How is it possible that we STILL haven't converted to the Metric System?

[PlatinumGold]

It is CLEARLY SOO MUCH BETTER. why do we hang on to this STUPID SAE (inch, foot, pound, mile) measurement system?

Are we really that lazy?

 

[KatLei]

Yes

 

[SpecialEd]

don't be coming in here with all your satan talk and devil measurements...

USA rocks!!

 

[Soulflare]

The best system is a mix of the two. Canada uses the metric system, but good luck finding anyone who expresses their own height or weight in metres or kilograms.

 

[edro]

Originally posted by: SpecialEd
....and devil measurements...

USA rocks!!

LOL, HAhaHhA!

That is great. I have thought about this for the last like 10 years, I think the government is just too uneducated to understand the metric system.

 

[Electric Amish]

Because 90% of the US would be left in the dark if everything was suddenly changed. No one would understand anything and think of the retooling all the manufacturers would have to do...

amish

 

[Hossenfeffer]

Inertia is a powerful thing

 

[XZeroII]

It's because English measurements are nicer for conveniences. Like temp: 0 degrees is pretty cold, 100 is pretty hot outside. Easy. What is it in C? Who knows. How tall are you in metric? How much do you weigh? The metric system works very nice in science, but it's a pain in real life. The english system rocks anyway

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: XZeroII
It's because English measurements are nicer for conveniences. Like temp: 0 degrees is pretty cold, 100 is pretty hot outside. Easy. What is it in C? Who knows. How tall are you in metric? How much do you weigh? The metric system works very nice in science, but it's a pain in real life. The english system rocks anyway

It's not that it's neccissarily a pain in real life, it's just that everyone has been raised thinking in the Imperial system.

amish

 

[PlatinumGold]

It's because English measurements are nicer for conveniences. Like temp: 0 degrees is pretty cold, 100 is pretty hot outside. Easy. What is it in C? Who knows. How tall are you in metric? How much do you weigh? The metric system works very nice in science, but it's a pain in real life. The english system rocks anyway

sorry that's TOTAL BS.

32 = freezing
212 = boiling. whats easy about that??

in metric

0 = freezing
100 = boiling.

makes sense. is simple.

i'm 1.8 Metres tall.
I weigh 110 Kilograms (this one is a pretty easy conversion actually)

it's what you grew up with as to which is easier. there is nothing inherently easier about the US system. in fact inherently it's harder. 12 inches per foot. 5280 feet per mile. 3 ft per yard (WTF is that).

 

[trmiv]

Regardless of how much sense metric makes, we are too deep into the imperial system to change. The cost of changing would be far greater than the benefits received from changing.

 

[FoBoT]

its all because Jimmy Carter didn't get re-elected

metric is best, i wish we would switch

 

[Howard]

Nautical miles, fathoms, etc.

And it's 5250, btw.

 

[PlatinumGold]

Regardless of how much sense metric makes, we are too deep into the imperial system to change. The cost of changing would be far greater than the benefits received from changing.

Conversion doesn't have to be expensive. it just has to be done gradually. for a time we'll have to use both, oh wait we do that now anyway.

part of the reason is that the teachers who tried to teach us in elementary school back in the mid 70's didn't understand it themselves.

 

[PlatinumGold]

yucky

try again. it's 5280 ft and 1760 yds per mile.

 

[LadyJessica]

Of course we use metric. Kilos, grams, decigrams... How else are these things supposed to be measured?

 

[joohang]

People are generally happy with it.

If change comes, it should be gradual. Try to educate 80-year-old Americans who for 80 years grew up using inches, feet and miles.

I personally grew up in societies that use the metric system as the standard, but I have little trouble converting between kilograms and pounds, kilometres and miles, etc. I do have some trouble with ounces and yards, though, but that's because of my ignorance. Most products in Canada have both measurements printed.

 

[trmiv]

Conversion doesn't have to be expensive. it just has to be done gradually. for a time we'll have to use both, oh wait we do that now anyway.

It doesn't? Any time you convert from something as widely used as measurements, there is going to be a large cost associated. Think of all the things that would needed to be changed. Road signs, gas pumps, car odometers, paperwork that says MPH, FT, etc.

 

[wyvrn]

Well for one thing, 1.8 meters isn't as precise as 6'2" (no I didn't bother converting, just used random examples). Same thing for temperature, fahrenheit is more precise because it has smaller increments.

 

[PlatinumGold]

It doesn't? Any time you convert from something as widely used as measurements, there is going to be a large cost associated. Think of all the things that would needed to be changed. Road signs, gas pumps, car odometers, paperwork that says MPH, FT, etc.

Of course there is a cost associated with it. the question is will it be EXPENSIVE. everything you mentioned will all be replaced eventually. so, make the corrections as you replace it. sure for a generation or two we'll have to live with 2 systems. it might be inconvenient, but it would be cheaper.

either way, even if we go expensive route, in my opinion it will all be better. I promise it will.

 

[halik]

It's because English measurements are nicer for conveniences. Like temp: 0 degrees is pretty cold, 100 is pretty hot outside. Easy. What is it in C? Who knows. How tall are you in metric? How much do you weigh? The metric system works very nice in science, but it's a pain in real life. The english system rocks anyway

^^Dont make any sense...

0 means its freezing out, 100 means dont go out
I measure 181cm last time i checked and no i dont know how tall that is in feet and inches cuz i dont like to deal with fractions.
The rest of the world uses metric, so im thinking its working out in real life pretty well.

 

[PlatinumGold]

Well for one thing, 1.8 meters isn't as precise as 6'2" (no I didn't bother converting, just used random examples). Same thing for temperature, fahrenheit is more precise because it has smaller increments.

hmmm. so ur telling me that 1835 cm is less precise than 6'2" (i also didn't bother converting, i just used ur eg.).

same goes for temperature etc.

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

It's because English measurements are nicer for conveniences. Like temp: 0 degrees is pretty cold, 100 is pretty hot outside. Easy. What is it in C? Who knows.

sorry that's TOTAL BS.

32 = freezing
212 = boiling. whats easy about that??

In science, that is BS, but in everyday life, the pretty cold/pretty hot system does work pretty well, LOL.

 

[wyvrn]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

Well for one thing, 1.8 meters isn't as precise as 6'2" (no I didn't bother converting, just used random examples). Same thing for temperature, fahrenheit is more precise because it has smaller increments.

hmmm. so ur telling me that 1835 cm is less precise than 6'2" (i also didn't bother converting, i just used ur eg.).

same goes for temperature etc.

Good point. You could say 30.4 Celcius, but Fahrenheit is easier. I guess because the US is a leading world power, it doesn't feel pressure to change its measuring system. We seem to do ok with it. But if we moved to metric, I would just learn the new system.

 

[PlatinumGold]

In science, that is BS, but in everyday life, the pretty cold/pretty hot system does work pretty well, LOL

hmmmm. ur right. mb we should do away with measurements all together for "real life". Just outlaw them. just go with pretty cold, very cold, kinda cold, missori cold, alaska cold, georgia cold, wet cold, dry cold, may be cold, may be warm.

kinda far, just a little far, not so very far.

ya, that would work soo much better than larnin numbers.