> On 29 Jul 2026, at 23:35, James Bellaire via tz <[email protected]> wrote: > > On 7/29/2026 4:06 PM, Brooks Harris via tz wrote: >> I hope the Sunshine Protection bill fails not only because it's problematic >> for TzDb but also because it creates the "kids in the dark morning" problem >> which is was the reason the 1973/1974 "DST experiment" was reversed. Seems >> to me like that could happen again. > > The 1974/1975 D.O.T. studies are available online to read (linked in one of > my prior emails). Yes, a few children were killed in the morning during the > early months of the experiment (which as I noted began on one of the darkest > days of the year creating the largest jump scare effect of a later sunrise). > The deaths were offset by less children killed in the afternoon due to the > later sunsets. The final version of the D.O.T. study relied heavy on public > opinion of people who never were given the chance to experience losing > morning sunrise time gradually over three months (lastSunOct-lastSunFeb).
We had a similar experiment in the UK in the winter of 1969/70. I remember the village policeman coming to my school (I was nine and a half) to explain that while it would be dark when we walked to school in the morning, it would be lighter in the afternoon when we went home -- school finished at 3.45pm -- so we'd have more chance to play outside. It's true, sunset in December would be 4.45-4.50 in Yorkshire, but it's winter and I don't remember wanting to stay outside in the cold. There were, apparently, reports of nasty accidents in the morning despite the hi vis vests (made of PVC and very smelly) that we were all provided with. Of course, in the evening there wasn't so much of a chance for accidents because schools finish well before the evening rush hour. These days, far fewer kids walk to school so perhaps my experience wouldn't be replicated (and the smelly hi-vis certainly wouldn't be) but there is the issue of increased accidents in the week or so following the twice-yearly clock change. In Scotland, though, DST year-round would be deeply unpopular and miserable: sunrise in Edinburgh would be 9:30-9:40. I imagine there are similar challenges in parts of the US. jch > > https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/10504 Preliminary D.O.T. Report > > https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/92250 FInal D.O.T. Report Executive Summary > > If H.R. 139 becomes law and is made effective prior to November 1st or > delayed until next year (no effect seen until November 7th 2027) the country > will have the opportunity to experience a gradual loss of morning sunrise > time (no jump scare). The last change (made effective 2007) included the > right to revert. Not currently in this bill (or S. 29). > > (You can hold out hope for H.R. 9638, which has no senate version and would > have to make it through a committee that already approved H.R. 139 and a > house that overwhelmingly approved H.R. 139. I would not expect it to > progress.) > > Now, back to the work of testing systems and getting them ready for the > potential change as written in H.R 139. >
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