You Americans Are So Cocky! You Just Change Time Anytime You Want!

 Several years ago I worked with a guy named Nigel who had only recently arrived in the U.S.  from South Africa. It was the Saturday night on that April weekend that everyone is expected to set their clocks ahead for the annual switch from Standard Time to Daylight Time.  

It was quitting time on that particular Saturday night, and since we worked on weekends, I reminded the staff to set their clocks ahead before going to sleep or they would be an hour late for work on Sunday.

Like many new employees, and not being familiar with our American customs, Nigel had endured more than his share of practical jokes and good natured ribbing. Thinking he was one step ahead of us, he informed us that he would never fall for such a silly gag as to change the time on his watch and clocks.  Apparently there is no such thing as Daylight Saving Time in South Africa and he wasn’t buying a word of it!

After several minutes of convincing, pleading for credibility, and reassurance by the rest of us, we managed to finally convince Nigel that in the U.S. we really do change our time twice a year to which he blurted out, “You Americans are so cocky! You just change time anytime you want!” 

Well Nigel – wherever you are – if you are still in the United States, I have another surprise for you. This year, we will set our clocks ahead on March 11th!

Daylight-saving time (DST) has been moved from the first Sunday in April to the second Sunday in March. It will last longer too! Now it will be Daylight-saving time until the first Sunday in November as a result of the U.S. Energy Policy Act of 2005. Yes Nigel, you are right! We Americans do seem to change time any time we want and I for one am not complaining. I never did like Standard Time anyway.

This is likely to cause some confusion and problems however. Especially for those people whose clocks, computers, software, and time sensitive devices normally change their time to DST automatically. They probably will not change unless the software or firmware has been updated for the new date, or you may be able to download updates from the various product or software manufacturers.

But, in other cases ,you just may have to take matters into your own hands and change the hands of the clock or digital readout all by yourself. Now that this reality has set in, it is time to inform you that, unfortunately this only half of the problem!

On the first Sunday in April those same clocks, computers, software, and time sensitive devices may jump ahead another hour all by themselves requiring you to manually move the hands back an hour! So much for time saving automation! 

OK, now its time to mark your non-electronic calendars (just in case) and remember:

March 11 – Set your clocks ahead one hour and/or check every device you own to see if they set themselves ahead automatically.

April 1 – Check to see if any of your clocks jumped ahead another hour and if they did set them back an hour just like in the fall.

I won’t confuse you further by discussing the change back to Standard Time in November right now. You have enough to deal with don’t you think?