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In the U.S., we can at least say it is
"legally preferred."
----- Original Message -----
Sent: 06 Apr 04,Tuesday 22:33
Subject: [USMA:35566] Re: height and
weight
At least in the United Kingdom we can quote the law -
technically metric units MUST be used for "commercial, public
health, public administration or public safety purposes". This
means that if anybody who requires your height or weight is obliged to accept
it in metric units.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2006 3:32
AM
Subject: [USMA:35565] Re: height and
weight
Anytime I do something like that it ends up disastrous. I can't
give my weight in kilograms at the blood bank; they make me do the
calculations to change the weight on the form to 'normal units'.
I would possibly make them take my weight in kilograms except for the
fact that the donor machine they hook you up to requires them to
enter the patients height and weight; they either can't or don't know
how to enter metric units into the machine.
Just recently I had to be fingerprinted and have a background check
done for a training programme I'm entering. They needed to know my
weight, I gave them kilograms. The problem was that they enter all
this information into a computer and they don't have a way to put kilograms
in the computer; once again it was up to me to convert it to pounds before
we could go any further.
Until we're able to actually give our weight in the unit of our choice
I don't see how we can get other people to become metric minded. As it
currently is I have to know how to convert kilograms to pounds mentally for
anyone to take the information! The people I give the information to
also have a tendency to act as though I'm purposely trying to be weird, odd
and just plain trying to give them a hard time.
Richard
In a message dated 2006-01-04 15:11:32 Eastern Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
This
morning, while I was filling out the forms for my first visit to
an
oral surgeon, I had to give my height and weight. The two
blanks were not
labeled as to units, but I would have crossed out the
WOMBAT labels if they
were there. I gleefully wrote in 1.73 m and 74
kg. Everyone was much too
busy to comment, but this is the first time I
have had an opportunity to
quote my dimensions in SI units. We'll see
if they notice.
Paul Trusten, R.Ph.
3609 Caldera Boulevard,
Apt. 122
Midland TX 79707-2872 USA
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Editor,
"Metric Today"
U.S. Metric Association,
Inc.
www.metric.org
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