Adrian Jadic wrote in USMA 14184:
>I am well behind my reading of the USMA messages. However, I have to thank
>Jim Elwell for this message which did in fact start some "battles".
>
>I honnestly beleive that everything in his review is correct which tells
>us that the way to go is SI first and legally binding.
>
>I do beleive though that legislation making the instruments of measurement
>"legal for trade" (as they are called in Canada for example) could be
>enacted to require calibration through metric standards only.
>
>To be more specific this would mean that the guy that comes to calibrate
>scales in a plant or a store would have only metric certified weights.
>This is justifiable simply by the fact that only those references can be
>truly traced to national and international standards.
>
>The government may not have the power to dictate to the store what units
>he may use to sell its products but it does have the power to decide what
>references the calibrator should use through it's certifications programs
>(NIST). Consequently, many traders may prefere to sell in SI simply
>because they cannot otherwise calibrate their scales. Note here that some
>scales do accept SI units for calibration and "whateveryourhartdesires"
>for display.
The situation varies from country to country.
France went entirely metric in 1840. The European Union is scheduled to do
so in 1909. In the United Kingdom retail food must be priced by metric
units, although this is being challenged in the courts. Certain staple
foods must be sold in only prescribed round metric quantities. Canada
requires metric pricing, but the price by the pound may also be indicated.
This reqirement is not being enforced. Gasoline must be sold by the litre,
and milk is also sold by the litre. Otherwise there are no prescribed
metric quantities.
I think your sugggestion is a good one. However, scales that weigh in
pounds or kilograms should not be certified. Of course selling on
uncertified scales should be forbidden and the scales should be
confiscated. But I am no lawyer, and what American lawyers would do with
these suggestions I can not imawgine.
Joseph B. Reid
17 Glebe Road West
Toronto M5P 1C8 Tel. 416 486-6071
