Why is the world set up with the hours it is?

[tokie]

I work 9am-7pm generally (weekdays).

When I come out of work, everything has already closed by 6pm, with the exception of restaurants.

I needed to book an optometrist and dentist appointment and -- surprise surprise -- the only day I can do it is Saturday. It took me 3 hours of phone calls to find places that were open on Saturdays which weren't ghetto.

If I want to go shopping on the weekend, I have to do it on Saturday because on Sunday stores are only open 4 hours.

Bars close at midnight, and so does the subway.

Do you have issues with timing like this? Why can retail places not open from like 10am-8pm everyday?

 

[brianmanahan]

try to get a job that works european hours (11 am to 2 pm)

 

[kranky]

I think it's pretty simple - if the retailers and other places had enough business to merit longer hours, they would certainly have longer hours. Apparently where you live there is not enough demand.

 

[tokie]

try to get a job that works european hours (11 am to 2 pm)

I work in Europe, try not being snarky.

Typical Spanish hours are 10am-2pm, and 4pm-8pm.

 

[tokie]

I think it's pretty simple - if the retailers and other places had enough business to merit longer hours, they would certainly have longer hours. Apparently where you live there is not enough demand.

I live in a city of 12 million people, how is there not enough demand?

I think actually it's because British people are weird -- Sunday shopping is still frowned upon.

 

[Baked]

It's called taking a day off to do the things you need to do. That's why a lot o jobs have sick leave and vacation leave setup for that very purpose. Or at least that's how I used mine back when I was working for huge company.

 

[God Mode]

They made sundays off so the slaves don't collapse and die.

 

[Baked]

They made sundays off so the slaves don't collapse and die.

I wish they would make everybody work 7 days a week so we can weed out all the losers and build a better gene pool.

 

[Bignate603]

I live in a city of 12 million people, how is there not enough demand?

Apparently everyone else gets their stuff done during normal hours.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Blame the strict EU laws that enforce a "work to live" life balance.

 

[MotionMan]

You need to figure out a way to get your business done during business hours, I guess.

Take time off or plan your Saturdays accordingly.

MotionMan

 

[mshan]

I read article somewhere that 9 - 5 , 40 hour work week in U. S. is a vestige of what factories demanded when U. S. had a lot of manufacturing.

Other businesses obviously have to balance sout their store hours so customers can get there when it is convenient, but it is still profitable for them.

I think Europe shifted away (or never had?) that previous 40 hour work week paradigm as basis for everyone's normal work hours.

 

[HAL9000]

I live in a city of 12 million people, how is there not enough demand?

I think actually it's because British people are weird -- Sunday shopping is still frowned upon.

Yeah sunday trading hours suck balls, It's one of the things I hate about England.

Also.

British people aren't weird.

 

[destrekor]

Damn Europe must be quite a bit different about store hours.

Most population-dense regions in the U.S. have retail store hours through 9 or 10pm weekdays and Saturday (might closer slightly earlier on Saturday, might not).

 

[FoBoT]

amazon.com

 

[FoBoT]

I wish they would make everybody work 7 days a week so we can weed out all the losers and build a better gene pool.

this from the guy named 'baked'
hmmm....

 

[tokie]

amazon.com

I do have an Amazon Prime subscription -- it is a lifesaver getting stuffed with free next-day delivery to the office.

I guess another good thing is I can do grocery shopping online.

 

[WildW]

I believe the wife is supposed to go out shopping while the husband is at work. At least, that's how it worked back in the 70's, I don't think anyone has thought to adjust the system since then.

 

[Ronstang]

Work normal hours. I work 7AM-4PM and the highways are crowded in the morning so I assume so do many others. I can do a bunch of shopping after work and still be home before 6PM.

 

[FoBoT]

I believe the wife is supposed to go out shopping while the husband is at work. At least, that's how it worked back in the 70's, I don't think anyone has thought to adjust the system since then.

or you have servants to do it for you while you are at work
or you have a personal assistant/secretary at work to do it for you while you are at work
or you take a 2 hour lunch and do it yourself while you are at work

 

[manimal]

There is no such thing as normal hours anymore. Have you looked at some jobs these days?

A friend got a job in an automotive related field dealing with dealers. They had told him in the first interview that NO vacation days in the first year and NO scheduled days off other than emergencies. 3 sick days for the whole year. 25K a year salary 6 days a week.

Not the first time I have heard this kind of story.

 

[Leros]

It seems like most M-F 9-5 type jobs tend to be pretty flexible in that you can take a few hours in the middle of the day to do personal business if you need to.

Jobs that lack the flexibility are often not scheduled M-F so you have a day or two off that is during the week.