Why doesn't the US switch to the Metric System?

[Fatal473]

We have been metric for 26 years, but we are too lazy to enforce it. Please seen the Metric Conversion Act of 1975

United States Code TITLE 15 > CHAPTER 6 > SUBCHAPTER II

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/15/ch6schII.html

 

[Electrode]

My monitor is 19 inches, and I like it that way.

 

[JellyBaby]

You can find both standard and metric measurements on a lot of products. For instance I notice the 24 fluid ounce Mountain Dew I'm drinking is equal to 710 mL.

Given the level of mathematical excellence in America today I don't see a shift toward Metricism anytime soon.

 

[DrMoreau]

Perhaps not entierly relavent but FYI anyway, from what I've noticed it appears that the Star Trek universe uses the metric system.

"Captain, there's a Borg ship 200 kilometers off our starboard bow!"

Probably the switch occurred at the same time the monetary system changed when the new economy began. Since science fiction often forshadows furture events (not predict just forshadow) then it's quite likely such a change will eventually occur. I think the change over to the metric system will probably happen in conjuction with this type of transition. We're already seeing the beginnings of these types of economic changes over in Europe with the Euro taking place of national currency.

 

[Martin]

<< My monitor is 19 inches, and I like it that way. >>



Yeah? well mine's 48cm




<< EDIT: In technical terms, neither Metric nor English is a "better" system of measurement. Both are equally accurate and equally precise. People forget that easier does not mean better. >>



while ease of use doesnt always mean that its better, it does in this case.

Since both are the same (both have units and measure stuff), the only thing that sets the apart is that its much easier and faster to work with the metric, therefore its better. Even if you know how many feet in a mile, you still can't tell me how many feet there are in 3 miles without calculating it, yet I can tell you how many meters there are in 3 kilometers without thinking.

 

[Haircut]

For all the people wondering if the UK is metric or not, we are officially metric but no-one really uses it that much.

All goods bought have to be in metric (with the exception of beer ) If I go and buy a jar of honey then it will usually be marked as 454g and I would buy a 1.136 litre carton of milk from the supermarket, but everyone knows that I have just got a pound of honey and 2 pints of milk.

Even though I have been taught the metric system at school I still consider myself 6'2 tall rather than 1.88 metres.

Funnily though all signposts are required by law to be marked in imperial measurements, hence all the cars' speedometers are calibrated in mph.

 

[b0mbrman]

<< They will, eventually. The US, the UK and some other backwards countries (sorry ) which are still using a non-metric system will have no choice but to stick to standards. >>



Yeah, well us English system-users can kick those other countries' asses (sorry)

In the military, we use the metric system but only for distance...(i.e. There's a lookout tower that's 50 feet tall, 200 meters away)

BTW, make sure to visit metricsucks.com

Also, when I visited the UK, everyone talked about their weight in "stone." Now *that* was weird

 

[McPhreak]

<< We don't switch because there is no incentive to switch. Scientists have been using SI units for a long while now, the only place that English measurement remains is in daily life, where its (very slight) added complexity is not a hinderance. There is no benefit to measuring milk in Gallons, but there is no benefit to measuring it in Litres either as far as daily life is concerned. In areas such as Science and Medicine, where there are compelling reasons to switch over to SI units, the switch has been made. In day-to-day life, there is no compelling reason since the extra complexity of the English system does not make itself appreciably known.

ZV

EDIT: In technical terms, neither Metric nor English is a "better" system of measurement. Both are equally accurate and equally precise. People forget that easier does not mean better. >>



Zenmer has hit it right on the head. Like I said before. There's not enough incentive to justify switching everything over the the metric system since it's mostly superficial in daily life. What's the difference between going 10 miles an hour over the speed limit vs. 10km/hour? Who knows/cares? Both of them are going to get you tickets. There are very few occurances in daily life that require a lot of calculation or precision (By precision, I mean estimating calculations). When was the last time you needed to know EXACTLY how many feet were in 4 miles?

 

[b0mbrman]

AHhh!!!! Look at how we're getting short-changed on liquor here and in the UK because of the metric system!

1 "half-pint" = 200 ml = 0.42 pints
1 "pint" = 375 ml = 0.79 pints (Less than 4/5 of a real pint!)
1 "fifth" = 750 ml = 0.198 gallons (A real fifth is 0.2 gallons.)
1 "half-gallon" = 1.75 l = 0.462 gallons

:Q

 

[N8Magic]

<<

<< But its FUN measuring pressure when you only have angles and kips!!! (Yes, kips...its 1000 lbs.)

Armani >>




Give me Pascals or give me death! >>



I'll take my pressure measured in bars, thank you very much.

 

[rahvin]

Science and technology switched a LONG time ago. Major industries like construction and such will never change. Why? It's a barrier to entry to our system. No one can come in and undercut the US steel producers making US steel sizes because they can't make them. We are unique and the uniqueness of our units prevents other countries from entering our market and competing against US jobs. This is the reason all construction, surveying and everything else that isn't metric right now will remain on the imperial system. Overtime there will be unit creep in industries that have world distribution (2 liter coke anyone?) but those that are stateside only will remain imperial.

 

[Bitek]

I think we will eventually switch as more people become more familiar with it, and the people who prefer it outwheigh those who whine about having to learn something new. Anyone in the science field should be quite familiar with it. I work as a biochemical lab tech, and I could not imagine having to use the English system to do lab work, what a nightmare.

The real beauty of the system is not just its foundation on a rational, convenient (and obvious) base 10 system, but the fact that all units are directly related to each other.

Ex: 1 gram of water = 1mL h20 = 1 cc h20, as well as 1 kg =1 liter. I use this conversion countless times a day in some form.

Tell me English system lovers, how fast can you calc how many teaspoons are in 3.45 cups of water? how bout that in lbs? ounces? cubic inches? Pints? English pints and gallons? I don't think even 1 fl. ounce = 1 oz of weight.

The complaints of it being difficult to take height, weight, pressure, and even temp are nonsense. I weigh 70kg (154 lbs) I am 1.77m or 177cm tall (~5' 10") If I told you my girlfriend was 66.5 inches tall, how long would it take you to figure that in feet and inches (or for a teaser just in feet?)
Without much thought I know my tires inflated to ~32psi =~2 bar. Hardly mindnumbing.

It may seem a little foreign at first, but once you use it it takes very little time to adapt. If we suddenly switched, after a year people would be used to it and wondering why we didn't switch sooner. It would be that difficult as most things you buy are already listed in metric units anyway (because all of the other countries in the world, save one, aren't being stubborn tards like us.)

PS: England uses both systems in an awkward hybrid way. Gas is sold by liters but you drive in miles and most signs read mph. But as least you can still buy beer by the pint (not = to our pints, 25% larger) eventhough you by tea by the gram.

 

[Martin]

<< Science and technology switched a LONG time ago. Major industries like construction and such will never change. Why? It's a barrier to entry to our system. No one can come in and undercut the US steel producers making US steel sizes because they can't make them. We are unique and the uniqueness of our units prevents other countries from entering our market and competing against US jobs. This is the reason all construction, surveying and everything else that isn't metric right now will remain on the imperial system. Overtime there will be unit creep in industries that have world distribution (2 liter coke anyone?) but those that are stateside only will remain imperial. >>




I don't see why that should happen.

Let's say you need a steam beam 50" long, 10" squre base. Nothing will prevent a foreign manufacturer from making a steal beam 127cm long and 25.4cm wide and labeling it in inches.

Making something to within several milimetres shouldnt be a problem if they really want the business.

 

[lawaris]

<< I think that would be quite a bit of an undertaking, no? Probably not worth the time and labor involved. >>



U r sadly mistaken.......it would make it just easier for everyone.

No reason why the world shd. go one way and USA the other

 

[CocaCola5]

The US/English system is like dial clocks, like the old rotary phone, nothing wrong with them they're just not as efficient as metric.

 

[Capn]

As someone pointed out earlier, the benefits of the metric system are in the relation of units, not base ten. The english system has a hybridized base ten system as well, milli-inches or kilopounds anyone?

I don't really see any benefit to switching outside of the cost saving. Being easier doesn't really mean jack to me in the digital world anyhow.

As rahvin said, the construction world will probably never switch over, too many standards. And metric bolts suck too!

 

[Thegonagle]

<< a 94-metre football field? ha >>



LMAO! I can just hear it: An excited football commentator yelling, "He's at the 37.6. . . The 28.2. . . The 18.8. . . The 9.4. . . And it's a touchdown! An amazing 42.3 meter touchdown!"

 

[Zenmervolt]

<<Since both are the same (both have units and measure stuff), the only thing that sets the apart is that its much easier and faster to work with the metric, therefore its better. Even if you know how many feet in a mile, you still can't tell me how many feet there are in 3 miles without calculating it, yet I can tell you how many meters there are in 3 kilometers without thinking.>>

15,840ft in 3 miles. Took me all of 5 seconds, no calculators used. Granted, the metric conversion takes maybe 2 seconds, but it's not like it's especially difficult in this case. Thing is though, that in almost any useful equation, there are so many conversions necessary that a calculator will come into play, negating most of the the difficulty in conversion. Also, how often does someone need to calculate the number of feet in three miles in daily life? As I've said, any place in which the ease of conversion is necessary has already switched over to SI. In daily situations conversion simply does not come up save in very, very rare instances. Does anyone really care how many cups are in a gallon of milk? No, we just measure out the milk and if we run out, we get another gallon. "Better" is a quality judgement, and in an objective assessment, ease of use is not considered since it is a subjective quantity. In an objective comparison, there is no quality difference between English and Metric. Which system is easier depends entirely upon the person making the statement and while the majority of people will find Metric easier, there are still people who find the English system easier.

ZV

EDIT: <<If I told you my girlfriend was 66.5 inches tall, how long would it take you to figure that in feet and inches>>

~3 seconds. 5'-6.5" tall.

 

[b0mbrman]

<< As someone pointed out earlier, the benefits of the metric system are in the relation of units, not base ten. The english system has a hybridized base ten system as well, milli-inches or kilopounds anyone?
I don't really see any benefit to switching outside of the cost saving. Being easier doesn't really mean jack to me in the digital world anyhow.
As rahvin said, the construction world will probably never switch over, too many standards. And metric bolts suck too! >>



Isn't the English system based on something though?

Like...a pound of chicken feeds a standard-sized family and you know you're sick when you're at 100 degrees and a foot is a good length for a sandwitch...things like that

 

[McPhreak]

<<

<< I think that would be quite a bit of an undertaking, no? Probably not worth the time and labor involved. >>



U r sadly mistaken.......it would make it just easier for everyone.

No reason why the world shd. go one way and USA the other

>>



You're telling me that going around and removing and replacing every single street sign in America is worth the 2 seconds spared having to think by switching from metric to english?

 

[Lars]

They should switch to the metric system. Would cost some learning time and a lot of money but it would be worth it.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Most of the Medical and Science Fields have already converted over. We just need to give the old stubborn "I dont understand metric" people time to die off. And sooner or later we will live by the metric standard as well. (No offense to any stubborn old people)

 

[kgraeme]

What I find interesting is the practical rounding off and their relative differences in the two systems. Take driving. We like to have nice round 10's as our targets, so in the U.S. while the speed limit is 55 we all drive 60. In the U.S. that's only 5mph over, which most cops will ignore. It's a nice round half of the 10, easy to set as a not-enough/too much demarcation. With metric though, what's only 5mph works out to 8km/h. While it's the same exact speed the relative perception is that 8 is more than 5 and a cop might bust someone going 8 over just because it's over that arbitrary half of 10.

The other thing I notice is relative granularity. Take temperature. Again, we like round numbers and we usually prefer to round off to whole digits. Given that, with the metric system we only have 100 levels of difference between freezing and boiling. With standard we have 180 levels. That's 80% more relative granularity. I say relative because it's the perception of the need for whole numbers. Sure you can say something is 24.5 deg. C., but most people will round that off.

 

[Scarpozzi]

We need to keep it the same. I think we have it to throw those Canadians off when they come to visit...It almost guarantees that they get a speeding ticket when they return home after visiting via car.

 

[McPhreak]

<< The other thing I notice is relative granularity. Take temperature. Again, we like round numbers and we usually prefer to round off to whole digits. Given that, with the metric system we only have 100 levels of difference between freezing and boiling. With standard we have 180 levels. That's 80% more relative granularity. I say relative because it's the perception of the need for whole numbers. Sure you can say something is 24.5 deg. C., but most people will round that off. >>



Metric or English, there are only 2 levels of difference I (and probably most everyone in America) really care about: "I'm freezing my @$$ off!" and "I'm f*cking roasting out here!"