The three countries that don't use the metric system

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gorcorps

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,741
456
126
We'll never change. I'd like to see it but it'll never happen. So many things are based around the imperial system that it'd be impossible to change them all over. Or if they did the general public would be furious. You'd have a ton of people that would refuse to lean metric and would just ruin it for everyone.
 
MotionMan

MotionMan

Lifer
Jan 11, 2006
17,124
12
81
gorcorps said:
We'll never change. I'd like to see it but it'll never happen. So many things are based around the imperial system that it'd be impossible to change them all over. Or if they did the general public would be furious. You'd have a ton of people that would refuse to lean metric and would just ruin it for everyone.
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They would have to rebuild all the football stadiums!!!

MotionMan
 
Born2bwire

Born2bwire

Diamond Member
Oct 28, 2005
9,840
6
71
Haha. Neckbeard can name three countries that do not use the metric system. However, it is common knowledge that there are 190 countries in the world that WISH that they didn't use the metric system.
 
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nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
42,808
83
91
following the Revolutionary War, America won the rights to use the English measuring system and we'll be damned if we give it back to you tea-guzzling, sheep-fucking bastards.
 
Cogman

Cogman

Lifer
Sep 19, 2000
10,286
145
106
The british don't totally use the metric system... Just saying. You'll still see people weigh themselves using stones and public road speed limits are still measured in MPH. There are still "gallons" of milk in england as well.

That being said, conversion factors aren't THAT big of a deal. While it is nice to be able to instantly know that a kilo-unit is 1000 units, the average person simply does not perform that sort of conversion all that often. The only people that really care are scientists. (And yes, I do think the imperial measurement system is retarded in many ways. In fact, I really do believe we should switch).

The only think that isn't totally retarded in the metric measurement system is the temperature measurement scheme. Celsius is just as arbitrary as fahrenheit. The difference being that one picked water and the other brine.
 
KMFJD

KMFJD

Lifer
Aug 11, 2005
32,688
52,135
136
ostrich-head-in-sand.jpg


Also not using metric
 
S

SlowSpyder

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
17,305
1,002
126
Because we measure our handgun bullets in caliber, not millimeters. It sounds so much better to say, "I took that asshole out with my 45." as opposed to "I took that asshole out with my 11.5 millimeter." I hope this clears it up for you.
 
ch33zw1z

ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
39,755
20,327
146
Welcome to my high school math class. Debate often circled around this. Metric is better, IMO, but it's best to know both...so we don't blow up space ships and such...
 
HAL9000

HAL9000

Lifer
Oct 17, 2010
22,021
3
76
SlowSpyder said:
Because we measure our handgun bullets in caliber, not millimeters. It sounds so much better to say, "I took that asshole out with my 45." as opposed to "I took that asshole out with my 11.5 millimeter." I hope this clears it up for you.
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9mm?
 
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Lonyo

Lifer
Aug 10, 2002
21,938
6
81
SlowSpyder said:
Because we measure our handgun bullets in caliber, not millimeters. It sounds so much better to say, "I took that asshole out with my 45." as opposed to "I took that asshole out with my 11.5 millimeter." I hope this clears it up for you.
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What if you have a 9mm?

The UK doesn't really use a system. Legally people are required to use the metric system in many situations (like food must be weighed in g/kg) but most people use whatever the hell they want, and many things are marked with both metric and imperial units.
I buy my fuel in litres. I know how many miles per gallon my car is supposed to get.
I use cm for many things but I know my height in feet and inches. My weight in stones, I buy milk in pints or occasionally litres. I'm using a 15" laptop and my sound comes out via the 3.5mm headphone jack. The wheels on my car are 13", and run at 2.0 bar or so. My bike has 26" wheels. I was measuring my room earlier for furniture purposes and it was 4.23m wide. I bought a 2l bottle of coke yesterday. If I was making pancakes I would use ounces of flour and fluid ounces of milk.

We use whatever the hell we want.
 
Cogman

Cogman

Lifer
Sep 19, 2000
10,286
145
106
Lonyo said:
What if you have a 9mm?

The UK doesn't really use a system. Legally people are required to use the metric system in many situations (like food must be weighed in g/kg) but most people use whatever the hell they want, and many things are marked with both metric and imperial units.
I buy my fuel in litres. I know how many miles per gallon my car is supposed to get.
I use cm for many things but I know my height in feet and inches. My weight in stones, I buy milk in pints or occasionally litres. I'm using a 15" laptop and my sound comes out via the 3.5mm headphone jack. The wheels on my car are 13", and run at 2.0 bar or so. My bike has 26" wheels. I was measuring my room earlier for furniture purposes and it was 4.23m wide. I bought a 2l bottle of coke yesterday. If I was making pancakes I would use ounces of flour and fluid ounces of milk.

We use whatever the hell we want.
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This is why I think it is funny that many British criticize the US for not using metric. They are ignorant to the fact that in many circumstances, neither do they.

US schools teach metric about as much as they teach the imperial system. The biggest difference is that stores aren't forced to use metric measures (Even though they usually do) and gas isn't measured in liters.
 
HAL9000

HAL9000

Lifer
Oct 17, 2010
22,021
3
76
Cogman said:
This is why I think it is funny that many British criticize the US for not using metric. They are ignorant to the fact that in many circumstances, neither do they.

US schools teach metric about as much as they teach the imperial system. The biggest difference is that stores aren't forced to use metric measures (Even though they usually do) and gas isn't measured in liters.
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I don't know any british citizens that complain about american use of imperial measurements... It's not exactly a hot topic in the UK.
 
Cogman

Cogman

Lifer
Sep 19, 2000
10,286
145
106
HAL9000 said:
I don't know any british citizens that complain about american use of imperial measurements... It's not exactly a hot topic in the UK.
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And yet, you are the one that started this thread... Quoting a link from the Uk none the less.

Americans certainly aren't (generally) the ones that start bashing on america for using the imperial system.
 
HAL9000

HAL9000

Lifer
Oct 17, 2010
22,021
3
76
Cogman said:
And yet, you are the one that started this thread... Quoting a link from the Uk none the less.

Americans certainly aren't (generally) the ones that start bashing on america for using the imperial system.
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Actually, it's an american site, I quoted the English sub-domain because then you don't have to see the awful new formatting of gizmodo...

http://gizmodo.com/#!5786004/these-are-the-three-countries-who-dont-use-the-metric-system

Also at no point in the OP was I complaining or criticising...
 
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ShadowOfMyself

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2006
4,227
2
0
How damn proud can you be? Only americans would defend the outdated imperial system

Get off your high horse, America does many things wrong and this is one of them
 
Cogman

Cogman

Lifer
Sep 19, 2000
10,286
145
106
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