Pat, The reason I was asking is because from time to time there is a tendency to speak of record amounts in imperial. But I think I understand why this may not happen in Australia. The conversion of petrol pumps from gallons to litres took place about the same time as the change in currency. Older people may have a recollection of petrol prices from the old days, but to express the price of a gallon of petrol in present dollar terms for the sake of nostalgia doesn't really have the same effect until it is given in the old currency as well. And with no one having a feel for the old currency today, the effect of gallon prices would not be apparent as it would be if there was no currency change.
Despite decimalisation, the UK still uses the pound and new and old amounts are convertible making a price comparison in gallons somewhat meaningful. Also, the UK did not convert their pump sales to litres until some years after the currency conversion. Thus gallon pricing did exist in the decimal currency and some feeling for the old units still persist and unofficial pricing in gallons in print still exists even if it is dieing out. What do you think? Euric ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pat Naughtin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Mighty Chimp" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, 2004-05-15 02:09 Subject: Re: [USMA:29792] Re: Petrol prices > Dear Euric, > > No not here. Petrol prices in Australia have been quoted in $/L or c/L since > 1974 July 1 and I have not seen any attempt to resurrect the gallon in this > or any other context. > > Keep in mind that Australia chose the simple conversion table: > > 1000 millilitres = 1 litre > 1000 litres = 1 kilolitre > 1000 kilolitres = 1 megalitre > > for measuring volume and capacity. > > We did not muddy the conversion waters with centilitres, decilitres, > dekalitres and hectolitres, so the transition was straightforward and > complete. > > Cheers, > > Pat Naughtin LCAMS > Geelong, Australia > -- > > on 2004-05-15 12.04, MightyChimp at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > I'm just curious about something. Whenever the price of petrol is in the > > news, as it is now, is there ever a reversion to reporting gallon prices? > > > > Euric > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Pat Naughtin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: "Mighty Chimp" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "U.S. Metric Association" > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Friday, 2004-05-14 19:17 > > Subject: Re: [USMA:29782] Petrol prices > > > > > > Dear Euric, > > > > Prices in Australia are now around 1 $/L from a base about 85 c/L a few > > weeks ago. Currently the conversion rate to USD is about 70 cents. > > > > Cheers, > > > > Pat Naughtin > > Geelong, Australia > >
