I tend to agree, it could have a negative impact as it tends t anger those against the metric system and they resist using it even more. Might however be nice if the instructions highlighted it better and encouraged the benefits of using metric measurements, i.e. Sharing info with doctors who use metric weight more and more as the standard, for medicine dosing etc. Maybe someone could write up something to send to these companies to included in their documentation and educate their users.
From: Kilopascal [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, August 11, 2013 8:28 AM To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:53149] Re: my letter to Taylor Precision Products (sent as a consumer) Paul, I can give you one reason why they won't do that. The majority of their American customers unfortunately prefer pounds. Two things would happen if they set the switch to kilograms. One, people would return the scale to the store and insist it is broken, not knowing it is displaying in kilograms. Two, the company will be inundated with calls by customers complaining the scale they bought is broken and doesn't read right. Very few people read the directions of a product they buy unless they run into problems. Those who might realise that the scale is set to kilograms might be angered by it and want to know why a product sold in the US is not set to pounds. The only way you might encounter a scale in kilograms is if a scale destined for the international market ended up on American shelves. I feel that if all scale companies made only kilogram scales there might be a resistance to buying them at first, but the eventually people wanting to weigh themselves would buy them and either learn kilograms or convert the number they see. Just be happy you bought a scale that has the ability to display in kilograms and wasn't pounds only. [USMA:53149] Re: my letter to Taylor Precision Products (sent as a consumer)<http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]&q=subject:%22%5BUSMA%3A53149%5D+Re%3A+my+letter+to+Taylor+Precision+Products+%28sent+as+a+consumer%29%22> Paul Trusten<http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]&q=from:%22Paul+Trusten%22> Sat, 10 Aug 2013 20:23:17 -0700<http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]&q=date:20130810> Yes, it did, as I explained in the letter. I wrote to the company to urge it to set its default to kilograms instead of pounds---just a letter to push the company in the right direction despite the anti-metric orientation it possesses when marketing its products in the U.S. It was easy to switch the stcale over to kilograms, but as I explained, I wanted the company to set it to kilograms right from the start. Nice scale, by the way! It reads out much faster than my old one, and it has an LED readout, so you can weigh yourself in the dark (grin). Paul Trusten, Registered Pharmacist Vice President and Public Relations Director U.S. Metric Association, Inc. www.metric.org<http://www.metric.org> [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> On Aug 10, 2013, at 21:12, "Carleton MacDonald" <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: > Did the scale have a lb-kg switch underneath? Mine did and all I had to do > is move the switch one time before using it, and it was all set. > > My friend Barbara in Kenilworth, UK has a digital scale with three settings, > viz.: lb, kg, st. > > Carleton > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf > Of Paul Trusten > Sent: Saturday, August 10, 2013 21:26 > To: U.S. Metric Association > Subject: [USMA:53147] my letter to Taylor Precision Products (sent as a > consumer) > > I am delighted with my purchase of your Taylor Digital Bath Scale, Model > 7562! It is an attractive addition to my bathroom, and I appreciate the LED > readout so the scale can be read in any light. However, I was disappointed > to discover that the measurement units defaulted to pounds, and I had to > stop and set it to read out in kilograms. I was born and raised right here > in the USA, but I think metric is the way to go now. Why not have your scale > start there? And, it also makes it easier for doctors to dose some > medications if people can conveniently report their weight to them in > kilograms. > > Thanks, > > Paul Trusten > > >
