Brought up in the UN thread, I think its a valid question. Maybe some of the americans here can enlighten me on why the US doesnt change to the metric system.

we don't convert because we're all educated in feet and inches early in school and it just sort of sticks with us... Besides, the places like the trucking industry would be ruined if there was suddenly a conversion... then again all americans could walk around with calculators i suppose...

<font color=orange>I work in the civil engineering field in the State of Tennessee. Two years ago the Tennessee Department of Transportation mandated that all highway engineering projects would be done in metric. What they found was that project cost increased by 20 to 50% due to lack of understanding. They were charged more by engineering firms to design projects and they were charged more by contractors. There were so many problems that they ended up scrapping the mandate after a year.

I personally have no problem with the metric system. I think it's much easier to design with. One of the problems I personally faced with TDOT's decision was that while TDOT was designing in metric, the utilities companies that I worked for, refused to change to the metric system. So I had to work between two different systems when doing utilities relocations due to a highway project.
Now that, I found confusing!

The only way I'd be for a metric system in the US is if we changed everything in one day and that IMHO will never happen.</font>

here is the original post

quote
<font color="cyan"> "Plus you will have to get rid of that ridiculous British system of units and adopt the base 10 metric system."

I feel this could be a thread of it's own Oh the joyous day of the U.S. finally becoming integrated with the rest of the world.

Wellard.. Born in 64, taught the metric system from kinder garden to collage, raised in a metric world, laughed at all the oldies hanging on to the old abacus era measurements. Fulfils is ambition of working on aircraft at the so-called cutting edge of mechanical knowledge. Then.. Urm sorry lads that will be a imperial spanner you need, throw away your metric stuff, mr. Boeing don’t agree with all this new fandangle modern stuff. </font>

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Are the americans the only country left on this planet still using imperial measures? if someone knows, what do they use in most african or asian countries?

[ 02-28-2003, 11:14 PM: Message edited by: wellard ]

What is really crazy about the whole thing is that in the late 60's early 70's we had to learn the metric system and how to convert American to metric. They put us through hell throughout high school because this was the wave of the future and the USA was going to convert "totally" to the metric system by 1975. Now, 27 years later, I can't work on my car without 2 sets of tools because both systems are used for parts. I know the metric system and my kids don't. Life is funny that way. :D

can someone explain why, in the uk which has gone metric, road distances are given in miles, speedometers are im mph, and speed limit signs are in mph?
just curious... [img]graemlins/1ponder.gif[/img]

To answer the debate simply...you have to many people like me.....Redneck Hillbilly is the correct term.....

I guess it's hard to abandon standards for measurement once you've grown up with them. I can imagine that these are not the only areas in which imperial standards are still being used. I work in metal trades and, like so many other trades, i have to have two sets of bits for every tool. Many of the parts used in the machinery i create come from the US so as long as they retain their old fashioned standards ;) :D , we will be forced to follow.

Because we're not *fully* metric ;)

It's only in the last couple of years that shops have switched to kilos and grams instead of pounds and ounces. We still have miles on roadsigns and car speedos. Causes me no end of joy cos my Lambretta is an Italian import and has the speedo in kmph. I can picture the scene if I'm pulled over for speeding, the police officer will ask me 'do you know what speed you were doing?' and I'll have to start converting...

Also beer is still sold in pints, although every other liquid is sold in litres or ml. We'll probably keep pints for beer, and eventually switch to km for distances.

I would not worry to much about being pulled over for speeding Epona [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/laugh2.gif[/img]

*cheap shots are the most fun* [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]