# changing the clocks in Britain to CET???



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

BBC News - Plan to bring UK clocks forward

Any thoughts??? I dont have any, but if I lived there I think I'd be pleased


Jo xxx


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

If I lived there I would be very pleased for it to happen. The safety people seem to think it will save lives and I can't think of any reason for not doing it...


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## casa99 (Oct 19, 2010)

jojo said:


> BBC News - Plan to bring UK clocks forward
> 
> Any thoughts??? I dont have any, but if I lived there I think I'd be pleased
> 
> ...


I for one think its about time we in britain had the same time as most of europe, (c.e.t.) . People will say there may be more accidents due to darker mornings, but I think that most people would rather have lighter evenings and probably would be safer on the roads as people drive home tired after a days work.
Some may say that children may be more at risk during darker mornings, but tend to forget that when the clocks change the evenings are darker too and in my o.p. a lot more dangerous.
So come on cameron do something good for once:blabla::blabla::blabla:


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

About time we did, I'm all for it.

The BBC are on about Scotland again, well they can stay as they are, let England and Wales move on.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

If they had a vote for it I would definitely vote YES.


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## MacRov (Oct 26, 2010)

people drive to work tired in dark morning so don't see how the driving home in light conditions is any kind of argument one way over the other. It seems like another "UK should be more like europe" waste of time and money.


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## dinnow (Feb 14, 2011)

It's not just about light evenings and Scotland in the morning. It would affect social patterns too. The most important of these being would English Champions League matches start at 8.45pm and finish at 10.30 -10.45 as they do in CET countries? And would pubs and restaurants that currently close at 11 now close at midnight? And as we'd all be later to bed, would the 9 o'clock threshold for naughties on the telly now be the 10 o'clock threshold? And as those of us with lives would all be going to bed later, we'd all be getting up later so presumably nine till five would become ten till six. 
Spain manages with two time zones (CET for the peninsular and Balearics; GMT for Canaries) and Ireland and Portugal would presumably retain GMT. The arguments for Portugal and the UK and Ireland are similar. But there is no case for the Canaries changing. And remember, you don't get any extra hours of daylight by playing with the clocks. The winter and summer solstices won't change. It will only affect evenings in November to March. What will happen is that instead of having an hour of daylight before you go to work, you'll have it in the evening - when you'll be doing the extra hour at work anyway as a result of moving to ten till six.
Don't really see the point.


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

dinnow said:


> It's not just about light evenings and Scotland in the morning. It would affect social patterns too. The most important of these being would English Champions League matches start at 8.45pm and finish at 10.30 -10.45 as they do in CET countries? And would pubs and restaurants that currently close at 11 now close at midnight? And as we'd all be later to bed, would the 9 o'clock threshold for naughties on the telly now be the 10 o'clock threshold? And as those of us with lives would all be going to bed later, we'd all be getting up later so presumably nine till five would become ten till six.
> Spain manages with two time zones (CET for the peninsular and Balearics; GMT for Canaries) and Ireland and Portugal would presumably retain GMT. The arguments for Portugal and the UK and Ireland are similar. But there is no case for the Canaries changing. And remember, you don't get any extra hours of daylight by playing with the clocks. The winter and summer solstices won't change. It will only affect evenings in November to March. What will happen is that instead of having an hour of daylight before you go to work, you'll have it in the evening - when you'll be doing the extra hour at work anyway as a result of moving to ten till six.
> Don't really see the point.


Living in Spain, with Sky TV means we have all our programming an hour later anyway, and you soon get used to it!!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

But nothing will be an hour later cos the clocks would have moved and people will soon get used to it, as we do now when we change the clocks

Jo xxx


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## Calas felices (Nov 29, 2007)

*An hour different*

Of course the majority of Europe could come into line with the UK!


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Calas felices said:


> Of course the majority of Europe could come into line with the UK!


So then far more people would be affected and more people would be in danger on the roads at dusk when the children are on their way home from school


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

When the clocks go back in the Autumn, teenagers who stay at school for after school activities are going home in the worst possible conditions when it is dusk but some car drivers havnt turned on their lights yet. Also paper boys and girls doing their afternoon rounds are in the same danger.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

dinnow said:


> It's not just about light evenings and Scotland in the morning. It would affect social patterns too. The most important of these being would English Champions League matches start at 8.45pm and finish at 10.30 -10.45 as they do in CET countries? And would pubs and restaurants that currently close at 11 now close at midnight? And as we'd all be later to bed, would the 9 o'clock threshold for naughties on the telly now be the 10 o'clock threshold? And as those of us with lives would all be going to bed later, we'd all be getting up later so presumably nine till five would become ten till six.
> Spain manages with two time zones (CET for the peninsular and Balearics; GMT for Canaries) and Ireland and Portugal would presumably retain GMT. The arguments for Portugal and the UK and Ireland are similar. But there is no case for the Canaries changing. And remember, you don't get any extra hours of daylight by playing with the clocks. The winter and summer solstices won't change. It will only affect evenings in November to March. What will happen is that instead of having an hour of daylight before you go to work, you'll have it in the evening - when you'll be doing the extra hour at work anyway as a result of moving to ten till six.
> Don't really see the point.


There's not really much correct in this post is there? Let's debate the pros and cons of doing it but get the facts right first.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I was half listening to the UK news this morning and from what I could gather, they were actually saying that the clocks would go forward by TWO hours in the spring and back by two hours in the autumn, altho I dont know if they were talking about the initial change????

Jo xxx


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## DunWorkin (Sep 2, 2010)

Having worked in Spain doing business with companies in the UK it often caused difficulties being an hour different. Also USA etc get confused by Europe and UK being on different times.

If UK want to do business, not just with Europe but with other countries also they should change to CET.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> I was half listening to the UK news this morning and from what I could gather, they were actually saying that the clocks would go forward by TWO hours in the spring and back by two hours in the autumn, altho I dont know if they were talking about the initial change????
> 
> Jo xxx


so in summer they'd be on CET+1 as we are, but in the winter on GMT?

that would be plain stupid


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> so in summer they'd be on CET+1 as we are, but in the winter on GMT?
> 
> that would be plain stupid


Like I say I was only half listening to the news, but that seemed to me to be what they were saying and yes that would be plain stupid, but maybe they were just talking about the initial adjustment??????? Altho the UK do some stupid things dont they lol!!

Jo xxx


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

All seems very odd to me why expats would have any strong feelings on this one 

The reality is this is a very difficult change to make and the improved lifestyle and sums relating for example to extra tourist revenue need to be balanced against the negatives long term and the short-term cost and disruption.

What amazes me is how many people cannot adjust there lives to daylight and need to be told when to get up, when they can watch violence on TV, and when they can go to bed. If you are tied to the times of schools or industrial processes then your flexibility is limited but for very many this is not true.

For example how many years does it take the average new pensioner in the UK to stop shopping on a Saturday even though they complain about the crowds??  

And in Spain how many old people miss the morning after staying up until 2am, and they say there are not many hours of daylight?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> Like I say I was only half listening to the news, but that seemed to me to be what they were saying and yes that would be plain stupid, but maybe they were just talking about the initial adjustment??????? Altho the UK do some stupid things dont they lol!!
> 
> Jo xxx


true

if they were to do it I guess they'd need to either put them forward 2 hours this march, and back just one in october, or simply not put them back again in october, after putting them forward an hour in march

that way, they'd end up the same as the rest of Europe either in march or october


from a purely selfish point of view, I'd be delighted - I often want to watch something on UK tele which starts so late here that I fall asleep before it finishes


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Let the U.K. go down this silly road once more, it was tried in the late 60's and early 70's and did not work then. 
The experiment failed due to the dark mornings. Children going to school not yet awake, drivers in the same state, lacking concentration, accidents occurred, roads were blocked more frustration more accidents, chaos!
Then it is light at night, children's bed time arrives and they cannot understand why they have to go to bed and when they get to bed they cannot or will not sleep.
It is just a Politicians gimmick, stirred up by the gutter press, and is doomed to failure.

Here in the Canarian Archipelago along with Ireland, Portugal, and the Faroe Islands, we are on Western European Time, and W.E.S.T. in the summer. Let the U.K. do what it pleases, but please leave us alone,

Hepa


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

I can´t really see the point - time zones should be geographical, not economic (hence Spain should really be on GMT).

If the UK moved to CET it might ease business arrangements in Europe but would cause more problems with companies based jointly in UK and the USA, who would then be 6 hours behind instead of 5.

The issue of schoolchildren on dark mornings dates from a time when kids walked to school without adult supervision and there were fewer streetlights. No longer a valid argument.

Perhaps Scotland should do what Andalucia does, and rearrange the working hours according to the season? Our shops open at 10 am till 8,30 pm in winter and 9 am till 10 pm in summer, with a longer afternoon siesta period in the heat. Just common sense really.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

xabiachica said:


> true
> 
> if they were to do it I guess they'd need to either put them forward 2 hours this march, and back just one in october, or simply not put them back again in october, after putting them forward an hour in march
> 
> ...


As we in Cyprus are TWO hours ahead of the UK it is even worse for us as Uk programmes are often well too late for us.
Another thing to consider is the body clock needing to adjust not only when the clocks are changed but also every time we go to the UK to visit family and then again when we return. 
So from a purely selfish point of view I vote that the clocks go forward in March and stay that way


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> The issue of schoolchildren on dark mornings dates from a time when kids walked to school without adult supervision and there were fewer streetlights. No longer a valid argument.


Where I once lived and where my family still live, children walk to and from school unsupervised very often twice daily,

Hepa


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Hepa said:


> Where I once lived and where my family still live, children walk to and from school unsupervised very often twice daily,
> 
> Hepa


On unlit roads with no pavements?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Hepa said:


> Let the U.K. go down this silly road once more, it was tried in the late 60's and early 70's and did not work then.
> The experiment failed due to the dark mornings. Children going to school not yet awake, drivers in the same state, lacking concentration, accidents occurred, roads were blocked more frustration more accidents, chaos!
> Then it is light at night, children's bed time arrives and they cannot understand why they have to go to bed and when they get to bed they cannot or will not sleep.
> It is just a Politicians gimmick, stirred up by the gutter press, and is doomed to failure.
> ...


why would it be a problem?


Jávea is on the Greenwich mean line,so if the changes were made the UK would experience what I do here - the sun comes up in mid winter by 8am & goes down at around 6pm-my elder dd walks to school just as it's getting light - but she starts at 8am - schools in teh UK donn't start til 9 - so not an issue

right now it's coming up at about 7.45 & going down at about 6.45

in summer it's up long before I am (I'm usually up by 6ish) & it gets dark around 10pm


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> On unlit roads with no pavements?


Yes, but not in the hours of dark,

Hepa


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Hepa said:


> Yes, but not in the hours of dark,
> 
> Hepa


So ... not a problem then? Or would changing to CET make it a problem? :confused2:


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> So ... not a problem then? Or would changing to CET make it a problem? :confused2:


Yes, it would mean that they walked to school in the dark, or would have to be provided with transport.

Of course if the had the riches of those in the Home Counties they would be transported by Chelsea Tractor right into the classroom:tongue1:

Hepa


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Hepa said:


> Yes, it would mean that they walked to school in the dark, or would have to be provided with transport.
> 
> Of course if the had the riches of those in the Home Counties they would be transported by Chelsea Tractor right into the classroom:tongue1:
> 
> Hepa


Sounds like a case for tweaking the school hours then.

At least they will be healthier and have better road-sense than those poor pampered mites in mummy´s 4x4!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Er......... generalising on the type of vehicle used and the type of people who use them isnt really of use to the thread is it ! 

Jo xxx


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

jojo said:


> Er......... generalising on the type of vehicle used and the type of people who use them isnt really of use to the thread is it !
> 
> Jo xxx


Well, it is relevant in a way because driving kids short distances to school does a lot of harm, both to the environment and to the kids, and lots of accidents are caused by them trying to get close to the school gates. This could get worse if kids have to go to school or come home in the dark.

Also my excuse is I´m not quite myself at the moment - had two molars extracted this morning and I´m still waiting for the bleeding to stop ...


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Alcalaina said:


> Well, it is relevant in a way because driving kids short distances to school does a lot of harm, both to the environment and to the kids, and lots of accidents are caused by them trying to get close to the school gates. This could get worse if kids have to go to school or come home in the dark.
> 
> Also my excluse is iI´m not quite myself at the moment - had two molars extracted this morning and I´m still waiting for the bleeding to stop ...


I'll let you off, I know how painful tooth and teeth issues can be. My husband had a tooth abscess last time he was here and it was all I could do to stop him cutting his head off!!! However, driving kids to school is a necessity for alot of people (In the UK there was no way I'd have allowed my two to walk 3 miles and cross the very busy A27 to get to their school) and doesnt really have anything to do with changing the clocks! 

Jo xxx


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## dinnow (Feb 14, 2011)

jimenato said:


> There's not really much correct in this post is there? Let's debate the pros and cons of doing it but get the facts right first.


 So what is factually incorrect?
Millions of people watch the Champions League footie matches which television companies insist start at the same time - 8.45 in CET countries and 7.45 in UK, Ireland, Portugal and Canarias. So there is a real probability that it will become 8.45 in the UK if we adopt CET. CET countries do do things later than we do in UK - we work 9 till 5; CET countries genarally start at 10.
Your post adds nothing to the debate. If you've nothing constructive to offer, best say nowt.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

dinnow said:


> So what is factually incorrect?





dinnow said:


> It's not just about light evenings and Scotland in the morning. It would affect social patterns too. The most important of these being would English Champions League matches start at 8.45pm and finish at 10.30 -10.45 as they do in CET countries?


Strange that you see that as 'the most important' - I don't. Does it actually matter when a football match starts?



dinnow said:


> And would pubs and restaurants that currently close at 11 now close at midnight?


I don't see why they should.


dinnow said:


> And as we'd all be later to bed, would the 9 o'clock threshold for naughties on the telly now be the 10 o'clock threshold?


 Why would we all be later to bed? 


dinnow said:


> And as those of us with lives would all be going to bed later, we'd all be getting up later so presumably nine till five would become ten till six.
> Spain manages with two time zones (CET for the peninsular and Balearics; GMT for Canaries) and Ireland and Portugal would presumably retain GMT. The arguments for Portugal and the UK and Ireland are similar. But there is no case for the Canaries changing. And remember, you don't get any extra hours of daylight by playing with the clocks. The winter and summer solstices won't change.
> It will only affect evenings in November to March.


I have no idea why you think that. Summer evenings will also be later.


dinnow said:


> What will happen is that instead of having an hour of daylight before you go to work, you'll have it in the evening - when you'll be doing the extra hour at work anyway as a result of moving to ten till six.


I don't believe that it is proposed to change the normal working to to 10 to 6.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

jojo said:


> Er......... generalising on the type of vehicle used and the type of people who use them isnt really of use to the thread is it !
> 
> Jo xxx


It is called humour, to laugh is good and healthy

Hepa


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

I agree with Jimenato. The arguments are nonsense.
Why should pubs stay open later? The difference is that in the summer people will be able to enjoy being outside in the beer gardens for longer.

Who cares about what time football matches start? Even now some footie matches start at 8pm. 

Why should people go to bed later? Again the nice thing is in the summer you can go for those early evening strolls in daylight. Much more enjoyable.

As for changing the working hours that is total nonsense. The benefit of being more in line with Europe though is that there will be an extra hour every day in which business men in the Uk can communicate with their counterparts in Europe.

Sorry dinnow all your arguments just collapse under scrutiny.


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## casa99 (Oct 19, 2010)

jojo said:


> But nothing will be an hour later cos the clocks would have moved and people will soon get used to it, as we do now when we change the clocks
> 
> Jo xxx


exactly Jo:clap2::clap2:


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

Veronica said:


> I agree with Jimenato. The arguments are nonsense.
> Why should pubs stay open later? The difference is that in the summer people will be able to enjoy being outside in the beer gardens for longer.
> 
> Who cares about what time football matches start? Even now some footie matches start at 8pm.
> ...


Fully agree with you apart from "is that there will be an extra hour every day in which business men in the Uk can communicate with their counterparts in Europe.".

In many cases this is a negative. In many cases the bigger the lack of overlap the longer the working day. In my industry we love it when the IT is in India (an extreme case but illustrates the gain). We get the testing done and let them know the fixes we want. We go home and the fixes are there in the morning. Our clients in effect get a 16 hour day. And in some financial markets the UK being better overlapped with the US can be beneficial.


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## macdonner (Oct 24, 2010)

jojo said:


> BBC News - Plan to bring UK clocks forward
> 
> Any thoughts??? I dont have any, but if I lived there I think I'd be pleased
> 
> ...


My thought on this is why are the politicians running the UK not spending their time considering more important issues such as health, housing, employment etc etc etc!! 

Dark, light, GMT, no GMT - as long as the world keeps turning round the sun who cares??????


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

macdonner said:


> My thought on this is why are the politicians running the UK not spending their time considering more important issues such as health, housing, employment etc etc etc!!
> 
> Dark, light, GMT, no GMT - as long as the world keeps turning round the sun who cares??????


Those who have lost children and grandchildren to collisions with cars in the murky dusk care.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

dinnow said:


> CET countries genarally start at 10.


You should try getting up earlier ! Depending on their work people here start at 7am, 8am, 9am, 10am. The 'rush hour ' extends from about 7am until 9,30am in the morning plus you've got 4 'rush hours' a day. If the football starts at 8,45pm , which it does here now, it's still finished by 10,30pm . Can't see what the problem is ?


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

So by changing the clocks inline with Europe (which would help business) we unleash a mass of zombie like drivers in the mornings who would kill half awake School children in the dark :confused2: Perhaps a valid argument fifty or sixty years ago when street lighting was poor, but nonsensical in this day and age I would have thought.

Perhaps those who survive the onslaught of kamikazi drivers would appriciate exta light in the evenings and would be awake enough to enjoy them subject to them not being in the local I.T.U. recovering from their accidents of course.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

I thought it was all to do with saving energy, and helping the farmers???????


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

bob_bob said:


> So by changing the clocks inline with Europe (which would help business) we unleash a mass of zombie like drivers in the mornings who would kill half awake School children in the dark :confused2: Perhaps a valid argument fifty or sixty years ago when street lighting was poor, but nonsensical in this day and age I would have thought.
> 
> Perhaps those who survive the onslaught of kamikazi drivers would appriciate exta light in the evenings and would be awake enough to enjoy them subject to them not being in the local I.T.U. recovering from their accidents of course.


If it's a zombie now it would be a zombie whatever the clock says ! It won't be getting any more sleep will it & it'll still be rushing & possibly hungover like it is now. So the argument doesn't hold water. In addition if the pedestrians hadn't been allowed to think they own the road as well as the pavements & they taught safety like they used too, then we'd all be able to get about better.
I'm lost with the streeet lighting ? It was bad years ago but also you didn't drive with headlights on inside 30mph limits ! The lighting is that good these days you can read a paper in the street at night !


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I thought it was all to do with saving energy, and helping the farmers???????


So did I but this is nonsense as the farmers can adjust the times they work. 
Once the clocks go forward again in march IMO they should be left alone. The most dangerous time on the roads is late afternoon in the winter when the weather tends to be murky and it gets dark early, children are tired after a day at school and in a rush to get home so they get careless.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

gus-lopez said:


> If it's a zombie now it would be a zombie whatever the clock says ! It won't be getting any more sleep will it & it'll still be rushing & possibly hungover like it is now. So the argument doesn't hold water. In addition if the pedestrians hadn't been allowed to think they own the road as well as the pavements & they taught safety like they used too, then we'd all be able to get about better.
> I'm lost with the streeet lighting ? It was bad years ago but also you didn't drive with headlights on inside 30mph limits !* The lighting is that good these days you can read a paper in the street at night* !


And on dark morning too then? Pedestrians pretty much have right of way, drivers certainly have a duty of care toward them.

Bring on the light at night, it may cheer up some of us.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I wonder if they'll need siestas in the afternoon in the UK if they have CET over there??

Jo xxx


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

jojo said:


> I wonder if they'll need siestas in the afternoon in the UK if they have CET over there??
> 
> Jo xxx


If I ever had to move back to the UK I think I would make my siesta last the entire winter, like a hedgehog!


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Alcalaina said:


> If I ever had to move back to the UK I think I would make my siesta last the entire winter, like a hedgehog!


My hubby was a bit like that when we lived in the UK. Thats one reason why we left for sunnier climes
Hes a different person now:clap2::clap2::clap2:


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