Joe
Tue, 28 Sep 2004 08:18:25 -0700
Okay, you make a good point. We use metric a little, mostly for measurements on food (or not) products and medications. Of course, in those cases, people normally don't even think about what they are. Both are given on food. If someone wants to buy a soft drink, they get a big bottle or a little bottle, and they're done thinking about it. We also measure engine displacement in liters and everything else on the vehicle in imperial/customary/US measurements. I really don't have to convert between the two systems too much. But if the US had already switched over when we said we would, would imperial still have enough of a presence to persist the way it does there? I can't remember how many times we've tried to switch. The last time was supposed to be 2000, but along with the flying cars, metric never quite made it here. Then I think we were supposed to switch by 2005, but I think it's been postponed to 2010. After that, who knows?
--- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "Hugh Birkenhead" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > At least with every country in the world, including the USA, you pretty much > avoid insanity by having either have one standard or the other in daily use > in your country (i.e. metric OR imperial)... every country apart from the > UK. > > Here in blighty we have the frankly bizarre situation of BOTH (mutually > incompatible) systems trying to co-exist alongside each other, with obvious > resulting confusion: > > * Milk is delivered to the doorstep only in pint bottles, but when you buy > it in a shop it's only available in millilitres > * In pubs you buy draught (from tap) beer by the pint, but you can only buy > bottled beer, spirit shots and other bar drinks by millilitres > * You regularly see 'for sale' signs on development land quoting the > available area in EITHER acres OR hectares... you also see carpet warehouses > advertising either by square feet or by square metres (or both, but with one > measurement in a massive typeface and the other in tiny i.e. unreadable > print underneath) > * In local supermarkets it's not uncommon to find 99% of the products on the > shelves weighed in grams, but then find the vegetables and other 'sell by > weight' items weighed in pounds and ounces > * Weather forecasters have to describe temperatures in both Celsius AND > Fahrenheit, but often forget Fahrenheit in their haste... also > * On the roads, weight restrictions are only in metric tonnes, but distances > are in miles and yards and height restrictions are in both metres AND feet > and inches (and they wonder why double-decker buses still get stuck under > low bridges) > * We describe our cars' weight in tonnes/kilograms and the engine > displacement in litres, yet measure the wheel diameter in inches and the > tire pressure in pounds per square inch (psi)... Engine torque is described > in either foot pounds or Newton metres... What's more, we price petrol by > the litre yet measure fuel economy in miles per gallon! > > Maybe this is hardly on topic... I just thought that many Americans who > think their use of imperial units is crazy just have no idea how crazy it is > here trying to juggle two completely incompatible systems that very few > people on the street really know how to convert between at all, let alone > convert between on the spot at the supermarket shelves. > > ...gasps for air... > > Hugh B ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/mx3olB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shavian/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/