[KirlonM]

Originally Posted by RocketDawg

I agree. Alabama is geographically in the Eastern time zone, but there are pros and cons. It would make things like television prime time programming difficult since everybody is so used to Central time. I don't know about the rest of the state, but it seems most people in Huntsville go to work at an ungodly early hour anyway, and it may well be to coordinate with those in the Eastern time zone that we work with. I'd rather have longer daylight after work, and not worry about going to work at dark in the mornings.

Not everybody is used to Central Time, since the Late 2000’s! Their have been new residents from Michigan that’s Eastern Time! Also, New Mexico east of IH 25 is geographically Central Time and Southern California is Geographically Mountain Time!

[Siberiaboy]

Originally Posted by Craziaskowboi

Does it seem kind of ridiculous to anybody else that you can drive I-20 from Birmingham all the way to its western terminus at I-10 in the west Texas desert without crossing into a different time zone? Does it also seem a bit odd that Phenix City is in a different time zone than Columbus, GA right across the river? Or how about being able to change time zones in southern Indiana by driving north or south?

Every time zone is supposed to be approximately 15° of longitude (360/24 = 15), and the closest line of longitude that's a multiple of 15 is 90°W, which passes well to the west of the Alabama/Georgia line. In fact, it passes west of the Alabama/Mississippi line as well, which illustrates just how absurd the current time zone boundary setup is.

Since 90°W passes directly through the urbanized areas of Memphis and New Orleans, it's not wise to place the time zone boundary there, so the best place for it would be the Alabama/Mississippi state line since there are no urban areas along it, and it's not too far to the east. For continuity's sake, this would also require all of Indiana to go Eastern, as well as Kentucky and Tennessee east of the Tennessee River.

Good idea, huh?

The 90°W represents the middle of the central timezone, the boundaries should mathematically be +-7.5 degrees each direction so 82.5°W to 97.5W and Alabama is west of 82.5. Even so, that rule is not followed to a T because of state lines and conveniences . Even the international dateline is zigzagged because of national boundaries not conforming to straight lines and taking precedence over the math.

Properly following the math rule simply ensures that the average of the timezone block is on average for the year, where if not for DST equates the closest as possible to where 12 noon on the clock is the time of smallest shadow on the ground of the day. That is the whole idea of time but people don’t necessarily prefer that system or require it a must.

Spain and France are an hour ahead of where they are supposed to be for the silly reason that Germany WW2 wanted their Reich to be in one timezone and after the war, France and Spain decided they liked the extra sunlight on end of work day and didn’t change it back.

[RocketDawg]

I'd be happy sticking with Daylight Saving Time year round - I hate it getting dark before 4:30 in the middle of the winter. And one argument is that kids would have to go to school in the dark with year round DST - well, they do it anyway, especially in the western reaches of the Central zone.

We probably should be in the Eastern zone, but for me it would screw up television programming. I'm used to it.

[tomlite770]

I don't care. Use whatever.

[jimmykicker]

Originally Posted by Bamaman1

And since Atlanta is the Capitol of the South, it too should be on Dixie Time--Central Time.

Yeah. They'd love that. 4:05 AM sunrises in the summer. 4:15 sunsets in the winter. We love the 4:25 sunsets in Alabama. (sarcasm)

Alabama in itself is way too far east to be in Central. Georgia DEFINITELY does not need to be in CST.

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by jimmykicker

Yeah. They'd love that. 4:05 AM sunrises in the summer. 4:15 sunsets in the winter. We love the 4:25 sunsets in Alabama. (sarcasm)

Alabama in itself is way too far east to be in Central. Georgia DEFINITELY does not need to be in CST.

Up in New England we have 4:15 sunsets in the wintertime as part of the Eastern time zone and it sucks. New England should be moved into the Atlantic time zone.