Kilopascal suggested that the UKMA should go around “correcting” signposts. There is a simple reason why UKMA do not do that - ARM are a bunch of vandals, UKMA are not.
_____ From: Kilopascal [mailto:kilopas...@cox.net] Sent: 12 August 2011 15:22 To: John M. Steele; U.S. Metric Association Subject: Re: [USMA:50950] Road safety experts ignore UK sign problems John, Testing foreign drivers for a knowledge of imperial is both time consuming & costly. Plus, what would it really prove? That Someone memorized a few numbers from a book? Plus such a suggestion is something the opposition would propose as a means for foreigners to learn imperial. Looking at Martin's comment concerning the data in his handbook, you will notice that the imperial is in decimal inches. From your own experience, how many imperial/USC users can easily relate feet and inches, to decimal inches or decimal feet? At least quickly? Consider a foreign driver who may know just enough imperial to be dangerous. An imperial sign comes up quickly and he may have only seconds to decide if his vehicle is going to fit? If life-long imperial users can't switch between feet & inches and decimal inches, how would a foreign driver who may have learned just enough to pass the test? I have to agree with Michael. If ARM can run around replacing metric signs with their own non-metric, why can't the UKMA organize a group of supporters to produce and add the metric info to the existing signs, at least in the areas of the most trouble, just to prove if it helps or doesn't? Or does that make too much logical sense? * John Steele says: 2011-08-11 <http://metricviews.org.uk/2011/07/road-safety-experts-ignore-uk-sign-proble ms/comment-page-1/#comment-23261> at 11:37 @Phil But rather than administering an Imperial quiz to the driver, perhaps the license of the driver and/or registration of the truck could be used as a surrogate. If not UK, then assume a misunderstanding of Imperial may have contributed. There will be exceptions in both directions, but it may provide a good estimate from existing police reports. In the case of naturalized UK citizens, you may have to ask where is he originally from and how well does he understand imperial. I wouldn’t count on all UK citizens understanding it well either, although it should be an element of a commercial license exam. * Alex Bailey says: 2011-08-11 <http://metricviews.org.uk/2011/07/road-safety-experts-ignore-uk-sign-proble ms/comment-page-1/#comment-23262> at 11:48 One of the biggest problem with local authorities seems to be that they’re only concerned with their current budget and the bottom line at the end of the current financial year. Last time I spoke to my local authority to query their policy on dual unit signs I was very much told that they did nothing more than was legally permissible at the lowest possible cost. What this seems to come down to yet again is that unless a higher authority insists on metric on these signs then it’s going to be a long time before it happens. * Michael Glass says: 2011-08-12 <http://metricviews.org.uk/2011/07/road-safety-experts-ignore-uk-sign-proble ms/comment-page-1/#comment-23268> at 04:48 Perhaps this is a time for local action. Why not design and produce appropriate warning signs, tip off the media and then erect the signs. The more publicity the better. If the local authorities stop you or take down the signs, they are to blame for putting petty rules and penny-pinching attitudes ahead of public safety. If anti-metrication groups try to weigh in, they can be accused of putting little England prejudice and pig-headed stupidity against the public interest. You have a wonderful opportunity to generate publicity. Seize the opportunity! * Martin Vlietstra says: 2011-08-12 <http://metricviews.org.uk/2011/07/road-safety-experts-ignore-uk-sign-proble ms/comment-page-1/#comment-23270> at 07:53 The following was picked up from a road enthusiasts website (http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8 <http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=27908&start=20> &t=27908&start=20): I wonder how many drivers have any idea of how wide their vehicles are when comparing them to a width restriction notice. My manual gives it in both Metric (2000 mm) and Imperial (78.8″) over wing mirrors. So even with that, nothing to compare easily with a sign in feet/inches. Bodywork is 1790 mm, 70.4″. I seems that when driving on the M4 from Heathrow into London I am not permitted to use the perfectly normal-sized lane 3 (the old bus lane) because this has a signed limit now of 6’6″, unless I pull in my wing mirror a bit. Likewise any lane 3 through motorway roadworks, signed as 6’6″. Until I wrote this I never realised.
