Why does the US persist with imperial units of measurement?
First, I suspect that Americans would deny that they are imperial units. The
US authorities have probably had a look at countries like Australia who have
adopted the SI system and decided that it isn't worth the effort. After nearly
30 years of metrication most Australians give their height and weight in
imperial units (even those born since metrication) and new-born babies are still
recorded in Herald classifieds as being of weights such as 7lb 5oz. You
don't have to look too hard in the newspaper to find units like inches, acres,
horsepower, calories ... but don't get me started.
Gary Sullivan, Sans Souci
For the same reason (or rather lack of it) that it re-elected George W.
Bush.
Rich Blackmon, Mississippi, USA
As an American I can say it is because the majority of Americans do not
acknowledge the concept of a "global standard". Americans are under the
impression that the "rest of the world" is an odd, quaint, confusing and
sometimes hostile place that is really trying darn hard to catch up with America
and do things the right way, but just sometimes these foreigners need a little
help to understand how to do stuff properly. I mean, really; soccer,
centimetres, public health, what are these crazy foreigners talking about.
Andrew Nelson, Earlwood
I am an 11-year-old boy and I have had a few acquaintances who are American
children. Some of them are quite bright, but along with American adults they
don't care what the rest of the world thinks - especially when the rest of the
world is right. The rest of the world considers this ignorance. Is a metre
really too far for an American?
Benjamin Mellefont, Bondi Beach
The answer is in the question itself ... and, anyway, if Belle France,
originator of the metric system, cannot support the "coalition of the willing"
why should "them good ole boys" measure their SUVs' fuel consumption in
(mega)litres per 100 kilometres?
Matt Walsh, Hughes, ACT
