tacking an hour of light onto the end of winter days would save about 400 lives and countless injuries each year that result from traffic accidents, dramatically slash street crime (criminals prefer working evenings and are rarely early risers), and save energy (in most places). Switching to DST would also reduce heart attacks and health problems caused by disrupted circadian rhythms, according to studies that the professor has amassed.
Time changes are administered by the Department of Transportation, but only Congress can change the dates of time changes or abolish them completely. Congress last extended daylight saving time in 2005 (with implementation in 2007), giving the U.S. the longest DST — almost eight months — in the world, noted Prerau, who deems the current system a fair compromise. Russia moved to year-round DST in 2011, but some factions there continue to push for a return to "seasonal time."
Requests for comment to local members of Congress were unacknowledged.
But a spokeswoman for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said the congressman prefers to study an issue before making a statement and "this is not one he particularly has time to focus on."
