>From Google Groups - speed limits Ireland. Ridiculous conversions are ' humorous' once again. Imagine speed limit signs in Ireland saying 48.6541893 km/h where in the good old Imperial days a sign simply stated 30 mph! Call the BWMA! Call the ARM! Call the IAML!!!! We MUST stave off this disastrous lunacy!
Han http://groups.google.com/groups?q=speed+limits+Ireland&start=10&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&safe=off&selm=3dc28b4f%241%40news.boards.ie&rnum=15 Seamus Nostradabrennanus has had a vision for the future... transport yourselves (at a safe speed), if you will, 18 months forward, on the Naas Dual Carriageway around Kill... Gard (grave voice) "Hello dere. Are you in charge of dis vahikel ?" Me (hesitating coquettish voice, French accent unearthed and dusted, subtly to the fore) "Well, erm, Monsieur le Gard, I supposeu zat I ammeu" (fluttering of eyelashes and shy smile) Gard "do you realise dat I have just clocked you at 78.5321 km per hour in a 48.6541893 km per hour zone ?" Me "Oh, beut Monsieur le Gardeu, I sought zat zees waze a 50 mile an houreu zone, and I waze gowingeu reeellee slowly!" Gard "Ah, well, now miss, you should know dat we have implemented dem kilometres since yesterday, so all de speed limits are now in kilometres per hour" Me "Beute why eez ze sign steel sayingue 50?" Gard "Ah, well, de civil servants have calculated de exact figures to be put on dem signs. We don't want to be accused of rip off for rounding up, now. You know what happened wit de Euro! So dey are making 6 foot by 3 foot signs now, to include all dem digits after de dot. Dose are going up next week." Me "Beute, Monsieur le Gard, zen how ameu I to knoweu at what speedeu I am supposeud too go in ze meantimeu ?" Gard "Now miss, I can tell from your furrin accent dat you're a continental. You of all people, can tell from your car speedometer that 48,654 an hour is the same as 30 miles an hour! And in any case, you are supposed to have on you at all times de kilometer changeover calculator which de Department of de Environment has sent to every household in de country!" Me "Beute Gard, if I takeu my handeus off ze wheeleu to convert ze kilometres in miles, I couldeu coze an aksidan !" Gard "De law is de law, miss. And you're over de speed limit, and dats dat. Don't you try to be smart, now, or I'll take anoder 1/2 point off yer license for insult to de Garda�!" http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2002/1101/3891825493HM1SPEEDLIMITS.html How will we ever cope ! Direction signs in kilometres *and* speed limits in kilometres !!! Surely that's more logic than *anyone* should be expected to deal with in one go !! Cat(h) Han Historian of Dutch Metrication, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
