I would say it is about time. I hope the first line of action will be to remove any anti-metric laws from the WMA. Especially the one about pints only in the pubs and the illegality of having metric road signs. I feel that just by removing the prohibition to metric units will cause some movement in this area without any requirement of metric. Just think how many signs appeared in metric recently that had the BWMA running around painting over them.
The law change also needs to have some power in it to prosecute any one who vandalises a metric sign. One other point, is I hope it empowers Canada to end their muddle too. Hopefully the UKMA will work with One Metre or any such sister organisation to get the ball rolling there. Hopefully we can see it as an opportunity to get Canadian products more rounded metric that will bleed into the US and not rounded FFU products bleeding into Canada relabelled in silly metric. This may have a domino effect and push the muddle onto the US, where it belongs for now. Just out of curiosity, how optimistic is everyone about this initiative? Euric ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris KEENAN" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, 2004-07-08 07:37 Subject: [USMA:30317] New UKMA initiative > Press Release > 8 July 2004 > > http://www.ukma.org.uk/ > > A Very British Mess > > Metric campaign launched to end British measurements mess > > London, 8 July 2004. An all-party campaign has been launched to end the > confusing muddle of different weights and measures (metric and imperial) used > in Britain. At a press conference chaired by Lord Howe, the former > Conservative Deputy Prime Minister, the UK Metric Association (UKMA) > announced the publication of its report âA very British messâ. > > UKMAâs report details the muddle and indecision which has saddled Britain with > two incompatible sets of measurements â metres and feet, kilos and pounds, > litres and pints, kilowatts and horsepower. The report exposes the myths > which have been spread by opponents of the metric system and argues that it > would be in Britainâs interest to complete the changeover to exclusive use of > metric units as soon as possible â with a target date of 2009. > > Lord Howe, Britainâs first Consumer Affairs Minister in the 1970s, commented: > > âPlainly we canât stay where we are, with two confused, competing systems. > Magna Carta endorsed the need for only one set of standards. And it would be > madness to go backwards. The only solution is to complete the changeover to > metric â and as swiftly and cleanly as possible.â > > The report points out that the changeover to metric was started in 1965 (long > before Britain entered the Common Market), and that the slow progress and > continuing opposition has been due to the failure of successive governments > to attempt to justify the change or educate the public. It calls on the > government to publicly declare its support for completing the change as soon > as possible phase out imperial measures for all official purposes (including > on road signs) end dual pricing and labelling in all shops and markets > carry out proper campaigns of public education > > UKMA hopes that the publication of its report will be a signal to responsible > opinion-formers in industry and commerce, the professions, the academic > world, politics and the media to put their heads above the parapet and state > publicly that the present nonsense has gone on long enough, and that it is > time to complete the change that was begun 39 years ago. > > Robin Paice, Chairman of UKMA, commented: âOf course we understand why some > politicians are nervous of this issue, but most people realise that we have > to go through with the changeover. It will cause some grumbling, of course, > but, as with decimalisation of the currency in 1971, not long after the > change, people will wonder what all the fuss was about. So for goodness sake, > letâs get it over with!â > -- > Chris KEENAN > UK Metric Assoc.: metric.org.uk > >
