----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, 11 September 2007 20:15
Subject: [USMA:39365] Re: The Irish Times today
What do you think the USMA and its members ought to be doing in response?
The best thing we can do is insist that companies provide both metric and
non metric on all web sites, brochures and products available in the US or
they lose our business. I've written here before about my problems getting a
vehicle in the US with metric units. I actually ordered a Mercedes E320
Diesel, paid a $2000 deposit and then got a letter (from Mercedes General
Counsel no less) saying it's a policy of Mercedes Benz USA was not to import
vehicles with metric units, in this case the cabin temperature selector,
outside temperature indication and km/h on the speedometer. I immediately
wrote back to Mercedes and cancelled my order.
Here is what I wrote:
I received yesterday a letter yesterday from Frank Berenz, General Counsel
at Mercedes Benz USA LLC. They will not honor my request to have Celsius
cabin temperature displays or a speedometer displaying km/h and MPH, despite
these items being legal in the United States.
I've thought long and hard and feel I cannot purchase a vehicle where this
option is not available to me. I would therefore like to cancel the purchase
of the Mercedes E320 Bluetec. Not getting this car is a big disappointment
to me, but I'm adamant that I'll purchase what I want and not what someone
in New Jersey thinks I want.
It would have been a very simple request to facilitate, the car was being
delivered in Germany and the items are readily available. Perhaps Mercedes
Benz USA will reassess its policy in the future, in which case you can
contact me and I'll decide whether I will then proceed to purchase a new
vehicle. There are many people I know who believe in the metric system who
are watching this process. Mercedes USA may have lost more customers than me
as a result of their actions.
I've already made a $2000 deposit, I'd like that returned to me.
I got a response which I'll post later when I get home. They reaffirmed
their position, this is the reply I wrote just the other day:
The first principal of Customer Service is giving the customer what they
want, within reason. The term "Customer Service" at MBUSA is an Oxymoron,
you only give the customer what you want, not what they want. This has been
stated by at least 3 different sales people at 3 different dealers. If
dealers think this, what on earth do customers think?
I've talked to many Work Colleagues, Neighbors and friends about MBUSA's
refusal to import vehicles with a Celsius Temperature option, to a man;
everyone is amazed this cannot be done.
Comments are:
1.. MBUSA is in the business of selling cars, why should they care?
2.. What difference does it make to them; they are not buying the car.
3.. They make the equipment already, why can't they just install it.
4.. Hell you're picking it up in Europe it should be easy.
This is obviously a management decision at MBUSA, whose Luddite mentality is
symptomatic of many businesses in the USA, and one of the reasons Germany
has a trade surplus and the US has a trade deficit. It's a refusal by
business in the US to acknowledge that there are people in the United States
that not only want metric, and like me (I know quite a few) who will not buy
any product that is not metric. Wake up, 96% of the planet is metric, the
other 4% live in the USA. I use Celsius in my job (in the USA), in my home
and I'll use it in my vehicles.
If you want to continue losing business, continue on your present
shortsighted course. There are many cars available with Celsius options;
none are the same quality of vehicle. All GM vehicles have a switch, which
changes everything, speedometer, temperatures, fuel consumption, tire
pressures, everything to the correct SI unit.
I have my doubts they will reply to this, they all appear to be
knuckleheads.
Luckily I'm not in dire need of a new car, my intent is to go to dealers,
tell them what I want, if necessary write to the manufacturer, if I cannot
get what I want they lose my business, I just need them to know they will
lose my business.
Mike Payne
1 Thorton Court
Potomac Falls VA 20165
Ezra
-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Paul Trusten, R.Ph." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
OUCH!!
This REALLY HURTS!
U.S. anti-metrics are going to be repeating ad nauseam Verheugen's
statement
about "honoring the culture and traditions" of a non-metric country.
Dear metrological world,since when has culture and tradition been an
obstacle to
the establishment of international measurement standards? Give me a break
and a
half! Or, rather, give me 1.5 breaks.
Quoting Han Maenen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
> Irish times today:
>
> Last Updated: 11/09/2007 13:14
> Irish pint safe after measured EU move
>
> The Irish pint is safe after the European Commission announced a policy
> U-turn today.
>
> The European Union executive said Irish and British pubs may go on
> serving
> beer in pints after 2009, when such measures were due to be phased out.
>
> It also said Britain may continue to use miles on road signs and speed
> limits, and to weigh gold in troy ounces. Moreover, grocers will be
> allowed
> to display weights in pounds and ounces alongside metric measurements
> indefinitely.
>
> Since 1995, goods sold in Europe have had to display metric weights and
> measurements.
>
> Ireland ditched miles and adopted kilometres in the mid-1990s, despite
> retaining right-hand drive cars and driving on the left.
>
> After consulting industry and consumers, the commission gave an
> indefinite
> reprieve from the legal obligation to use metric units for milk in
> returnable
> bottles and beer and cider on draught in response to widespread public
> hostility.
>
> "This proposal . . . honours the culture and traditions of Great
> Britain and
> Ireland, which are important to the European Commission," EU Enterprise
> Commissioner Guenter Verheugen said in a statement.
>
> Mr Verheugen said the commission's proposal, which must be
> rubber-stamped by
> member nations, would also help trade with the United States by
> extending
> indefinitely the right to use dual measurement in labelling in the
> metric and
> imperial systems.
>
> "We're not abolishing metric. We're just saying imperial can be used
> alongside metric," spokesman Ton van Lierop said.
>
> However, land area will no longer be registered in acres since neither
> Ireland nor Britain uses the measurement officially.
>
> © 2007 ireland.com
>
--
Paul Trusten, R.Ph.
Public Relations Director
U.S. Metric Association, Inc.
Phone +1(432)528-7724
www.metric.org
3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apartment 122
Midland TX 79707-2872 USA
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://oleapothecary.blog.com
