Lots of stuff is built with imperial measurements and as my dad who was an engineer would say 'you use the measurement system it was designed with as theres always conversion errors'
People don't like change and they say metric is hard to understand it , well I am nigh on 80 and I use metric all the time for liquid, weight and distance , it is so much easier counting in 10s.
The only time I refer to the old measurements is money , having a pint in the pub Mon/Friday a pint of bitter cost 11 old pennies (4.5p) on Saturdays I would have Best bitter 1 shilling and 1 old penny (5.5p) now it is a whopping £3 + a pint , my wages was 1 shilling and 3 old pennies an hour (6.2p)
It's time we finally done away with the imperial system. Why is every other country in the world (except the U.S.) now using kilometres and metres on their road signs while we continue to use miles and yards? It makes us look so backward-looking. Expense can't be an excuse, it would probably cost less than a billion and even less if only old worn out signs were replaced with metric for at least the first few years of changeover.
Having said that, most countries still use imperial as well as metric for things such as TV screen sizes, and I doubt this will change until the U.S. finally goes metric, which still shows no sign of happening.
I find it a bit strange when reading things in kilometres. I prefer to read lengths/speed in miles. I suppose that's because it's what I've been used to seeing and hearing when growing up.
Not at all, people (including my young grandkids) will use whatever measurement they feel is most natural for what they are measuring or describing. 4'6 is more natural and easy to remember than 1m 37; a 50 inch TV screen easier than 127 cm and everyone can visualize a foot rather than say 30 cm (ish). That kind of thing.
Sometimes it works better the other way round... I use grams and mm for example, for small measurements, and I wouldn't go back to £ s d.
Does anybody think of any of these in metric terms?
fuel consumption of their cars in other than mpg?
height in other than feet and inches?
Baby's weight in other than pounds
Your own weight in other than stones.
If you do you are probably under 30. But I doubt if many do any of the above.
I think of all of those in metric terms, but I am under 30.
The only Imperial quantity I use is miles, but that's only for really vague imprecise values (eg. "Oh, it's about 3 miles down the road").
If I want to give a precise distance, it's kilometres every time.
It's time we finally done away with the imperial system. Why is every other country in the world (except the U.S.) now using kilometres and metres on their road signs while we continue to use miles and yards? It makes us look so backward-looking. Expense can't be an excuse, it would probably cost less than a billion and even less if only old worn out signs were replaced with metric for at least the first few years of changeover.
Having said that, most countries still use imperial as well as metric for things such as TV screen sizes, and I doubt this will change until the U.S. finally goes metric, which still shows no sign of happening.
Why is using miles seen as backward ? use MPH or KPH it is still the same distance to get where you are going. In general some people may find it easier to calculate in metric than imperial but neither is more accurate .
People don't like change and they say metric is hard to understand it , well I am nigh on 80 and I use metric all the time for liquid, weight and distance , it is so much easier counting in 10s.
The only time I refer to the old measurements is money , having a pint in the pub Mon/Friday a pint of bitter cost 11 old pennies (4.5p) on Saturdays I would have Best bitter 1 shilling and 1 old penny (5.5p) now it is a whopping £3 + a pint , my wages was 1 shilling and 3 old pennies an hour (6.2p)
So if beer is about 60 times more expensive, then you need to be on 372p an hour, about 140 quid a week to have kept pace. A bit more than state pension, but it shows beer isn't that expensive today compared to back in the day.
Why do Pubs stick to Pints ?. More to the Point , Why O Why don't" Weights and Measures" make all pubs replace their Glasses with a Pint Line and Half Pint Line on them. We are short measured every time we buy a drink, yet when you ask for just a Half they pour it into a Half Pint Glass so you don't get more than a Half but they are happy to give you a Short Pint every time.
Im pretty sure I must have been taught metric due to my age, but I dont actually remember and really cant visualise metres or kilos. I dont think think I use metric at all
Don't you ever buy things like butter, flour, sugar and cartons of fruit juice? They, and plenty of other things, are almost universally packaged in metric these days.
People don't like change and they say metric is hard to understand it , well I am nigh on 80 and I use metric all the time for liquid, weight and distance , it is so much easier counting in 10s.
The only time I refer to the old measurements is money , having a pint in the pub Mon/cFriday a pint of bitter cost 11 old pennies (4.5p) on Saturdays I would have Best bitter 1 shilling and 1 old penny (5.5p) now it is a whopping £3 + a pint , my wages was 1 shilling and 3 old pennies an hour (6.2p)
Nice to see you Uncle Fester hope your doing ok, I can still go to my butchers and ask for a a pound of mince meat or stewing steak, that because I know it's the right amount I need other than that I use metric.
I am nearing twice 30 but measure my exercise activities including weights and distances for that using kilos and metres. In fact I once turned down free membership of a gym because it had US equipment that only used imperial measurements.
Don't you ever buy things like butter, flour, sugar and cartons of fruit juice? They, and plenty of other things, are almost universally packaged in metric these days.
No to all of the above because I dont eat/drink them, but I get your point, of course things are packaged in metric, but that doesnt mean that I think to myself, oh, I need a kilo of this, or a litre of that, those measurements dont register with me.
In any case, I think, milk is still in pints and things in packs come as pounds even though its measured as metric.
I sleep in a 5 foot bed, the width of my car is x foot and x inches, I see the world in foot and inches and stones and pounds
Why do Pubs stick to Pints ?. More to the Point , Why O Why don't" Weights and Measures" make all pubs replace their Glasses with a Pint Line and Half Pint Line on them. We are short measured every time we buy a drink, yet when you ask for just a Half they pour it into a Half Pint Glass so you don't get more than a Half but they are happy to give you a Short Pint every time.
I'm pretty sure they can only sell beer in pints, half pints and I believe third pints (not that anyone does to my knowledge).
ETA: It seems two thirds of a pint is now an option as well
Why do Pubs stick to Pints ?. More to the Point , Why O Why don't" Weights and Measures" make all pubs replace their Glasses with a Pint Line and Half Pint Line on them. We are short measured every time we buy a drink, yet when you ask for just a Half they pour it into a Half Pint Glass so you don't get more than a Half but they are happy to give you a Short Pint every time.
A man goes into a pub and orders a pint. The landlord pulls the pint and places it on the bar.
Customer: Do you think you could fit a small whisky in there?
Landlord: Oh, I should think so, yes.
Customer: Then fill the ****er up with beer, you ****.
mintbro
Posts: 6,733
Comments
Royale with cheese...
The only time I refer to the old measurements is money , having a pint in the pub Mon/Friday a pint of bitter cost 11 old pennies (4.5p) on Saturdays I would have Best bitter 1 shilling and 1 old penny (5.5p) now it is a whopping £3 + a pint , my wages was 1 shilling and 3 old pennies an hour (6.2p)
Having said that, most countries still use imperial as well as metric for things such as TV screen sizes, and I doubt this will change until the U.S. finally goes metric, which still shows no sign of happening.
Not at all, people (including my young grandkids) will use whatever measurement they feel is most natural for what they are measuring or describing. 4'6 is more natural and easy to remember than 1m 37; a 50 inch TV screen easier than 127 cm and everyone can visualize a foot rather than say 30 cm (ish). That kind of thing.
Sometimes it works better the other way round... I use grams and mm for example, for small measurements, and I wouldn't go back to £ s d.
fuel consumption of their cars in other than mpg?
height in other than feet and inches?
Baby's weight in other than pounds
Your own weight in other than stones.
If you do you are probably under 30. But I doubt if many do any of the above.
I don't see why.
They're only numbers, and as long as you know the units, it doesn't matter which system is being used.
'50' on a road sign means 50mph, so it's not as though you have to learn both systems and then try to figure out which one to use!
I think of all of those in metric terms, but I am under 30.
The only Imperial quantity I use is miles, but that's only for really vague imprecise values (eg. "Oh, it's about 3 miles down the road").
If I want to give a precise distance, it's kilometres every time.
Why is using miles seen as backward ? use MPH or KPH it is still the same distance to get where you are going. In general some people may find it easier to calculate in metric than imperial but neither is more accurate .
So if beer is about 60 times more expensive, then you need to be on 372p an hour, about 140 quid a week to have kept pace. A bit more than state pension, but it shows beer isn't that expensive today compared to back in the day.
It's dead catchy.
Hahah and there is the reason I prefer Imperial.
Nice to see you Uncle Fester hope your doing ok, I can still go to my butchers and ask for a a pound of mince meat or stewing steak, that because I know it's the right amount I need other than that I use metric.
No to all of the above because I dont eat/drink them, but I get your point, of course things are packaged in metric, but that doesnt mean that I think to myself, oh, I need a kilo of this, or a litre of that, those measurements dont register with me.
In any case, I think, milk is still in pints and things in packs come as pounds even though its measured as metric.
I sleep in a 5 foot bed, the width of my car is x foot and x inches, I see the world in foot and inches and stones and pounds
I'm pretty sure they can only sell beer in pints, half pints and I believe third pints (not that anyone does to my knowledge).
ETA: It seems two thirds of a pint is now an option as well
http://www.beerandpub.com/industry-briefings/weights-and-measures
A man goes into a pub and orders a pint. The landlord pulls the pint and places it on the bar.
Customer: Do you think you could fit a small whisky in there?
Landlord: Oh, I should think so, yes.
Customer: Then fill the ****er up with beer, you ****.