why is the US not Metric

[bsfeechannel]

Yes, in USA, customary units are (almost) everywhere — but so is metric.

Are customary units DEPRECATED in the US? Nope.

Is Europe more metric than USA? Definitely.

Do you find imperial units EVERYWHERE in Europe? I mean EVERYWHERE? Nope.

So the US is NOT metric.

For you to state this like a fact, you're just a total moron. If it has been "shown in this thread," you can quote it so we can make fun of this conclusion, again.

OK. You want it, you get it. The world, with an economy, population and area multiple times greater than the US, did it. Now you can laugh at the world.

[KL27x]

For you to state this like a fact, you're just a total moron. If it has been "shown in this thread," you can quote it so we can make fun of this conclusion, again.

OK. You want it, you get it. The world, with an economy, population and area multiple times greater than the US, did it. Now you can laugh at the world.

Good. You quoted (or at least paraphrased) yourself. With your most predictable argument with zero basis in understanding of the real world. You keep comparing the US to the rest of the world. And I already answered this in preparation of your usual BS, 4 hours ago.

I'll restate it, here:
"At one point in the manufacturing/machining revolution in the mid 1900's, the US was 6% of the world's population and it was producing over 30% of the world's manufactured good. The only other countries to invest so heavily during this time? Those countries all started this revolution in metric from the start. Namely Germany and Japan and France."

Your country's history and present situation is not comparable to that of the US. It's foolish for you to frame your understanding this way.

The rest of Europe was making shit by hand.* And selling this stuff in local markets. Then they chose metric in some coupe or revolution. Because they were already buying all their manufactured/dimensioned goods from France or Germany or Japan. Like w/e country you are from? There are only few examples, like Australia, where you can say this was maybe not the case, and the people just upped and decided they liked metric that much. (In the age of black and white TV, where a small homogenous population might all easily be swayed into making such a decision).

*Even when machines and motors emerged, America was among the first (along with Germany and Japan) to use them for mass automated production. In most of Europe, these machines were initially used to enhance/aid/improve manual labor for scores of years rather than the focus of automation pursued in America. Partly cuz of higher availability of skilled labor in Europe, at the time. So the measuring system is more moot in these countries at this time.  It was just a choice of what you like to use."You want a hat? Sure, what size? Let me measure your head, and I'll make the perfect hat." In America, you want a hat? We have shit ton in these sizes being pumped out daily. You pick from these, but you get it cheap and you get it right now. America has been shitting out standardized (in imperial) legos for a century, now, and there's massive industry built around these blocks.

[Cubdriver]

Guys, did you ever get the feeling that you were talking to a wall?     

bsfeechannel, please, show us on this doll where the imperial units hurt you.

-Pat

[Cubdriver]

For you to state this like a fact, you're just a total moron. If it has been "shown in this thread," you can quote it so we can make fun of this conclusion, again.

OK. You want it, you get it. The world, with an economy, population and area multiple times greater than the US, did it. Now you can laugh at the world.

You keep comparing the US to the rest of the world.
I'll restate this:
At one point in the manufacturing/machining revolution in the mid 1900's, the US was 6% of the world's population and it was producing over 30% of the world's manufactured good. The only other countries to invest so heavily during this time? Those countries all started this revolution in metric from the start. Namely Germany and Japan and France.

The rest of Europe was making shit by hand. And selling shit in local markets. Then they chose metric in some coupe or revolution. Because they were already buying all their manufactured/dimensioned goods from France or Germany or Japan. Like w/e country are from.

And let's also not forget that most of Europe, as well as a good part of Japan, was blown to hell and back during WWII so they were basically restarting from scratch.  Easier to change infrastructure if there really isn't any left...

-Pat

<edit - punctuation>

[tooki]

Yes, in USA, customary units are (almost) everywhere — but so is metric.

Are customary units DEPRECATED in the US? Nope.

Already addressed earlier in the thread. And not the question anyway.

Is Europe more metric than USA? Definitely.

Do you find imperial units EVERYWHERE in Europe? I mean EVERYWHERE? Nope.

So the US is NOT metric.

But the US isn’t not-metric.

Again, you’re redefining “being metric” as being “metric-only”, which a) is a different question, and b) is unattainable anyway.

Yes, you encounter imperial units occasionally here, if far less frequently. (Of course, if you include things that are enumerated in metric, but are actually originally defined in imperial units, like pipes and screwdriver bits, then yes, one encounters imperial on a daily basis.)


Have you spent any meaningful amounts of time in USA? Where are you from, anyway?

[tooki]

Guys, did you ever get the feeling that you were talking to a wall?     

I think I’ve had more stimulating discussions with actual walls.

bsfeechannel, please, show us on this doll where the imperial units hurt you.

 

[DBecker]

Talking about the metric system with some people in the US is sometimes almost like trying to explain the benefits of electricity to the Amish (some of them reportedly use very limited forms of electricity, by the way).

Like many other topics, you misunderstand the Amish as well.

The philosophy isn't a rejection of technology, but to only use it where there is a clear need and benefit.

Many Amish farms have long had electricity, especially if there is a legal requirement e.g. for processing milk, but it is much less common inside the adjacent houses.  There might be an electric porch light and perhaps an outdoor outlet, but no wiring inside the house.
It is similar with telephone service.  Back when wired phones were common, those that needed phone service typically had the phone installed on the porch or in an outbuilding, not inside the house.

[SkyMaster]

bsfeechannel, you keep talking about United States, yet you are hiding your own country.

1/ Which country do you originate from?

2/ In which country are you living?

[KL27x]

You know what would be even more amazing than the US converting to metric (only)? The day people can admit when they're wrong on the internet.

[xrunner]

bsfeechannel, you keep talking about United States, yet you are hiding your own country.

1/ Which country do you originate from?

2/ In which country are you living?

Must be an embarrassment to admit his location. 

[SilverSolder]

You know what would be even more amazing than the US converting to metric (only)? The day people can admit when they're wrong on the internet.

It will never catch on...

[bsfeechannel]

Guys, did you ever get the feeling that you were talking to a wall?   

I'm just showing you the holes in your logic. And, you know, logic tends to be implacable.

But the US isn’t not-metric.

That's commendable, but not enough, I'm afraid.

Again, you’re redefining “being metric” as being “metric-only”, which a) is a different question, and b) is unattainable anyway.

No. To be metric is not to see a generalized use of any other system of units but metric, and to see the deprecation of not metric units. You're half Schwiizer, you know what I'm talking about.

[KL27x]

I'm just showing you the holes in your logic. And, you know, logic tends to be implacable.

You don't even understand logic. Here's an idea. Wait a week. Then post your BS again, and hopefully get a new audience. Like you've been doing for the last 3 months.

[Cubdriver]

Guys, did you ever get the feeling that you were talking to a wall?   

I'm just showing you the holes in your logic. And, you know, logic tends to be implacable.

Well...  SOMEONE here is certainly implacable...

But the US isn’t not-metric.

That's commendable, but not enough, I'm afraid.

Who died and left you boss?  News flash - it's enough for US.  You may not like it, but (and I hate to burst your condescending bubble) - we don't give a rat's ass.

Again, you’re redefining “being metric” as being “metric-only”, which a) is a different question, and b) is unattainable anyway.

No. To be metric is not to see a generalized use of any other system of units but metric, and to see the deprecation of not metric units. You're half Schwiizer, you know what I'm talking about.

In your opinion.  That's cool, we're not metric enough for your standards.  We don't feel the need to abide by your standards.  And as has been repeatedly pointed out, we are metric where being metric MAKES SENSE TO US.

You've been asked several times now in what country you reside, but like our explanations of the metrification or lack thereof of the US, you seem to keep missing it.  Since you keep asking the same question over and over again, it's our turn now - where do you live, Mr. Metric System?  Or will you ignore THIS again, too?

-Pat

[tooki]

But the US isn’t not-metric.

That's commendable, but not enough, I'm afraid.

Not enough for whom? One internet troll’s opinion certainly isn’t reason enough for a country to spend billions to literally retool its entire economy.

Again, you’re redefining “being metric” as being “metric-only”, which a) is a different question, and b) is unattainable anyway.

No. To be metric is not to see a generalized use of any other system of units but metric, and to see the deprecation of not metric units. You're half Schwiizer, you know what I'm talking about.

I’m not half Swiss, I don’t have one drop of Swiss blood. But let’s ignore that and pretend I am. So you’re saying the Swiss understand the value in doing what everyone else has standardized on? Like how the Swiss got rid of the Franc and adopted the Euro, gave up their own mains AC plug design in favor of Schuko, and replaced their silly proprietary Swiss German in favor of standard German? Oh wait...

[forrestc]

Are customary units DEPRECATED in the US? Nope.

Show me a country where customary units are fully DEPRECIATED.  And I mean FULLY.   As in, not the standard system of measurement for anything.

I'm not going to argue that we're behind the curve.   But the concept that everyone is 100% metric and we're 0% is patently false.   You should look up "false dilemma", or the "black or white fallacy".  This fallacy seems to be pretty common among political activists - that is "you're either with us or against us".   When the reality is much more nuanced in all most all cases.   Most critical thinkers are actually able to understand that pretty much everything is not boolean, but instead tends to be a bit more analog.

We've given example and example and example where ALL other countries are not 100% metric, and given lots of examples to show that the US is not 0% metric.     But somehow you seem to have this stuck in your head that everyone else is metric and we're not.   As in it's a binary choice.

I posit that there isn't a single country on this earth which is 100% metric.   None.   With some research, one could calculate a rough percentage that a country has metricated.    I don't think anyone in the US would argue against the premise that we would be close to the bottom of an ordered list.  There might be some disagreement about whether that is a good thing or a bad thing, but the fact is that no, we're not nearly as far along as other countries.     If I were to guess, I'd probably say we're in the 50-75% metricated range, if you were to look at all aspects of the economy and life, and purposely excluding the fact that the customary measurements we use are all defined as metric.  Yes, other countries may be closer to 100%, but it isn't like we're at 0 and they're at 100%.

[Tepe]

I posit that there isn't a single country on this earth which is 100% metric.

Outside very restricted fields like diamond trade and such, I really can't think of much, if any, use of traditional units around here except for the occasional inches printed on tires or used to advertise TVs and monitors. And those are imported inches that have blown over the fence from the non-metric world. 99+ percent metric is so close to fully metric that nobody really notices the difference. But who cares. Those imported inches don't really seem to bother people here and what you use in the US, well, that's just a charming cultural curiosity to me - one that actually once was totally connected with the language: English and non-metric used to belong together. Learning English as a foreign language naturally also meant/means learning at least some of the units used.

Somehow we still manage to trade with each other without the US going close to fully metric so the "problem" it poses to the world at large can't be that great.

[DBecker]

Tires are a good point: any country can go fully metric by simply switching to TRX standard wheels.

Good luck finding tires for them.  And you might want to look at the dimensions of the pressure valve (Scrader valve) you are using.  You will be specifying micrometers to get an acceptable fit in metric, so everyone sticks with TPI.

[tooki]

I posit that there isn't a single country on this earth which is 100% metric.

Outside very restricted fields like diamond trade and such, I really can't think of much, if any, use of traditional units around here except for the occasional inches printed on tires or used to advertise TVs and monitors. And those are imported inches that have blown over the fence from the non-metric world. 99+ percent metric is so close to fully metric that nobody really notices the difference. But who cares. Those imported inches don't really seem to bother people here and what you use in the US, well, that's just a charming cultural curiosity to me - one that actually once was totally connected with the language: English and non-metric used to belong together. Learning English as a foreign language naturally also meant/means learning at least some of the units used.

Somehow we still manage to trade with each other without the US going close to fully metric so the "problem" it poses to the world at large can't be that great.

If you read the whole thread, you’ll find many more examples. Hose threads, PCB grids, screwdriver bits and socket attachments, etc.

Not to mention that many common metric sizes for things are actually just the metric approximation of US fractional sizes. For example, in many industries one finds diameters of 3.2, 2.4, 1.6, and 1.2mm, which are the metric approximations of 1/8”, 3/32”, 1/16”, and 3/64”, respectively.

[forrestc]

Outside very restricted fields like diamond trade and such, I really can't think of much, if any, use of traditional units around here except for the occasional inches printed on tires or used to advertise TVs and monitors.

The one major area where pretty much every country in the world has not metricated is aircraft flight levels.   There are only a few exceptions.   Is this enough for the country to not have "fully metricated?".  After all, the horrible feet has to be depreciated everywhere or else one can't join the "pure metric" club.

[Tepe]

Not to mention that many common metric sizes for things are actually just the metric approximation of US fractional sizes. For example, in many industries one finds diameters of 3.2, 2.4, 1.6, and 1.2mm, which are the metric approximations of 1/8”, 3/32”, 1/16”, and 3/64”, respectively.

But nonetheless expressed in mm. The origin doesn't really matter.

[Tepe]

The one major area where pretty much every country in the world has not metricated is aircraft flight levels.

Note the altimeter in this Saab J35 Draken ("Höjd m"):

[DBecker]

The one major area where pretty much every country in the world has not metricated is aircraft flight levels.

Note the altimeter in this Saab J35 Draken ("Höjd m"):

Wait... is that compass in degrees?  Not radians?  Surely that has been changed to the proper SI unit of radians by now.  We wouldn't want pilots using flight levels in 100 foot intervals and headings in degrees in the metric-only sections of the world.

("They'll take my degrees only when they pry my compass from my cold dead hands.")

[bsfeechannel]

Must be an embarrassment to admit his location. 

Not the least bit.

I live in the world. And the world is metric. I'm really grateful that I am not forced to use any incoherent, cumbersome, obsolete, nonsensical, outdated, clumsy, crippled, lame, ill-contrived, quirky, elephantine, inelegant, graceless, ungainly, unwieldy, clunky, maladroit, bumbling, gawky, loutish, oaf, uncoordinated, uncouth, rustic, boorish, provincial, parochial, splay, lumpish, klutzy, incongruous, disparate, bizarre, erratic, haphazard, disjointed, rambling, antiquated, archaic, outmoded, bygone, kaput, moldy, moth-eaten, old-fashioned, totaled, sunk, floored, overthrown, bewildered, fusty, antediluvian, behindhand system of units.

And I pray every day for those who are not so lucky as I am.

[tooki]

Not to mention that many common metric sizes for things are actually just the metric approximation of US fractional sizes. For example, in many industries one finds diameters of 3.2, 2.4, 1.6, and 1.2mm, which are the metric approximations of 1/8”, 3/32”, 1/16”, and 3/64”, respectively.

But nonetheless expressed in mm. The origin doesn't really matter.

Doesn't it, though? If the whole point is to standardize on metric production, then using things that aren’t metric (even if they’re expressed in metric) violates the metric-ness of the matter. At least, that’s the logic of the folks who don’t consider that it counts that American food products usually have customary (in addition to metric, by law), but depending on the product, it may be an even amount in metric or in customary, in which case, when it’s an even metric amount, the fact that it’s expressed in customary by most people makes it not count.

It’s an interesting question. Does a country suddenly become “more metric” simply because they start referring to 1/4” as 6.35mm, especially if they still have to stock both 6.0mm and 6.3mm versions of a product, anyway? (I’m looking at you, potentiometer knobs!) I think that no, this doesn’t count, since you still have the various sizes...