Dear Phil and All, We have just been to see my wife's niece. We drove three megametres (3000�km) on mainly country roads but also through many large and small towns.
On the way we saw only speed signs that were marked in multiples of 10. I don't know if there is a written standard for these road signs in Australia, but there certainly seems to be. Cheers, Pat Naughtin LCAMS Geelong, Australia -- on 31/3/04 4:40 AM, Phil Chernack at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Actually, the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) states the > following: > > Standard: > After an engineering study has been made in accordance with established > traffic engineering practices, the Speed Limit (R2-1) sign (see Figure 2B-1) > shall display the limit established by law, ordinance, regulation, or as > adopted by the authorized agency. The speed limits shown shall be in > multiples of 10 km/h or 5 mph. > > http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/HTM/2003/part2/part2b1.htm > > As you can see, the standard is "multiples of 10 km/h" for American roads. > I'm not sure what others do around the world but I do believe that multiples > of 5 km/h may be used and sometimes other odd multiples as well. > > Phil > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf > Of Bill Potts > Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 1:29 PM > To: U.S. Metric Association > Subject: [USMA:29372] RE: Canadian metric muddle evident > > Richard Kim wrote: > "Ironically, no one complained when we increased the speed limits from 55 > mph (88.5 kph)!" > > Two things about that. > > First the symbol for kilometers per hour is km/h, as correctly shown on the > inner scale of almost all U.S. speedometers. The letter p is the symbol for > the prefix, "peta," which would make kph the non-SI value, "kilopetahours." > > Second, conversion of speed limits to SI would never be as precise as the > value you indicate -- although I realize that you almost certainly wouldn't > recommend the use of 88.5 km/h signs (as opposed to the more rational 90 > km/h). > > I'd like to see 55 mph, 60 mph, 65 mph, 70 mph and 75 mph replaced by 90 > km/h, 100 km/h, 110 km/h, 120 km/h and 130 km/h, respectively. If those > states who now have a 75 mph top speed limit don't like 130 km/h, they can > always opt for 120 km/h. (Interestingly, in Germany, 130 km/h is considered > the appropriate speed [Richtgeschwindigkeit] for the Autobahns. However, on > those stretches where speed limits are posted, anything over 120 km/h is > rare.) > > Having said all that, let me be the first to welcome you to the USMA list. > > Bill Potts, CMS > Roseville, CA > http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] >
