Energy Saving Idea

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

In these times of energy price increases and shortages, I wonder if there would be any value in cancelling the ending of British Summer Time at the end of next month?

 

Its not an idea that I’ve noticed being reported on any media but it was certainly used to save energy during WW2 with “double summer time” in the warmer months.  I seem to recall that several safety organisations have also expressed the opinion that such a measure may reduce road casualties as well. 
 

Maybe we should lobby our MPs - the fact that it would benefit model flying in the afternoons over the winter months is entirely coincidental!

 

Remember that this is not the place to discuss individual party policies - just the idea in principle. 

[MattyB]

I agree, it makes a lot of sense. I think I did hear a story saying they were looking at it again, but I can't find that anywhere. Certainly some orgs are taking it into their own hands - there are football clubs for instance that are trialling Sat kick-offs at 2pm to reduce floodlight and heating usage.

[Geoff S]

This crops up every year about this time and it'll never happen, unfortunately.   I must admit, when I was cycling 13 miles each way to work and on the road every morning at 0630 I liked the idea that there was an hour's extra daylight in the morning to melt any ice (although I rode my 1956 Higgins TWD trike if it was slippery)  but I would now prefer more light in the evening.  What's really needed is for the whole of the UK to be towed a few miles south so we get a better balance of daylight  - we waste a lot in the summer after all :).

[Geoff Copping]

As Geoff S says, this comes up on a regular basis.

There was  an experiment from 1968 to 1971.

ROSPA claim that there was fewer accidents but from my recollection it was thoroughly miserable.

The idea of extra daylight in the evening didn't hold up because it got dark by 17.00 and people were leaving work then so it was still dark by the time they got home so no light to be of any use.

In the morning it didn't get light until 9am, and even 10am on really murky days, so lots of workers who needed daylight couldn't get started 'til late.

School children were walking to school in the dark.

If they did try it again I'd be happy to put my week's pocket money (50p so long as I do the washing up)on it only lasting 1 year.

 

[Jon H]

I reckon we should hook up all the treadmills at gyms to the national grid. Untapped energy resource right there. 

[kc]

You could always follow your own daylight saving time by adjusting your own timetable -many people work from home now,  shops are open for longer now, so change your mealtimes, record your TV, etc.      Unless of course you are forced by your employer ( or family! ) to work fixed hours.   Then of course you could always lobby your employer to change.......

[kc]

Jon,- great idea!   We could reintroduce Workhouses for the poor with treadmills to generate electricity........

Better energy saving idea is to ban car parks at gyms and so people walk there instead!

[Jon H]

14 minutes ago, kc said:

Jon,- great idea!   We could reintroduce Workhouses for the poor with treadmills to generate electricity........

Better energy saving idea is to ban car parks at gyms and so people walk there instead!

 

errrr

 

 

Its tempting, but i need to save money for a lathe. 

[John Tee]

Works for us in the South but not for those in Scotand or the Shetlands and Orkneys.

 

John

 

[Shaun Walsh]

27 minutes ago, John Tee said:

Works for us in the South but not for those in Scotand or the Shetlands and Orkneys.

 

John

 

Is that Daylight Saving Time or workhouses?🤣

[kevin b]

6 hours ago, kc said:

Jon,- great idea!   We could reintroduce Workhouses for the poor with treadmills to generate electricity........

 

Some people in the South think we still do.

[kc]

Well there is still a Workhouse at Southwell in Notts but fortunately it is run by the National Trust to show us how evil they were.    Worth visiting to see how well we are off now.

[kc]

I have just had another idea -why not install a treadmill with an alternator at our flying sites and charge a small fee for the keep fit public to charge our Lipos while we fly!   Cut out the middleman Eon etc.

 

Back to the original subject - surely an extra hour daylight in the evening means more flying time!  Who could be against that?

[Dad_flyer]

As said above, any extra hour in the evening is not much use as it is still not light long enough to do anything after work/study. With 'normal time' in winter early risers can get something energetic in before work for most of the winter. (Yes I used to be young and fit, and in the south)

 

You get some beautiful mornings as well as the dank ones.

 

[Don Fry]

I live due South of Reading? Am an hour ahead, summer and winter. My view, I prefer the hour ahead. 
 

[john davidson 1]

3 hours ago, John Tee said:

Works for us in the South but not for those in Scotand or the Shetlands and Orkneys.

 

John

 

Here in central Scotland it is after nine in the midwinter mornings to get light, so ten is not a workable prospect  as John Tee says even further north

 

[PatMc]

11 hours ago, MattyB said:

I agree, it makes a lot of sense. I think I did hear a story saying they were looking at it again, but I can't find that anywhere. Certainly some orgs are taking it into their own hands - there are football clubs for instance that are trialling Sat kick-offs at 2pm to reduce floodlight and heating usage.

The 3pm kick offs are a hangover from the 5 1/2 day working week. Most men worked until 12 on a Saturday, the 3pm kick off gave them time to catch a bus to a pub near the ground & have pint or two before the match 'cause there was no alcohol for sale within the stadiums.  

[Peter Miller]

In my opinionit was perfect in my time in Aden. No noticeable change year round. Lets tow the UK down to the equator. It is warmer there too!!

[GrumpyGnome]

Tow? We could all point our planes towards where we want to be and start our engines/motors at same time 😀

[Gary Manuel]

You could always just get on plane and fly to Aden for the winter if you like it there so much. I'm quite happy here in Britain, dark cold winter month's n' all.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

It may happen if we exercise patience. A couple of hundred million years ago, Britain was at sun tropical latitudes - who’s to say that continental drift won’t take us back there eventually?

[Peter Miller]

[Paul De Tourtoulon]

2 hours ago, GrumpyGnome said:

Tow? We could all point our planes towards where we want to be and start our engines/motors at same time 😀

Maybe it's the overweighted humans above the equator  against the starving ones below it that is the cause  ?.

[Peter Miller]

1 hour ago, Paul De Tourtoulon said:

Maybe it's the overweighted humans above the equator  against the starving ones below it that is the cause  ?.

Considering the never ending hot air spouted by politicians, do gooders, protesters etc above the equator should be roasting hot all the time

[Don Fry]

5 hours ago, Peter Miller said:

Considering the never ending hot air spouted by politicians, do gooders, protesters etc above the equator should be roasting hot all the time

Arrr, is that the reason why I have been melting in Western France this summer. Every day a school day.