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It's time for the US to use the metric system

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Re: It's time for the US to use the metric system

#41

Post by alphadevx »

the_unknown wrote: post #32

Hearing Fahrenheit in Toronto does surprise me on the few occasions that it happens (usually either retirement-age seniors or American visitors). Recently I noticed the medical profession has come on board with cm/kilos for measurement which is pretty surprising since hearing inches/pounds is still fairly common. Having grown up in the 70s and 80s I still find I float between the two fairly easily but I sure did find…

Scotland (as part of Britain) is not metric as far as I know. The imperial measurement system was created by the British after all. The rest of the EU is metric, but not Britain.

Re: It's time for the US to use the metric system

#42

Post by happyscrappy »

sigzero wrote: post #33
thisjepisje wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

English is not a superior language. The metric system is superior.

And just about as likely to happen...

To a certain extent both have already happened. Worldwide all science is done in metric and all programming is done in English.

Re: It's time for the US to use the metric system

#44

Post by hoggle »

mistakoala wrote: post #3

I wonder if a successful TTIP agreement would be the catalyst for this? It's inexplicable that the EU/ EEA would allow for non-metric goods to freely flow into the market.

I'm all for going fully metric but a failed TTIP agreement would actually be something worth losing some space probes over.

Re: It's time for the US to use the metric system

#45

Post by privong »

trothamel wrote: post #37

The strange thing about articles like this is that they seem to assume that converting between units is something that happens all the time, such that doing so is a huge drain on the economy and engineering time. I don't know if my experience is the common one - but with a few exceptions (inches/feet, oz/pounds) such conversions seem kind of rare. Instead, you pick an appropriately sized unit to begin with, and stick…

> (Such that lumber is sold in lengths of 243.82 cm rather than 8 feet.)

It's interesting that you pick that example. In many cases, the "measurements" for lumber don't actually correspond to the true dimensions of the product purchased. For example, a "2x4" has dimensions of 1 1⁄2 inches x 3 1⁄2 inches[0], rather than 2 inches by 4 inches. So, at least for the example you give, it's not clear to me that converting to metric is a bad idea, since the specifications are already somewhat nonsensical. Granted, a "2x4" does have a standard size.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumber#North_American_softwood...

Re: It's time for the US to use the metric system

#46

Post by pge »

matthewmcg wrote: post #31
chiph wrote: post #20

The last road sign I've seen in metric was one on I-95 northbound, just north of the I-26 interchange. Sadly, SC DOT changed it out a few years ago and now it just reads in miles. I understand there's a road in Arizona that is still signed in metric.

There are still quite a few out there, mostly in states that share borders with Canada and Mexico. See http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/signs/

Also in Tennessee in the area around Oak Ridge.

Re: It's time for the US to use the metric system

#47

Post by ds9 »

zimbatm wrote: post #9

It's hard to "make people think" in the different unit system. I'm in the UK and people talk about sizes in feet and miles all the time even though the society is supposed to have switched to the metric system. There are places like on product labels where both units should be mandatory. Hopefully in a few generations people will gradually switch over.

As a USian I can testify that there's a lot of irrational opposition here. Disclaimer: I don't have scientific sources on this, just subjective impressions from a lot of little interactions and clues.

The resistance seems to be largely: (a) older people who doubt their own ability to adjust (b) right-wingers who are convinced it's a socialist conspiracy or somesuch (these are people who think international cooperation is taking sovereignty from the US, or something like that - they're a bit incoherent) and (c) politicians perceive it as unpopular and risky to advocate (presumably because of a and b) or just not a vote-getter.

I've occasionally tried to promote SI by using units in casual contexts, but it's perceived as pretentious or obnoxious. The situation is better online as I participate only in fora like this where US obtuseness is not necessarily expected. It is hard to even find products like thermometers and measuring cups (for cooking) with all-SI.

Re: It's time for the US to use the metric system

#48

Post by bryanlarsen »

trothamel wrote: post #37

The strange thing about articles like this is that they seem to assume that converting between units is something that happens all the time, such that doing so is a huge drain on the economy and engineering time. I don't know if my experience is the common one - but with a few exceptions (inches/feet, oz/pounds) such conversions seem kind of rare. Instead, you pick an appropriately sized unit to begin with, and stick…

The point is that the US would be half-assed metric whether it wanted it or not because it's part of the global economy. So your choices are half-assed metric or full on metric. There are no other choices.

Re: It's time for the US to use the metric system

#49

Post by happyscrappy »

privong wrote: post #45
trothamel wrote: post #37

The strange thing about articles like this is that they seem to assume that converting between units is something that happens all the time, such that doing so is a huge drain on the economy and engineering time. I don't know if my experience is the common one - but with a few exceptions (inches/feet, oz/pounds) such conversions seem kind of rare. Instead, you pick an appropriately sized unit to begin with, and stick…

> (Such that lumber is sold in lengths of 243.82 cm rather than 8 feet.) It's interesting that you pick that example. In many cases, the "measurements" for lumber don't actually correspond to the true dimensions of the product purchased. For example, a "2x4" has dimensions of 1 1⁄2 inches x 3 1⁄2 inches[0], rather than 2 inches by 4 inches. So, at least for the example you give, it's not clear to me that converting t…

It is not nonsensical, 2x4 is the rough sawn size.

Edit: Since I can't reply because of HN's helpful 'You're submitting too fast' notice, I will reply here. You can still buy rough sawn for working on existing structures and for aesthetics when exposed.

Re: It's time for the US to use the metric system

#50

Post by grahamel »

soneil wrote: post #39
grahamel wrote: post #15

The UK is supposedly metric most people still think and talk in imperial - most shops give both measurements. I think the EU gave up enforcing it. edit: sorry, by most people I mean people I know who grew up before metric was introduced.

I don't think it's anywhere near that bad. It's a gradual transition and it's working (imho). In my mind, miles for roads is really the only standout left. I don't think of pint as a measure, but the name of a particular type of glass. Outside of that I've just never found a practical use for the imperial system. It's bad enough trying to translate things to american and back, let alone trying to keep track of a US g…

It's still a transition that's slowed down. I guess it's a generation thing. People I know still talk about baby birth weight in pounds and ounces and height in feet
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