[USMA:26824] RE: Metric road signs

[Phil Chernack]

Hi, I am new to this list but have been following it for the past couple of weeks.  I noted John’s post with interest as I feel the same way.  To do an orderly conversion of road signs to metric, the U.S. Federal government needs to mandate automobile manufacturers start selling cars with predominately metric instrumentation.  For the past 25 years, speedometers have displayed both English (wombat) and metric with English predominate.  With a change in automobile speedometers and odometers, changing road signage will be a no-brainer.  Also, if auto manufacturers were required to give fuel economy in liters per 100 km, we would also have the incentive to change gas stations over to liters.  I would rather pay $.43/liter than $1.64/gallon.  This change may also be the incentive that Great Britain needs to make the change as well.  What is more telling perhaps, is that the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (the master guide for all road agencies in the U.S.) has standards for metric road signs.  The MUCTD can be viewed in the following location: http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/.  The best part of this though, is that Revision 2 (http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/kno-millennium_npa.htm) changes the metric speed limit sign to be different than the traditional speed limit sign.  The new metric speed limit sign is much closer to the international standard of the speed in a red circle with the legend “km/h” below on one panel.  With this sign, there should be no confusion on what it means.  Besides, I would much rather drive at 110 km/h than 65 m.p.h.  It’s much cooler.   Phil Chernack   -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of john mercer Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2003 2:48 PM To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:26820] Metric road signs   Hello I would like to say somethingabout the change of road signs from miles to kilometers. In Canada we changed our road signs over the labour day weekend in 1977.  It was all done at the same time all the way across Canada.  Drivers got used to thinking metric quite quickly.  At the same time when the road signs changed  any car that was built to be sold after Sept. 1 had to have a kilometer speedometer and odometer. In my opinion if the states and England are ever to change to kilometer road signs they should do it across the country at the same time.  If the States ever went to metric road signs would it be a federal program?  In Canada after we changed our road signs kilometers became part of drivers vocabulary quite quickly.  I was on an anti metric web site from england and they said that drivers don't think metric.  Drivers in Canada didn't think metric at all until the signs were changed.Thanks for your time.