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why is the US not Metric

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Cubdriver:

--- Quote from: vk6zgo on November 20, 2019, 11:37:52 pm ---You have inches on your road signs?

--- End quote ---

Clearance signs.  (I was trying to cover all the bases)

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/how-would-you-use-electronics-to-solve-the-11_-8_-bridge-problem/

-Pat

bsfeechannel:

--- Quote from: Cubdriver on November 20, 2019, 11:34:30 pm ---You're still not getting it, are you?

--- End quote ---

Of course I get it. I'm an engineer. Given the choice between metric and imperial, I wouldn't hesitate to choose metric, not even for a yoctosecond.

Those who don't get it are our beloved Jack and Jenny. The benefits of metrication for them are diluted and a technical explanation incomprehensible. They don't understand that their customary way of doing things is a hurdle to progress.

vk6zgo:

--- Quote from: KL27x on November 21, 2019, 12:17:55 am ---
--- Quote from: Cerebus on November 20, 2019, 02:38:23 pm ---We sell and price petrol in litres, measure vehicle weights in kilos, official fuel efficiency figures are in litres/100km and yet have stuck with statute miles and miles per hour for road signage. It hasn't changed and we saw no need to change it as it is the least consequential of all possible changes. There's no great advantage to changing it in the way that there is a great advantage to an M6 bolt being the same size in Doncaster, Dieppe, Düßeldorf, Dubrovnik, and Dabrowa Górnicza.

--- End quote ---
A #6-32 machine screw is also the same size in Doncaster, Dieppe, Düßeldorf, Dubrovnik, and Dabrowa Górnicza.

--- End quote ---
Except that "a #6-32 machine screw" is meaningless in most ex-Imperial Countries.
We know it isn't Whitworth, BA, or UNF--- we've tried them all!
North America has its own separate set of "customary" sizes, which is why it was a major annoyance when someone in  say, Oz, lost a screw out of some US or Canadian made equipment.

Folks in Countries which have been Metric since the 19th Century have the same problem, but "in spades", if dealing with legacy equipment from the USA, the UK, Australia, & so on, as this means sourcing, (at least in the small sizes), two entirely different sets of "Imperial"screws.

Another associated, but a bit "off topic" problem was the propensity in earlier years of German manufacturers to use fine pitch small Metric screws, & Japan to use coarse pitch.

--- Quote ---
And can we take a moment to appreciate that UK did not change their road signs? I agree that this is not particularly consequential. But can you tell us why this stuff is a big deal to you?:


--- Quote ---a few years back I was getting a lass, of perhaps 20 to 25 years age, on the meat counter in the supermarket to cut me a couple of steaks. She asked "How thick?", I said "1 inch", she said "How much is that?", "Two and half centimetres." said I. So metrication is sufficiently ingrained that there is at least one generation that has always had the Internet and doesn't know Imperial units, even ones that are still in casual use by older generations.

We sell and price petrol in litres, measure vehicle weights in kilos, official fuel efficiency figures are in litres/100km
--- End quote ---

--- End quote ---

KL27x:

--- Quote from: bsfeechannel on November 21, 2019, 12:50:37 am ---
Of course I get it. I'm an engineer. Given the choice between metric and imperial, I wouldn't hesitate to choose metric, not even for a yoctosecond.

Those who don't get it are our beloved Jack and Jenny. The benefits of metrication for them are diluted and a technical explanation incomprehensible. They don't understand that their customary way of doing things is a hurdle to progress.

--- End quote ---

I think most engineers probably don't care what their country's version of Jack and Jenny do. Jack and Jenny just provide the tax dollars and the consumer sales. They don't design the products. They buy them. How marketing describes the specs in various regions, what does it matter?


--- Quote ---They don't understand that their customary way of doing things is a hurdle to progress.
--- End quote ---

No matter how many times I hear this, it is just as meaningless.


--- Quote ---The benefits of metrication for them [Jack and Jenny] are diluted and a technical explanation incomprehensible.
--- End quote ---
Ok, you can call me Jack (or Jenny :)), and I don't take offense. But there are plenty of semi-intelligent people on this forum who might understand your genius. So please hit us with your technical explanations that are incomprehensible to the world's under-educated peasant class. I bet your explanation uses a lot of words like "progress" and "science."

You think if NASA did not have to deal with imperial units, they can get a rocket to Mars just by sitting in a room and moving around a decimal point?

Cerebus:

--- Quote from: KL27x on November 21, 2019, 12:17:55 am ---
--- Quote from: Cerebus on November 20, 2019, 02:38:23 pm ---We sell and price petrol in litres, measure vehicle weights in kilos, official fuel efficiency figures are in litres/100km and yet have stuck with statute miles and miles per hour for road signage. It hasn't changed and we saw no need to change it as it is the least consequential of all possible changes. There's no great advantage to changing it in the way that there is a great advantage to an M6 bolt being the same size in Doncaster, Dieppe, Düßeldorf, Dubrovnik, and Dabrowa Górnicza.

--- End quote ---
A #6-32 machine screw is also the same size in Doncaster, Dieppe, Düßeldorf, Dubrovnik, and Dabrowa Górnicza. And this has already been hashed. I don't see how US having a national metric parade/conversion is going to put this cat back in the bag.

And can we take a moment to appreciate that UK did not change their road signs? I agree that this is not particularly consequential. But can you tell us why this stuff is a big deal to you?:


--- Quote ---a few years back I was getting a lass, of perhaps 20 to 25 years age, on the meat counter in the supermarket to cut me a couple of steaks. She asked "How thick?", I said "1 inch", she said "How much is that?", "Two and half centimetres." said I. So metrication is sufficiently ingrained that there is at least one generation that has always had the Internet and doesn't know Imperial units, even ones that are still in casual use by older generations.

We sell and price petrol in litres, measure vehicle weights in kilos, official fuel efficiency figures are in litres/100km
--- End quote ---

If you live in the EU, maybe you wake up from a bender in a different country, regularly? You have trouble buying steaks and gas? "No, I want a Quarter Pounder, not a Royale with Cheese, god damnit!"

--- End quote ---

You've just totally missed the point haven't you? Y'all have spent the last two pages bitching backwards and forwards about whether the US should or should not change their road signs, and I'm saying that it's inconsequential whether they should or not - and demonstrating that inconsequentiality by pointing out that the UK uses metric for everything else, yet hasn't changed from a Imperial units for road mileage or speed signs with no adverse consequences of not changing.

Y'know, I think all that calculating in customary units, and being shortchanged on yer pints and gallons has addled your brain.  ;)

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