Leave clocks forward?

[TimberWolf]

Yep, it's the old clock changing chestnut again.

Plan to bring UK clocks forward
Longer and brighter evenings could move a step closer this week with a government proposal to move UK clocks forward, in line with most of Europe.

BBC News - Plan to bring UK clocks forward

[VectraMan]

If we move the clocks an hour forward, in line with mainland Europe, we'll still be changing the clocks twice a year. If we just stayed on BST all year, then there'd be an advantage in the winter, but surely most of the benefit of longer evenings will be in summer?

[Paddy]

We should be on GMT all the year round. Before WWII France and central Europe was on GMT,
GMT + 1 was Berlin time an imposed on occupied countries.

BTW parts of central Europe used to drive on the left prior to being occupied by Germany

[AtW]

BTW parts of central Europe used to drive on the left prior to being occupied by Germany

Which occupation do you mean?

[Paddy]

Which occupation do you mean?

zee germans...

Left Hand Drive - A History of driving on the left - LHD Cars, Left Hand Drive cars

In Europe, the remaining left-driving countries switched one by one to driving on the right. Portugal changed in 1920s. The change took place on the same day in the whole country, including the colonies. Territories, however, which bordered other left-driving countries were exempted. That is why Macau, Goa (now part of India) and Portuguese East Africa kept the old system. East Timor, which borders left-driving Indonesia, did change to the right though, but left-hand traffic was reintroduced by the Indonesians in 1975.

In Italy the practice of driving on the right first began in the late 1890s. The first Italian Highway Code, issued on the 30th of June 1912, stated that all vehicles had to drive on the right. Cities with a tram network, however, could retain left-hand driving if they placed warning signs at their city borders. The 1923 decree is a bit stricter, but Rome and the northern cities of Milan, Turin and Genoa could still keep left until further orders from the Ministry of Public Works. By the mid-1920s, right-hand driving became finally standard throughout the country. Rome made the change on the 1 of March 1925 and Milan on the 3rd of August 1926.

Up till the 1930s Spain lacked national traffic regulations. Some parts of the country drove on the right (e.g. Barcelona) and other parts drove on the left (e.g. Madrid). On the 1st of October 1924 Madrid switched to driving on the right.

The break-up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire caused no change: Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Hungary continued to drive on the left. Austria itself was something of a curiosity. Half the country drove on the left and half on the right. The dividing line was precisely the area affected by Napoleon's conquests in 1805.

When Germany annexed Austria in 1938, Hitler ordered that the traffic should change from the left to the right side of the road, overnight. The change threw the driving public into turmoil, because motorists were unable to see most road signs. In Vienna it proved impossible to change the trams overnight, so while all other traffic took to the right-hand side of the road, the trams continued to run on the left for several weeks. Czechoslovakia and Hungary , one of the last states on the mainland of Europe to keep left, changed to the right after being invaded by Germany in 1939.

[AtW]

Neither Italy, nor Spain were occupied by ze Germans - their change was sensible thing to do.

Those countries that were actually annexed and invaded also had rules sensibly changed - since occupation was temporary (compared to countries occupied by British Empire like say India) if that was a bad thing then they'd change back.

So if you want to blame Germans for changing rules on occupied countries then better look closer to your home mate.

[Paddy]

Neither Italy, nor Spain were occupied by ze Germans - their change was sensible thing to do.
Those countries that were actually annexed and invaded also had rules sensibly changed - since occupation was temporary (compared to countries occupied by British Empire like say India) if that was a bad thing then they'd change back.

So if you want to blame Germans for changing rules on occupied countries then better look closer to your home mate.

Nor are they in Central Europe but I though an ignoramus like you could do with some knowledge. Now go away and fetch your tissues and keep yourself bussy

[Sysman]

zee germans...

Left Hand Drive - A History of driving on the left - LHD Cars, Left Hand Drive cars

Sweden was the last major European country to switch to driving on the right. They were not occupied by zee Germans in WW II because they were neutral.

The UK has considered swapping sides, and studied Sweden's changeover. The logistics, costs and accident statistics in Sweden had been documented and were used in the study.

[AtW]

Nor are they in Central Europe

Why did you bring them up then?

Out of all the things that Nazies did making some local countries use same side of the road is not even at the bottom of the list of things they are guilty - it was entirely sensible thing to do given mobile nature of warfare at the time and had it not been done at the time it would have been done some years later anyway.

[Platypus]

Yep, it's the old clock changing chestnut again.

I suspect it's already too late to implement it this year