DeepBlue From Ireland, joined Jul 2008, 8 posts, RR: 0 Posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 13069 times:
Hi
I have often wondered how timezones work for people who live next to the line... presumably there are towns close by that are on either side of the line, so how do people arrange to meet at a certain time - do you have to clarify by saying, for example "I will meet you at 8 central time"?
Seems like this could cause a lot of confusion...
Sorry for the lame post but I was staring out the window pondering this in work (yes nothing else to do - it was great) and thought I would ask you guys...
ScarletHarlot From Canada, joined Jul 2003, 4673 posts, RR: 59 Reply 1, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 13061 times:
Well, I don't deal with this on a physical basis but I do on a practical basis, daily. I live in Seattle (Pacific time) but my job is in New Jersey (Eastern time), and our two main vendors are in Chicago and Houston (Central time). When I'm working (I work from home) I think in Eastern time and usually refer to meeting times in Eastern time. If I am referring to a meeting time when we have our vendors on the line, I'll make sure to mention both Eastern and Central time zones: "11 am Eastern, 10 am Central".
Since I am the only one in the Pacific time zone I don't expect anybody to accomodate me (except to not schedule meetings before 7 am my time!).
DeepBlue From Ireland, joined Jul 2008, 8 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 13038 times:
Sorry - also meant to ask how do you know where the timezone line actually is? Does it run down the middle of a road or a river? If you are a visitor to the area I can see all sorts of problems...
ANITIX87 From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 3238 posts, RR: 14 Reply 4, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 13033 times:
I've often wondered as well. There are individual states separated by time zones which I believe is the case you're making, but normally the lines run along state boundaries. The even mroe confusing thing is states like Arizona, where there is no daylight savings time. They're in one time zone half the year, and in another for the rest!
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Sorry - also meant to ask how do you know where the timezone line actually is? Does it run down the middle of a road or a river? If you are a visitor to the area I can see all sorts of problems...
Well, British Columbia is divided into two time zones. So if you're driving down the Trans Canada Highway, you'll see a sign somewhere between Revelstoke and Golden reminding you to change your watch.
AirCop From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 6, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 13021 times:
Quoting ANITIX87 (Reply 4): The even mroe confusing thing is states like Arizona, where there is no daylight savings time. They're in one time zone half the year, and in another for the rest!
What is not commonly known is the NE part of Arizona does honor day light savings time (Navajo Indian Reservation) so they can be on the same time with the HQ in New Mexico.
I lived a couple of years in Kansas, where the county south of us was in the MTZ instead of the CTZ, rule #1 was make sure what local time both parties were talking about before setting the appointment.
Mdsh00 From United States of America, joined May 2004, 4101 posts, RR: 9 Reply 7, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 13012 times:
Generally unless you live near the time zone boundaries, it's not too much of an issue. Most people have a general idea which state has which time zone, and of course that Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time.
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STT757 From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 16312 posts, RR: 52 Reply 8, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 13003 times:
Quoting DeepBlue (Thread starter): I have often wondered how timezones work for people who live next to the line... presumably there are towns close by that are on either side of the line, so how do people arrange to meet at a certain time - do you have to clarify by saying, for example "I will meet you at 8 central time"?
You can just say, "I'll meet you in an hour" etc..
RedFlyer From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 4181 posts, RR: 30 Reply 9, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 12991 times:
Quoting Mdsh00 (Reply 7): and of course that Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time.
Most of Arizona doesn't observe DST, some parts do. But I think Arizona is ahead of the times (pardon the pun). This DST crap is archaic and no longer needed. We all need to stick with the same time year round.
SlamClick From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 10062 posts, RR: 71 Reply 10, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 12943 times:
Gotta love UTC.
Anyway it used to be worse. Before the railroads standardized time it was customary to set clocks by high noon local time. Thus you could get on your horse and ride to another time zone, if only by a couple of minutes, several times a day.
The only 'problem' I've seen with it is at Laughlin Nevada where the airport (KIFP) is across the Colorado River in Arizona. If you had a load of passengers in the casinos in Nevada how would you tell them what time to catch the plane? Nevada or Arizona time? Add the fact that casinos for the most part do not have clocks displayed. (Frankly, they don't want you aware of what time it is.)
The map makes some sense if you know these regions. For example, eastern Oregon, the Jordan Valley area almost certainly looks to Boise Idaho for banking, major shopping etc. Likewise the Idaho panhandle (at the top) is more likely to have commerce with Spokane Washington than, say, Missoula Montana.
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FlyMIA From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 6323 posts, RR: 6 Reply 11, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 12921 times:
Anyway its funny this came up my and a friend on mine where talking about this last night. Florida has most of the state in Eastern Time but part of it is in central time! How people deal with this I have no idea.
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The lines were drawn to avoid issues in the most populated areas. If you look at Indiana, the northwest corner where many of the Chicago suburbs are is in the same time zone as Chicago.
There are some exceptions. The time zone line between Eastern and Central time is just west of CHA and one of my friends was on a flight to CHA and when they landed, the F/A was confused as to which time was the correct local time - couldn't remember which side of the line the airport was on.
SATX From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 2840 posts, RR: 8 Reply 13, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 12912 times:
Hmm, I've never really had to think about it. When it comes to business meetings, everything is handled by scheduling systems that take into account time zones and show everyone what their local scheduled time will be. It doesn't matter if you're one city over or one continent over, the system works it out and lines everything up. It won't let you schedule a meeting that is impossible for someone to attend, whether they're one hour behind you or thirteen and one half hours ahead of you. Thank goodness for modern technology, eh?
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N521NA From United States of America, joined Jul 2001, 510 posts, RR: 2 Reply 14, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 12883 times:
West Wendover, NV lies right on the border between NV and UT. Here's what they do:
"West Wendover, Nevada lies on the eastern border of Nevada on I-80 and has close ties to Wendover, Utah. Since both towns share a border, West Wendover is in Mountain Time while the rest of Nevada is in Pacific Time."
Seb146 From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 9910 posts, RR: 17 Reply 15, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 12873 times:
Quoting DeepBlue (Reply 3): Does it run down the middle of a road or a river? If you are a visitor to the area I can see all sorts of problems...
Parts of the Snake River divide Oregon and Idaho and likewise Mountain time from Pacific time. However:
Quoting SlamClick (Reply 10): the Jordan Valley area almost certainly looks to Boise Idaho for banking, major shopping etc. Likewise the Idaho panhandle (at the top) is more likely to have commerce with Spokane Washington than, say, Missoula Montana.
Ontario, Oregon is much larger in population that Jordan Valley. Imagine my surprise to see Jordan Valley refrenced in a post! Anyway, yes, those living in Ontario do look to Boise for major shopping and industry, but the seat of government is Salem. Both Ontario and Boise are in the same time zone. Baker City is much closer to BOI than to PDX and many residents of BKE go to BOI even though both are in different time zones. There are signs along the interstate saying something like "now entering Mountain (or Pacific) Time Zone."
The interesting part was last summer: My mom and brother and I were driving from SLC to PDX (and will never do it again) through Wendover. We spent the night in Winnemucca (Pacific Time) and drove north spending about an hour or so driving through the Mountain Time Zone before reaching the Pacific time zone once again. We did not bother changing any clocks. Our cell phones had no service anyway. The internal clocks simply stayed at the last time zone they remembered (Pacific) so that was not a problem either.
To answer the original question: If we are meeting someone in another time zone, what we usually say is "I will meet you at 10AM (or whatever time) your time" and make a note of it. Airlines, trains, and buses always post arrivals and departures as local time. For example, WN arrives in BOI at 9AM, it is 9AM Mountain Time no matter if you live in Baker City or Chicago.
57AZ From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 2550 posts, RR: 2 Reply 16, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 12835 times:
Most of the time, you factor the difference automatically. A lot of people who live or work in a city that is in a different time zone will arrange their daily activities towards that time zone. Example: a lot of people who live in northeastern Alabama and the southeastern area of central Tennessee work or have appointments in Chattanooga, The dividing line between Eastern and Central Time is just west of Chattanooga. Many of those folks set their daily schedules to Eastern Time.
What's really interesting is when the time zone lines get shifted. That occasionally happens.
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MD11Engineer From Germany, joined Oct 2003, 13368 posts, RR: 64 Reply 17, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 22 hours ago) and read 12822 times:
Quoting ScarletHarlot (Reply 1): Well, I don't deal with this on a physical basis but I do on a practical basis, daily. I live in Seattle (Pacific time) but my job is in New Jersey (Eastern time), and our two main vendors are in Chicago and Houston (Central time). When I'm working (I work from home) I think in Eastern time and usually refer to meeting times in Eastern time. If I am referring to a meeting time when we have our vendors on the line, I'll make sure to mention both Eastern and Central time zones: "11 am Eastern, 10 am Central".
I'm working in aviation and at work I'm living in UTC (I do the same when I'm on my ham radio at home), plus my girlfriend lives in another timezone one hour behind.
Bohica From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 2430 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 19 hours ago) and read 12767 times:
Quoting 767Lover (Reply 18): I've encountered people who work in Columbus, Georgia live in Alabama in the central time zone.
So, to be at work in Columbus by 9:00 a.m., they have to leave their house at 7:30 a.m. or whatever.
Czbbflier From Canada, joined Jul 2006, 934 posts, RR: 2 Reply 20, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 19 hours ago) and read 12763 times:
It's a good question....
Lloydminster, a town that straddles the Alberta / Saskatchewan border operates in two time zones: Alberta is Mountain time and Saskatchewan is Central time. Saskatchewan does not observe Daylight savings time (it's too hard on the cows) so during the summer months, all of Lloydminster operates on the same time.
I have heard, however, that there's a drinking establishment that straddles the Alberta / Saskatchewan border and inside it has two bars. When the clock ticks past closing time in Saskatchewan, all the patrons on the Saskatchewan side move over to the Alberta end of the bar and carry on like nothing happened. Urban legend? Who knows- it makes a good story though!
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