Personally, I feel that we are better off taking the high road. If we
march into a state's public service office and demand to deal in SI
units, what will become of it? One could weigh the pros and the cons:
pros:
- SI units get publicity.
- A state clerk becomes aware that at least one citizen prefers the use
of metric units.
- Other clients in the vicinity become aware that at least one fellow
citizen prefers the use of metric units.
cons:
- The service expected is not provided. For example, no driver's license
is issued.
- The clerk tells his or her boss that "some nut" created a scene by
demanding to use metric units; the state officials in that department
equate "metric" with "nut".
- The other clients see their hopes for speedy service fading as the
customer ahead of them creates a scene and they also equate "metric"
with "nut".
- The SI proponent gets arrested, fined, jailed, or both for disturbing
the peace; the jail guards don't care to discuss metrology with the
inmates.
alternatives:
- Present the data in metric units and then graciously convert the data
when the clerk proves unable to work in both systems. (Essentially, this
is what I did.)
- Write to your governmental representatives and department agencies
asking that their services be amended to allow SI units.
- Write letters to newspaper editors.
- Start a petition drive to have SI units incorporated on public
documents.
bottom line:
- It's better to be convincing than to be confrontational -- or, as Mom
put it, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
Jim
"Michael D. Payne" wrote:
....
> I've considered going into the driver office place with a copy of the (US
> Code: Title 15, Section 204):
>
> "It shall be lawful throughout the United States of America to employ the
> weights and measures of the metric system; and no contract or dealing, or
> pleading in any court, shall be deemed invalid or liable to objection
> because the weights or measures expressed or referred to therein are
> weights or measures of the metric system."
>
> Do you think they would buy it? I would use the "dealing" in this case.
....
--
Metric Methods(SM) "Don't be late to metricate!"
James R. Frysinger, CAMS http://www.metricmethods.com/
10 Captiva Row e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Charleston, SC 29407 phone/FAX: 843.225.6789
