Then why have BWMA members been writing to the media complaining of too much
metric as if they don't understand it. This only shows their willful
ignorance.
I think that over-doing it in regards to metric usage in the media (which is very small) just looks silly. If a TV show intended for a British audience said "2 km of beach" when almost everyone talks in miles just looks like someone behind the scenes is meddling to achieve political correctness. I blame PC rather than the metric system.
They're certainly more likely to know the answer to either of those questions than the length of a mile in yards.
Correct - most will respond with 'why do i need to know that'?
I was talking about the UK where (as you keep telling us) metric is not the
norm at a personal level. I still contend that this is just one example that
presents obstacles to people learning to use metric properly and realising
it's advantages.
So how do you stop people from using imperial?
It isn't as technical as all that. It's well known that the UK adult
population are quite weak at maths and that the problem is not merely
academic. An article appeared on the BBC web site a couple of years ago
reporting the result of a survey showing that one third of people cannot
calculate such things as area, in either metres or feet. A well known TV DIY
presenter said that people waste huge amounts of money on decorating because
they can't calculate their material requirements.
If it were true (and I have no proof) then I'd say that learning more about maths is going to make you more number-literate than teaching less. Teach me only the 10 times table and I'll get by. Teach me the 12 times table and now I'm learning. I'm afraid that if the trend is downward in maths-knowledge then its prob down to something else. Reliance on calculators might be a good start.
The measurement mess may well be, and probably is, a contributary factor. It
is therefore irresponsible for any pressure group to resist a change for the
better.
Well since I don't agree with that I won't accept that removing the choice to use our traditional weights and measures is a good thing.
Maybe but it requires competence with both sets of incompatible measures. So
much for choice.
They are compatible in a conversional way. 'Choice' is having more options
Your hatred of the EU is a common theme among BWMA members.
So you have a record of all BWMA members and their views on the EU?
I know many pro-metrics that hate the EU
I also know a hell of a lot of imperial-users who support the EU.
I once remember Jon Humphrys (BBC newsperson) reprimanding a weather forecaster on TV. The weather bloke said something like "Tommorow it will be 28C, thats a delightful 82F to all you eurosceptics." Humphrys's retort was "You don't have to be eurosceptic to prefer Fahrenheit".
Still - if you wish to nuture generalisations....
The case concerning the Austrian theme pub is singularly unimpressive when
you consider the rarity of publicans challenging the enforcement of the pint
and the lack of pressure to sell in litres.
Guess what? There's really no demand for metric glasses in UK pubs! Really! There isn't! The Austrian Theme pub had to be defended because the traditional glass in Austrian pubs are steins etc - based upon the litre. Simple.
Set that against a much more
vigorous campaign of interfering with metric distance signs and allying
themselves with that dangerous bunch of fruit cakes called Active Resistance
to Metrication, who have no qualms about meddling with hazard warning signs.
If I find a metric road sign I'll be sure to tell you about it. I suspect "ARM" aren't really that busy over here!
Parity? They have a funny way of showing it. Just look at the tone of their web site. They talk of "metric idiocy", blaming the metric system for poor measurement practice and "metric ripp offs", where traders have down-sized to rational metric sizes without reducng prices,
The blame is on those taking advantage of metricising - not metric itself.
yet they totally ignore the scams wrought by dual measures where, for example, price reductions are per kilogram but selling prices per pound (Tesco in fact).
Tesco show reduction by the pound and price per pound. If an item is shown per kg then it will show a per kg price reduction.
Sainsbury are guilty of "using" the per kilo price drop. They've been exploiting metric. Their market share is also falling.
The aims of USMA and UKMA are the same for their respective countries. Any differences in strategy merely reflect the differences in political, legal and commercial culture they have to deal with.
That could be a reason for it. I agree. The US tends to be a lot "free-er" since the UK got trapped in the EU.
Your views of keeping dual measures and the misguided notion of choice are no less incongruous to USMA than UKMA. If you think that the American association sympathises with your stance of resisting full metrication you are very much mistaken and you won't drive a weg between the two associations no matter how hard you try.
1) I suspect that many people have many diversant views on both sides - you cannot simply pigeon hole eveyone to one extreme or another.
2) Calling me misguided gives me a feeling of correctitude. Even if it means inventing a new work there ;-)
3) I am not driving a wedge - it is my view based upon my opinion based upon what I have seen and read. I cannot be bothered to even attempt to drive this "wedge" - the task would be fruitless and its not in my style. Personally I like some of the posts made to this USMA site, and have enyoyed some of the personal emails sent just to me. I also think that if it was my intention to aggravate people and to try to generate friction "from within" then the USMA would quickly see through it and warn me to stop doing it. I've clearly said that I am a BWMA member on a number of occassions and I credit all the people here with the inteligence of realising that I may not agree on a number of issues - but to try to do what you have suggested? I really don't think so.
