I agree we should changw to metric and get rid of the confusing and archaic imperial system. It's not even consistent. It has two types of ton and our pint is different to the American pint, and don't even get started on all the different miles!
Metric units are consistent. Why can't we change our road signs and speed limits. Ireland managed it very successfully and so did all the Commonwealth countries except us. It's time to stop being stuck in the past.
I don't like the term Europhile in reference to British people. British people are Europeans themselves...
If you look historically at the make up of the British people, they left mainland Europe to come here, they even fought to get in here. A thousand and more years later, they're doing it again but without the battle.
We should be fully changed to metric now. When I started school in 1989 we only learned metric. We didn't learn inches, stone or pounds so why are we still using them. When I see signs for yards I don't have a clue what they're on about. Use metres God sake! Theres no value in using the old fashioned system so ditch it. It would be more useful and practical to use the same system across all of Europe.
Strangely, I started school some 45 years before you and we were taught both systems.
The UK is metric. We keep the mile and pint for cultural and traditional reasons and I believe we should retain them for those reasons alone. It is good to be distinct from elsewhere. It's not a problem or inconvenient that we keep these units. Long may we keep them.
I agree we should changw to metric and get rid of the confusing and archaic imperial system. It's not even consistent. It has two types of ton and our pint is different to the American pint, and don't even get started on all the different miles!
Metric units are consistent. Why can't we change our road signs and speed limits. Ireland managed it very successfully and so did all the Commonwealth countries except us. It's time to stop being stuck in the past.
I'm not bothered what system you use (and Metric wouldn't replace Imperial in all spheres anyway), but without some compelling reason I see no point in all the unnecessary expenditure.
He's 2 and err.. a bit yards tall. But if we go all French.. I mean metric there would be no yardstick anyway. And meterstick doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.
I agree we should changw to metric and get rid of the confusing and archaic imperial system. It's not even consistent. It has two types of ton and our pint is different to the American pint, and don't even get started on all the different miles!
Metric units are consistent. Why can't we change our road signs and speed limits. Ireland managed it very successfully and so did all the Commonwealth countries except us. It's time to stop being stuck in the past.
But, seriously, what is wrong with using whatever unit is the most suitable for the context? I have a science degree so I'm fluent in SI, but there are times when the Imperial measures are just more useful. Being conversant in both is a benefit.
You don't need a science degree to be fluent in SI. Everyone who went to school since at least the 70s was taught metric. My parents (in their 70s) are fully fluent in metric. The problem is that my generation left school and left home and had to learn to buy our carrots in imperial. It took a bit of getting used to, and was an utter waste of time.
I still struggle with distances in imperial, except for miles for driving. Miles works for driving distances because that's what I've always been exposed to. I'd much rather shorter distances were metric, and I'm really not that young. I'd happily have everything change to kms. We'd get used to it soon enough. Converting to km would be a bit of a faff with signs, but we'd get used to it very soon.
I weigh myself in kg, and know my height in cms and imperial. I've no idea what my current weight is in stones and pounds.
We should be fully changed to metric now. When I started school in 1989 we only learned metric. We didn't learn inches, stone or pounds so why are we still using them. When I see signs for yards I don't have a clue what they're on about. Use metres God sake! Theres no value in using the old fashioned system so ditch it. It would be more useful and practical to use the same system across all of Europe.
It's also a bag of cement though in France that would weigh 35kg. Cement used to be sold in hundredweight (50kg) bags until elf and safety got in the way and men got weaker.
The only other worthwhile sand measure is a ton.
Nah, it used to be sold in cubic yards, much more accurate.
But yeah, who wants to weigh a baby in Kg, ridiculous idea !
I almost always use imperial because those are the measurements I am more familiar with, I went to school in the 70s and we were taught centimetres but I still know feet and inches best when cutting a piece of wood. I prefer pint measurements too and grams confuse me.
Metric has a basis that's reasonable through most of history (pure water instead of brine... or grains of barley).
Saying "both" is just another middle-ground fallacy. There can only be one. The fact that there are two different systems of measurement means that everything is already broken. There are so many costs for conversion and fixing the mistakes in conversion, from trade to manufacturing. The Mars Climate Orbiter crashed because manufacturers couldn't decide if they were to use metric or imperial. 193 million dollars down the drain. If everyone else is using metric, but British people don't push for converting to metric, there's a loss to everyone. Cull imperial altogether and may it never be seen again. It won't go away unless there's a conscious effort.
Fun fact: Wood planks are in feet and inches for area, yet in millimeters for depth. Genius, yes?
They are just measuring systems the only advantage metric has is being decimal it is easier to calculate how many of x are in y. I prefer imperial as I know how tall someone is if they are 5' 10", I've no idea off the top of my head how tall 1.75 meters is.
Changing every road sign with distances and speeds in the country is both expensive and pointless.
Saying "both" is just another middle-ground fallacy. There can only be one.
Why can there only be one? Even in metric countries there are still non-metric units in use. Time isn't metric - should there be 100 minutes in an hour? Whose silly idea was it to have 360 degrees in a circle? Surely the gradian system is more logical (or radians are more scientifically useful)
For science and engineering metric is almost always best but for every day uses I don't see the harm in having a choice and being bilingual in units. It all adds to the diversity of life
We should be fully changed to metric now. When I started school in 1989 we only learned metric. We didn't learn inches, stone or pounds so why are we still using them. When I see signs for yards I don't have a clue what they're on about. Use metres God sake! Theres no value in using the old fashioned system so ditch it. It would be more useful and practical to use the same system across all of Europe.
You have to make allowances for the poor old dears who can't get their heads around the metric system. Brooklyn Boy is quite correct; once the older generations have died off and we're left with a nation of people who were taught metric, then we can finally consign the old system to the dustbin of history -- if that's what people want.
Personally, although I was taught metric I educated myself in the old system at an early age, as I realised even then that it would be useful. So although I dislike the inconsistencies of the old system I have no problem with using it.
You have to make allowances for the poor old dears who can't get their heads around the metric system. Brooklyn Boy is quite correct; once the older generations have died off and we're left with a nation of people who were taught metric, then we can finally consign the old system to the dustbin of history -- if that's what people want.
Personally, although I was taught metric I educated myself in the old system at an early age, as I realised even then that it would be useful. So although I dislike the inconsistencies of the old system I have no problem with using it.
lol, Many of us old dears are capable of working with both systems while many of the younger ones can't even operate the one you think is simplest. As someone has remarked, plank length and width is measured in imperial, how thick they are is measured in metric...:D
You have to make allowances for the poor old dears who can't get their heads around the metric system. Brooklyn Boy is quite correct; once the older generations have died off and we're left with a nation of people who were taught metric, then we can finally consign the old system to the dustbin of history -- if that's what people want.
Personally, although I was taught metric I educated myself in the old system at an early age, as I realised even then that it would be useful. So although I dislike the inconsistencies of the old system I have no problem with using it.
The metric system requires multiplication and divsion by 10, 100, 1000 etc, which to many will be far easier that 7, 14, 16 or 212. George Osbourne will be making it compulsory straight away.
You have to make allowances for the poor old dears who can't get their heads around the metric system. Brooklyn Boy is quite correct; once the older generations have died off and we're left with a nation of people who were taught metric, then we can finally consign the old system to the dustbin of history -- if that's what people want.
Personally, although I was taught metric I educated myself in the old system at an early age, as I realised even then that it would be useful. So although I dislike the inconsistencies of the old system I have no problem with using it.
Patronizing git. I am in my thirties. And am fully versed in both systems. I would be happy to use Imperial.
Why can there only be one? Even in metric countries there are still non-metric units in use. Time isn't metric - should there be 100 minutes in an hour? Whose silly idea was it to have 360 degrees in a circle? Surely the gradian system is more logical (or radians are more scientifically useful)
It's all a bit weird. After all a metre is derived from a non-metric unit, it being 1/299,792,458 of a second. And meter being the American version of a metre. But I blame the EU-
Originally we were meant to go all French, but then there's a world outside the EU so stuff needed to be labelled in both metric and imperial. Which is one way to spot fake 'export' products. But as the EU is supposed to encourage diversity, why can't both measuring systems live together in harmony?
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Metric units are consistent. Why can't we change our road signs and speed limits. Ireland managed it very successfully and so did all the Commonwealth countries except us. It's time to stop being stuck in the past.
If you look historically at the make up of the British people, they left mainland Europe to come here, they even fought to get in here. A thousand and more years later, they're doing it again but without the battle.
Strangely, I started school some 45 years before you and we were taught both systems.
I'm not bothered what system you use (and Metric wouldn't replace Imperial in all spheres anyway), but without some compelling reason I see no point in all the unnecessary expenditure.
It's pronounced Maastricht.
What are the two types?
You don't need a science degree to be fluent in SI. Everyone who went to school since at least the 70s was taught metric. My parents (in their 70s) are fully fluent in metric. The problem is that my generation left school and left home and had to learn to buy our carrots in imperial. It took a bit of getting used to, and was an utter waste of time.
I still struggle with distances in imperial, except for miles for driving. Miles works for driving distances because that's what I've always been exposed to. I'd much rather shorter distances were metric, and I'm really not that young. I'd happily have everything change to kms. We'd get used to it soon enough. Converting to km would be a bit of a faff with signs, but we'd get used to it very soon.
I weigh myself in kg, and know my height in cms and imperial. I've no idea what my current weight is in stones and pounds.
The British ton is the 'long ton', which is bigger than an American ton aka 'shot ton'.
2240 lbs vs 2000 lbs.
The British pint is bigger than the American pint too.
Saying "both" is just another middle-ground fallacy. There can only be one. The fact that there are two different systems of measurement means that everything is already broken. There are so many costs for conversion and fixing the mistakes in conversion, from trade to manufacturing. The Mars Climate Orbiter crashed because manufacturers couldn't decide if they were to use metric or imperial. 193 million dollars down the drain. If everyone else is using metric, but British people don't push for converting to metric, there's a loss to everyone. Cull imperial altogether and may it never be seen again. It won't go away unless there's a conscious effort.
Fun fact: Wood planks are in feet and inches for area, yet in millimeters for depth. Genius, yes?
Sorry but I thought the thread related to British measurement units not those used in America. Incidentally it's the short ton, not the shot ton.
Changing every road sign with distances and speeds in the country is both expensive and pointless.
Why can there only be one? Even in metric countries there are still non-metric units in use. Time isn't metric - should there be 100 minutes in an hour? Whose silly idea was it to have 360 degrees in a circle? Surely the gradian system is more logical (or radians are more scientifically useful)
For science and engineering metric is almost always best but for every day uses I don't see the harm in having a choice and being bilingual in units. It all adds to the diversity of life
Absolutely.
You have to make allowances for the poor old dears who can't get their heads around the metric system. Brooklyn Boy is quite correct; once the older generations have died off and we're left with a nation of people who were taught metric, then we can finally consign the old system to the dustbin of history -- if that's what people want.
Personally, although I was taught metric I educated myself in the old system at an early age, as I realised even then that it would be useful. So although I dislike the inconsistencies of the old system I have no problem with using it.
lol, Many of us old dears are capable of working with both systems while many of the younger ones can't even operate the one you think is simplest. As someone has remarked, plank length and width is measured in imperial, how thick they are is measured in metric...:D
The metric system requires multiplication and divsion by 10, 100, 1000 etc, which to many will be far easier that 7, 14, 16 or 212. George Osbourne will be making it compulsory straight away.
Patronizing git. I am in my thirties. And am fully versed in both systems. I would be happy to use Imperial.
How many rods in a pole?
Same. I use imperial most of the time. It's a lot more intuitive imo.
1. Its 16 and a half feet.
It's all a bit weird. After all a metre is derived from a non-metric unit, it being 1/299,792,458 of a second. And meter being the American version of a metre. But I blame the EU-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directive_80/181/EEC
Originally we were meant to go all French, but then there's a world outside the EU so stuff needed to be labelled in both metric and imperial. Which is one way to spot fake 'export' products. But as the EU is supposed to encourage diversity, why can't both measuring systems live together in harmony?