Will the U.S. ever convert to the Metric System entirely?

[KMFJD]

Originally posted by: GodlessAstronomer

Originally posted by: frostedflakes

Originally posted by: sdifox
not likely, even for a country that is officially metric, most people use a mixture of units here in Canada. Liquids are basically metric, weight is still imperial, length is a mixed bag depending on use, but mostly imperial. Velocity is metric.

I think it's similar in the UK. Officially metric, but imperial units are still used quite a bit.

Interesting. In NZ it's 100% metric, I believe it's not even legal to sell food/beverage products that only have imperial measurements on then. Virtually no one uses imperial for anything,

Pints for beer?

 

[sandorski]

Yes

 

[rudeguy]

Originally posted by: MotionMan

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
Yes, I think in the next 30-40 years the transition will really speed up.

I disagree. According tp my third grade teacher, full conversion in the US is just around the corner.

Then again, that was in about 1977.

MotionMan

I think she taught my 5th grade class back in 87! Did she have a sex change and move to Michigan around that time?

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: Train
jeebus do we have to have a thread a week where the metric fanboys tell us how lame the rest of the US is for using a diff system.

Use metric when you need to, or when it makes sense. It doesnt make you smarter or better than someone who uses feet/inches, get over yourself.

note: I use metric everyday in my job, and I can speak fluently in kilometers and mils when traversing terrain. But I still prefer to speak in MPH, degrees F, and "six feet tall"

I did not see any one bashing United States Customary System in the thread til you brought it up.

 

[sandorski]

How did this Thread not get a POLL?

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Originally posted by: KMFJD

Originally posted by: GodlessAstronomer

Originally posted by: frostedflakes

Originally posted by: sdifox
not likely, even for a country that is officially metric, most people use a mixture of units here in Canada. Liquids are basically metric, weight is still imperial, length is a mixed bag depending on use, but mostly imperial. Velocity is metric.

I think it's similar in the UK. Officially metric, but imperial units are still used quite a bit.

Interesting. In NZ it's 100% metric, I believe it's not even legal to sell food/beverage products that only have imperial measurements on then. Virtually no one uses imperial for anything,

Pints for beer?

Yeah it's not uncommon to hear people use imperial measurements colloquially (that car was miles away, he was inches from disaster, I'll have a pint) but beers are officially measured in metric. You still hear old people bitching from time to time about metric but in my opinion they need to get a drip. This country metricised 37 years ago, if you haven't got used to it yet then you need to FOAD.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: tenshodo13
While I hope that the US does, I would say no.

People would be too retarded to "think" in metric
We would have to change street signs, laws, car dashboards, and a host of other products that rely on the American system.

Can't believe we're even in a situation where we still use our archaic system

We don't use imperial for anything important. All scientific measurement is done in metric, hell even the inch is now defined in centimeters in the official definition. What tangible benefit in everyday life does metric bring? Does it really matter if I buy a gallon of milk or 4 litres instead (I know that a gallon is not 4 litres, I'm just assuming that they would change the package to a whole number)? Does it matter if I buy a pound of hamburger or a half-kilo?

To the average person, it just plain doesn't make a difference.

ZV

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: tenshodo13
While I hope that the US does, I would say no.

People would be too retarded to "think" in metric
We would have to change street signs, laws, car dashboards, and a host of other products that rely on the American system.

Can't believe we're even in a situation where we still use our archaic system

We don't use imperial for anything important. All scientific measurement is done in metric, hell even the inch is now defined in centimeters in the official definition. What tangible benefit in everyday life does metric bring? Does it really matter if I buy a gallon of milk or 4 litres instead (I know that a gallon is not 4 litres, I'm just assuming that they would change the package to a whole number)? Does it matter if I buy a pound of hamburger or a half-kilo?

To the average person, it just plain doesn't make a difference.

ZV

I am still trying to get used to thinking in imperial when grocering shopping. The metric price's font is always smaller than the imperial.

I remember when I first got here (Toronton, Ontario) and went to a supermarket to check out beef prices. It looked ok until I learned it was in pounds, not kilograms.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
We don't use imperial for anything important. All scientific measurement is done in metric, hell even the inch is now defined in centimeters in the official definition. What tangible benefit in everyday life does metric bring? Does it really matter if I buy a gallon of milk or 4 litres instead (I know that a gallon is not 4 litres, I'm just assuming that they would change the package to a whole number)? Does it matter if I buy a pound of hamburger or a half-kilo?

To the average person, it just plain doesn't make a difference.

ZV

That's a fair argument, but it would be nice if eventually we could have a global standard that you could use anywhere, for any situation. And I think it's fair to say that the imperial system of measure will never be adopted as a standard.

 

[alkemyst]

the 'hearbeat of america' (the LSx engine) is all metric

 

[SagaLore]

I'd prefer we convert to Base16 for everything.

 

[Kirby]

Originally posted by: SagaLore
I'd prefer we convert to Base16 for everything.

C8 lbs does have a nice ring to it.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Originally posted by: SagaLore
I'd prefer we convert to Base16 for everything.

SagaLore
Lifer

Posts: 3D02

 

[zinfamous]

I wager it would make learning math logic easier for younguns.

So, no. it will never happen.

 

[Deeko]

I hope not!

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Originally posted by: Loreena
Yes? No?

It would be nice but all the people going 88mi/hr on the freeway...

Oops they do that now!

Why 88 mph on the highway??

 

[Red Squirrel]

Metric FTW.

 

[coolVariable]

Originally posted by: tenshodo13
People ... too retarded

No - reason see above

 

[IronWing]

No, not entirely, ever. The land grid for every state platted after the Northwest Ordnance is laid out in township/range/section. Townships are six miles on a side, sections are mile squares. The land is further subdivided into 640 acres in 160 acre/40 acre/10 acre chunks. Trying to convert the survey grid to metric would be hellishly expensive and complicated. I will go out on a limb and say it ain't going to happen.

 

[Loreena]

Originally posted by: PlasmaBomb

Originally posted by: Loreena
Yes? No?

It would be nice but all the people going 88mi/hr on the freeway...

Oops they do that now!

Why 88 mph on the highway??

55mph = 88km/h

If they want to keep a 55mph speed limit than the metric equivalent would be 88. In CB code a 10-88 means a kiss. :lips:

In the Carolinas i would be 112! :Q

In the 70's they said in the 90's it would be done.

The system makes sense if you use it universally. A 2nd grader can be taught to move the decimal point and can convert anything. Problem is when you mention metric people try to figure out how many inches are in a meter, grams in a pound, liters in a gallon and get all confused. Just leave it behind!

Pilots and boaters use knots which make things even more complicated. The slide rule comes in handy though.

 

[Loreena]

Originally posted by: sandorski
How did this Thread not get a POLL?

Fixed for ya!

Please vote responsibly.

 

[Imaginer]

I would say for the sciences and engineering purposes metric works fine. But ever tried to work on things as woodworking and cooking where it is much easier to take ratios of halves and quarters and eights rather than dealing with decimal units of 10ths? It is more symmetric and easier to build things off of.

Same thing why you won't see a clock based off of 10 divisions rather than the typical 12.

There is also a cost of conversion as someone mentioned with surveying. And the cost of retooling the entire industry that generally works with English units.

 

[Jeff7]

Dear god I hope so. English units are a damn nightmare with engineering work.

Pounds mass. What the hell?
Pounds is a unit of force, not mass.
And it doesn't help to have food sold by weight (oz) and mass (grams). They're not interchangeable, dammit!

I use this for mass units in English as often as I can: (lbs-sec²)/in
It really makes things so much easier.

 

[Loreena]

Originally posted by: Jeff7
Dear god I hope so. English units are a damn nightmare with engineering work.

Pounds mass. What the hell?
Pounds is a unit of force, not mass.
And it doesn't help to have food sold by weight (oz) and mass (grams). They're not interchangeable, dammit!

I use this for mass units in English as often as I can: (lbs-sec²)/in
It really makes things so much easier.

I have to admit pound cake is delicious. I hope they don't change it to .454 cake although that would make the "heartbeat of America" guys happy.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Where's the, "We'll convert to speaking Spanish first" option?