# Why don't Nevada and Hawaii observe DST?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [March 29, 2006, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407 "2006-03-29T15:37:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/1 "2006-03-29T15:37:38Z")
Unless I’m mistaken these are the two states who keep the same time throughout the year.
What is their objection to Daylight Saving Time?
(By the way, DST kicks in at 0200 on Sunday, April 2nd this year. It starts on the first Sunday in March in 2007.)
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### Author:  [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/2 "2006-03-29T15:39:49Z")
I thought that it was only Arizona that didn’t do it.
In any event, it’s up to the individual state legislatures to decide.
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### Author:  [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/3 "2006-03-29T15:45:04Z")
> [@BarnOwl](#):
>
> Unless I’m mistaken these are the two states who keep the same time throughout the year.
>
> What is their objection to Daylight Saving Time?
>
> (By the way, DST kicks in at 0200 on Sunday, April 2nd this year. It starts on the first Sunday in March in 2007.)
It’s Hawaii and Arizona, not Nevada. We hardly need to save any of the 110 F + temperatures in our summers. 😃
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### Author:  [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/4 "2006-03-29T15:45:09Z")
> [@hajario](#):
>
> I thought that it was only Arizona that didn’t do it.
>
> In any event, it’s up to the individual state legislatures to decide.
True, but why would Nevada’s and Hawaii’s legislatures vote that way in the first place? What does a state gain by staying on standard time when almost all the others go to DST??
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### Author:  [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/5 "2006-03-29T15:45:37Z")
It is Arizona and Hawaii. I don’t have any I guess facutal reasons why Arizona doesn’t, except what somebody once told me in Arizona. He said it’s because it gets so hot there during the day in summer that everybody prefers to start their day early, so they can be out of the mid-day heat. It makes sense if you work outdoors, especially. I have no idea about Hawaii.
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### Author:  [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/6 "2006-03-29T15:46:30Z")
> [@KlondikeGeoff](#):
>
> It’s Hawaii and Arizona, not Nevada. We hardly need to save any of the 110 F + temperatures in our summers. 😃
Makes sense. And thanks for the correction on Arizona vs Nevada.
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/7 "2006-03-29T16:00:12Z")
> [@swampbear](#):
>
> I have no idea about Hawaii.
Hawaii is so far south that [day length](http://www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/czm/wec/html/weather/prevailing.htm) doesn’t change all that much between summer and winter - the longest day is a bit over 13 hours, the shortest 11 hours. Therefore it just isn’t worth it. And since Hawaii doesn’t border any other state, there would be no motivation to synchonize with neighboring areas. Likewise, most subtropical and tropical countries, such as Panama, have no reason to go on daylight saving time.
Besides the heat factor, Arizona is also far enough south that it gains much less from DST than states farther north.
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### Author:  [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/8 "2006-03-29T16:06:03Z")
Hawaii is at a much lower latitude than mainland US. That means there is much less seasonal variation of daylight hours. Most other low-latitude (tropical) nations don’t observe DST either.
I’m not sure about Arizona, but in general, people working in agriculture don’t like DST. Plants and animals don’t care what the clock says.
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### Author:  [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/9 "2006-03-29T16:23:36Z")
Part of Indiana also doesn’t observe DST.
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### Author:  [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/10 "2006-03-29T16:32:35Z")
> [@BarnOwl](#):
>
> What is their objection to Daylight Saving Time?
They’re smart enough to not mess with clocks twice a year.
Left out of the abstainers list is northern Indiana.
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/11 "2006-03-29T16:39:53Z")
I am more familiar with the US Virgin Islands which doesn’t observe DST either but it is the same idea as Hawaii. Neither temperatures nor daylight hours change much over the course of the year. The are already disconnected from the mainland so there is isn’t much problem in just keeping everything nice and steady the whole year.
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### Author:  [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/12 "2006-03-29T16:42:34Z")
> [@cmkeller](#):
>
> Part of Indiana also doesn’t observe DST.
[Not any more.](http://www.mccsc.edu/time.html)
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### Author:  [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/13 "2006-03-29T16:48:22Z")
Now if we could only get the rest of the country to stop the silly DST game we play twice a year we can move on…
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/14 "2006-03-29T17:14:30Z")
> [@Bongmaster](#):
>
> Now if we could only get the rest of the country to stop the silly DST game we play twice a year we can move on…
Will Cecil saying that it’s a good idea be enough for you?
[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a910906.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a910906.html)
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### Author:  [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/15 "2006-03-29T17:32:02Z")
> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> Will Cecil saying that it’s a good idea be enough for you?
> [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a910906.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a910906.html)
sadly no.
given the studies showing the general accident rate shooting up every year when we lose an hour of sleep and given that it takes some people a long time to readjust I have trouble seeing what we are gaining from the whole dumbassery of changing the clocks all the time.
and saving energy? thats an impressive argument in a country where hummers are used as commuter vehicles.
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### Author:  [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/16 "2006-03-29T17:44:52Z")
> [@scr4](#):
>
> I’m not sure about Arizona, but in general, people working in agriculture don’t like DST. Plants and animals don’t care what the clock says.
I’ve never understood this argument. Why don’t the people in agriculture just begin work at the same relative time? The clocks can switch but they don’t have to do so.
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### Author:  [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/17 "2006-03-29T17:53:51Z")
MikeS:
> [@](#):
>
> Not any more.
Well according to the site you linked to, that law doesn’t go into effect until Saturday, so technically, I’m still right. 😛
More seriously, thanks for the update.
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/18 "2006-03-29T17:59:41Z")
> [@hajario](#):
>
> I’ve never understood this argument. Why don’t the people in agriculture just begin work at the same relative time? The clocks can switch but they don’t have to do so.
I am pretty sure they do for the most part. Agricultural people only care about the animal’s schedules and hours of sunlight.
They get blamed for us not having DST (God’s Time) all year round. Between farmers being framed and mythical schoolkids getting abducted waiting for busses in the dark, I am not really sure who are the ones truly opposed to year-round DST.
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### Author:  [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/19 "2006-03-29T20:03:31Z")
> [@hajario](#):
>
> I’ve never understood this argument. Why don’t the people in agriculture just begin work at the same relative time? The clocks can switch but they don’t have to do so.
This is basically my reaction to the whole argument for DST in the first place. Why don’t whichever enterprises or individuals who want to start whatever it is they do at a certain time just do so, rather than fucking with the clocks for everyone else?
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2006, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-nevada-and-hawaii-observe-dst/350407/20 "2006-03-29T20:11:34Z")
> [@iamthewalrus(:3=](#):
>
> This is basically my reaction to the whole argument for DST in the first place. Why don’t whichever enterprises or individuals who want to start whatever it is they do at a certain time just do so, rather than fucking with the clocks for everyone else?
Ever heard of fixed work schedules? Daylight belongs at the end of the day. It gets dark before or around 5:00 in the Boston area for about 4 months of the year and most people can’t just leave work at 3:30 am to catch some sun before it disappears. Seasonal affective disorder is a very real threat under those conditions.
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