The problem is companies - makers of cars, cell phone providers, etc. - not offering options, even when it is very easy for them to do so, because of a misguided if not arrogant opinion that no 'Merican wants that furrin' metric stuff, doesn't want that 24-hour clock, etc.
Carleton -------------- Original message -------------- From: "STANLEY DOORE" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Year 2000 Cadillacs have an English/metric button which toggles all digital > displays between English and metric units. So metric IS and has been > available in US autos. > Regards, Stan Doore > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Carleton MacDonald" > To: "U.S. Metric Association" > Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 11:34 PM > Subject: [USMA:39398] Re: Metric not avialable in US (was: The Irish Times > today) > > > > My 1999 Saab 9-5, a USA model, has four settings on the computer display. > > > > 1. US - miles, gallons, 12-hr clock, Fahrenheit. > > 2. UK1 - miles, Imperial gallons, 12-hr clock, Fahrenheit. > > 3. UK2 - miles, Imperial gallons, 12-hr clock, Celsius. > > 4. Metric - km, l, 24-hour clock, Celsius. > > > > The speedometer is analog, and in miles, but the km is large and > > illuminated > > and visible at night. The digital odometer and trip meter is in miles but > > I > > have a mechanic friend with an OBD connection who says he can fix that > > with > > his plug-in device. > > > > Saab has no trouble giving people what they want. The model is identical > > to > > the Canadian car except for the speedometer. > > > > On the other hand, I rented a Toyota in San Francisco a couple weeks ago. > > Everything was in wombat and could not be changed. Many Toyotas and > > Mercedes are made in the USA; maybe that's why they are resistant. > > (However, my friend's Prius could have the digital speed display change. > > But then so too did a 1986 Oldsmobile I rented once!) > > > > Carleton > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf > > Of Michael Payne > > Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 22:42 > > To: U.S. Metric Association > > Subject: [USMA:39396] Re: Metric not avialable in US (was: The Irish Times > > today) > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: > > 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." > >>> 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 : > >>> > >>> > 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. > >>> > > >>> > C 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 > >>> > >> > > > > > >
