Pat, Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't the Australian government ban the importation and sale of non-metric measuring devices in the 70s and 80s? This ban helped wean the people off of FFU much faster then if the sale of non-metric measuring devices had been permitted.
Euric ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pat Naughtin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, 2004-07-09 18:06 Subject: [USMA:30343] Re: Tape measures > Dear Bill, > > I am right handed, so it is convenient for me to hold the tape measure > casing in my left hand so that I can mark � along the top edge of the tape � > with my right, writing, hand. > > Perhaps many tape measures are being made for left handed people, tee hee. > > In any case, I don't have this problem at all as I buy tapes that are marked > in millimetres � only. > > Cheers, > > Pat Naughtin LCAMS > Geelong, Australia > > Pat Naughtin is the editor of the free online newsletter, 'Metrication > matters'. You can subscribe by sending an email containing the words > subscribe Metrication matters to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > -- > > on 2004-07-10 02.08, Bill Hooper at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > I have often wondered about dual-unit tape measures with Ye Olde English > > inches along the top edge and nice SI-metric centimetres along the bottom > > edge. I hear it said that this arrangement favors inches to the detriment of > > metric. Here is a typical quote form "A Very British Mess" publication of the > > UKMA: > > > >> metric-only measuring tapes are very hard to obtain in the UK. The > >> commonly-available dual tapes have imperial on top and metric on the bottom - > >> making it awkward to use the metric edge. > > > > Could some of you amateur carpenters out there explain to me why it is easier > > to use the markings on the top edge of the tape measure than the ones on the > > bottom edge? If there is a reason, why can't the tape be turned left to right > > so that the metric edge is on top (although the numbers would be upside down). > > That might also help left handed carpenters, I should think, since the tape > > would now extend from right to left instead of from left to right. > > > > Or is this just another one of those "that's the way we've always done it so > > it's impossible to do it any other way" situations that really has no solid > > reason behind it? > > > > Regards, > > Bill Hooper > > Fernandina Beach, Florida, USA > > <><><><><><><><><><><><> > > Make it simple; Make it Metric > > <><><><><><><><><><><><> > > >
