if the east coast is eastern time why west coast pacific time not western?

Answer 1

Blame it all on...
Charles F. Dowd proposed a system of one-hour standard time zones for American railroads about 1863, although he published nothing on the matter at that time and did not consult railroad officials until 1869. In 1870, he proposed four ideal time zones (having north–south borders), the first centered on Washington, D.C., but by 1872 the first was centered 75°W of Greenwich, with geographic borders (for example, sections of the Appalachian Mountains). Dowd's system was never accepted by American railroads. Instead, U.S. and Canadian railroads implemented their own version on Sunday, November 18, 1883, also called "The Day of Two Noons", when each railroad station clock was reset as standard-time noon was reached within each time zone. The zones were named Intercolonial, Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific. Within one year, 85% of all cities with populations over 10,000, about 200 cities, were using standard time

Answer 2

This simple: There are more than 1 time zones that touch the Pacific ocean, and there are more than one parts of the country that could be considered "west" but aren't in the same time zone.

California and Hawaii could both be considered Western, and both could be considered Pacific... but since they both require a time zone, you obviously can't use the same name for two time zones.

Answer 3

The west coast isn't the furthest west time zone in the united states. Remember Alaska and Hawaii?

Answer 4

Because then, it would make too much sense. Actually, there is an Atlantic time, which covers the Canadian maritimes and Greenland.

Answer 5

Cause It ain't no cowboy.