Imperial vs Metric systems

[Robert]

So, when will the United States start using the International System of Units system?

In Canada, there are still many people talking Imperial, and I get all confused when they start talking inches and yards and weird things like that.

Three countries have not officially adopted the International System of Units as their primary or sole system of measurement: Liberia, Myanmar and the United States. About time, eh?

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Is that what feet and inches is...Imperial?

I don't think the US would ever fully convert to metric. We were supposed to when I was a kid in grade school they used to say...but we're still using feet and inches. I wonder what measurements are being used by US manufacturers of precise fit parts that are tooled. Tim you'd be able to answer this.

 

[Robert]

It just makes it so hard to communicate...

Its' funny, here in Canada, kilograms is quite well accepted for weight, but not centimeters for height. I am 169 cm tall, but when I tell a Canadian this, they have no clue what I'm talking about.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Is that what feet and inches is...Imperial?

I don't think the US would ever fully convert to metric. We were supposed to when I was a kid in grade school they used to say...but we're still using feet and inches. I wonder what measurements are being used by US manufacturers of precise fit parts that are tooled. Tim you'd be able to answer this.

I was raised when track events were still measured in feet, yards, miles etc. I ran a 440 yard dash, not a 400 for instance. The move to convert was on. I get why it is easier. The Imperial system took over back when Great Britain was the reigning world empire. But now, it seems making the change here is not such a big deal, even in the schools. I wonder if there is any real push to change it at this point. Doesn't seem that way. It was always weird growing up when we drove north from the Seattle area and crossed into B.C. and suddenly we were driving 85!

 

[sunvalleylaw]

It just makes it so hard to communicate...

Its' funny, here in Canada, kilograms is quite well accepted for weight, but not centimeters for height. I am 169 cm tall, but when I tell a Canadian this, they have no clue what I'm talking about.

Is your part of Canada more French or English? I suppose that makes a difference as to how motivated people are to change there.

 

[Robert]

English. French influence is really only in Quebec - the rest of Canada has very limited French vocabulary (at least it seems so to this imported Swede!).

 

[sunvalleylaw]

English. French influence is really only in Quebec - the rest of Canada has very limited French vocabulary (at least it seems so to this imported Swede!).

That's what I was thinking but was not sure. I have only been to BC in Canada. Would love to see more.

As to your question about when will the US sign on, (without getting too political), our current administration does not seem too interested in or at least motivated by world opinion in many areas.

 

[ted s]

I think I was in grade school when we converted. Teperatures in Celcius don't really do me, I always have to do a little mental conversion. Distance in feet thankyou very much, I'm ok with speed in Km/hr but would prefer miles.

 

[Robert]

I've had to learn to do quick calculations in my head while talking to runners about training.... especially American runners of course, but even in Canada there are lots of runners who don't use kilometres (note the British spelling). I still have trouble doing this calculation quick enough to avoid making myself look like a fool...

 

[marnold]

What you mention, Robert, is the interesting anomaly. Even though many countries have been using metric for years, many people still don't "think" in metric. The government here made an effort to convert to metric, but it was greeted with massive resistance. Personally, I can see value in metric if you are doing science-related stuff. Beyond that, metric vs. Imperial is mainly a preference thing.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

What you mention, Robert, is the interesting anomaly. Even though many countries have been using metric for years, many people still don't "think" in metric. The government here made an effort to convert to metric, but it was greeted with massive resistance. Personally, I can see value in metric if you are doing science-related stuff. Beyond that, metric vs. Imperial is mainly a preference thing.

I also favor or prefer the Imperial Pint!

 

[t_ross33]

I was in the first or second grade when metric was brought in. I think in degrees Celcius (unless I'm cooking - then it's Farenheit), pounds, feet and inches (who builds anything with a 50mm x 100mm board ), miles for distance (Saskatchewan roads and farmland surveys are mostly on a 1 mile x 2 mile grid system - that's why we call gravel roads "grid roads"), but kilometers/hr for speed (for the most part anyway- go figure). I'm pretty comfortable with gallons, although I'm never sure how many oz. are in a quart, but I know a "twenty-six" (26 oz) bottle of rum is roughly 750 millilitres.

I guess I'm in the inbetween generation, and change happens slowly. My kids are far more metric than I am.

So if it's taken over 35 years to adopt the metric system, why did we fall into calling our one dollar coin a "loonie" and our subsequent two dollar coin a "toonie" so easily Any why do we still package beer in two-fours?? We Canucks really have a warped sense of humor, eh?

 

[marnold]

I also favor or prefer the Imperial Pint!

Amen to that. They try to metricify my beer glassware and there'll be hell to pay. The thing I really like about true Imperial pint glasses (as opposed to U.S. pint glasses), is that they hold more than the 20 ounces that make up an Imperial pint so that you can get a proper pour with proper head. (Another new sig on the horizon?)

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Amen to that. They try to metricify my beer glassware and there'll be hell to pay. The thing I really like about true Imperial pint glasses (as opposed to U.S. pint glasses), is that they hold more than the 20 ounces that make up an Imperial pint so that you can get a proper pour with proper head. (Another new sig on the horizon?)

I have two of those Imperial Pint glasses at home, along with one of those English beer mugs with the round "cut glass" effects. My favorite glasses and the only ones that accomodate my homebrew properly when I brew some.

 

[Jimi75]

That is a good topic Rober. May I ask somethin else?

When do the poeple of the Britisch Commonwealth start to drive correctly, which is on the right side of the street?

 

[Bloozcat]

This has always been a sore subject with me. The US was supposed to switch over to the metric system in 1968. That was the first date, then they postponed it a few more times before dropping the discussion altogether.

To this day, most Americans can't use a ruler. Oh, they're ok with inches, half inch increments, and even quarter inch increments, But once they have to get into 16ths, 32nds, and 64ths, they're clueless. These same people can all count to ten, though. If you can count to ten, and multiply by ten, you can learn the metric system...fast.

The US Military uses the metric system. Science is taught in the US using the metric system. Most of the foreign made products even require metric tools to work on them. So what's the hold up here...?