Should America switch to the metric system?

[DaboGirl 7]

Only America and two small 3rd world countries haven't adopted the metric system.

 

In Star Trek lore did America eventually adopt the metric system?

[Odie 0]

Actually England, which we get measurement standards from, still, uses the same system. There are differences between the two, but the same words are still used. Just recently EU made England the exception to the rule with the measurement system. I highly doubt that England is 3 world country.

 

As far as my concern, it would make my job a lot easier. When I observe the weather I have to convert American system to the Metric system.

 

I really don't seeing United States changing anytime soon even though it actually there is a law that was enact sometime in '70s that require the change to metric. Metric system in use medical and scientific communities in America.

[GhostofMajorHayes 10]

I voted in favor of switching to the metric system. It just seems like it would be more convenient considering the vast majority of the world is already using it.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named 2]

The metric system makes more sense for medicine, science, engineering, etc. However, most people don't need that level of precision.

 

What I think is really stupid, however, is tools are in 32nds of an inch but the size stamps are "simplified" so that 8/32 is expressed as 1/4 but the next size up is 9/32. When you are fumbling for the right size tool who wants to calculate fractions in their head?

 

President Carter made a strong push for the US to adopt the metric system, but I didn't know it actually became a law.

 

Mmm, Royale with Cheese!

[DaboGirl 7]

Actually England, which we get measurement standards from, still, uses the same system. There are differences between the two, but the same words are still used. Just recently EU made England the exception to the rule with the measurement system. I highly doubt that England is 3 world country.

 

As far as my concern, it would make my job a lot easier. When I observe the weather I have to convert American system to the Metric system.

 

I really don't seeing United States changing anytime soon even though it actually there is a law that was enact sometime in '70s that require the change to metric. Metric system in use medical and scientific communities in America.

 

Three nations have not officially adopted the International System of Units as their primary or sole system of measurement: Liberia, Myanmar and the United States.[1]

 

I am certain that England does use the Metric system offically. They still probably have items that have the Metric and old Imperial system on them. Much like many of our government forms are in English and in Spanish even if America's offical language is English.

[Odie 0]

EU to allow Britain and Ireland to retain imperial measurements

BRUSSELS: The British and the Irish can still down a pint of beer, walk a mile, covet an ounce of gold and eat a pound of bananas after the European Union ruled Tuesday that the countries could retain measurements dating to the Middle Ages.

 

Under a previous EU plan, Britain and Ireland would have been forced to phase out imperial measurements by 2009. But after a vociferous anti-metric campaign by British EU-skeptics and the London tabloid press, EU officials decided that an ounce of common sense, which equals 28.34 grams of common sense, suggested that granting a reprieve was better than braving a public backlash.

 

The EU also feared that forcing Britain to abolish the imperial system would have damaged EU trade with the United States, one of those countries, including Liberia and Myanmar, that have not adopted the metric system.

 

Britain and Ireland officially use the metric system, but imperial measures are still often used alongside their metric equivalents. Under the EU decision, they can retain miles on road signs and pubs may continue to serve pints of beer. Other goods must be sold in metric quantities, but retailers can also display imperial equivalents.

 

The metric system is in use in United States, but it is far from being 100%. If you look at goods that is bought you will both systems just like in England.

 

European Union abolishes the British acreThe acre, one of Britain's historic imperial measurements, is to be banned from use under a new European directive.

The measurement, which will officially be replaced by the hectare, will no longer be allowed when land is being registered.

 

After being agreed last week, the new ruling will come into force in January 2010.

 

The Tories are angry that unlike some other EU countries, who sent Cabinet-level ministers to the meeting on 15 July, the Government only sent Jonathan Shaw, a junior minister at the Department for Environment Farming and Rural Affairs, to represent Britain's interests.

 

Mark Francois, the Shadow Europe Minister said: "It is this kind of pointless interference into the nooks and crannies of our national life that frustrates people about the EU. Whether we use hectares or acres should be a matter for Britain to decide, not the EU.

 

"Once again this weak Labour Government has meekly given up yet another of Britain's rights to Brussels. They need to think again and insist that we must keep our right to use our ancient traditional measure of land if we wish."

 

A hectare is the equivalent of 2.471 acres; the acre, one of Britain's most ancient units, measures 4,840 square yards.

 

The first law setting out the exact statutory size for the acre was passed in the early 14th century under Edward I. It is derived from an even older English word, related to the Latin "ager", from which words such as agriculture are derived.

 

Britain had, until now, an opt-out from the European Union's use of metric measurements which allowed the use of acres to continue.

 

The Metric System

 

History of the metric system and its adoption in the United States.

 

In 1968, the United States Congress authorized a three-year study of measurement systems in the USA, and in 1975, Congress passed the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 "to coordinate and plan the increasing use of the metric system in the United States". The U.S. Metric Board was established and a process of voluntary conversion was begun. However, the efforts of the Metric Board were largely ignored by the American public, and the Metric Board was dis-established in 1982. More recently, in the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, Congress amended the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 and designated the metric system as the preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerce.

 

Today, some business and technology companies in the USA use the metric system, and many products specify both English and metric units. But the American public has decided, collectively, that the short term costs and disruptions of converting to the metric system would outweigh the potential long term benefits.

Edited July 31, 2008 by Odie

[Q stole my bike 0]

This might just be because I'm in science, but I think it would be a lot simpler if the US switched to metric. As it's been pointed out, scientific fields use the metric system, so it's really like we've got two separate systems.

[DaboGirl 7]

This might just be because I'm in science, but I think it would be a lot simpler if the US switched to metric. As it's been pointed out, scientific fields use the metric system, so it's really like we've got two separate systems.

I agree 100%

 

Kevin is a big NASA fan he can back this up or debunk it. Back when there was a string of Mars lander failures...

That was one of them.

One NASA Engineer used the metric system and the other used our imperial system the result...

CRASH!!!

That Mars lander collided with the surface of Mars at many 1,000s of MPH or KPH (if you prefer).

[Theunicornhunter 2]

The problem is we're a very large country and we have so much infrastructure and machinery etc built on the old system that changing would be neither cheap nor easy. The only feasible way to change is to have a dual system for a time while everything is printed in both. If I remember many things already come in both - measuring cups, rulers, speedometers on new vehicles.

 

Some of things that would need to be changed

Speed limit signs

tire gauges

thermometers

cookbooks

fabric & patterns

planting instructions for seeds

"mile" markers

all directional signs giving distance to next town

deeds and land descriptions

the bathroom scales

food product packaging

kitchen canisters

The Saffir Simpson scale

blood donor collection bags

 

What else can you add to the list?

 

As for the Mars thing - maybe this is what you're talking about

cnn

 

It was Lockheed Martin that used the English system - and it makes no sense - since NASA uses the metric system you'd think all RFP's would make the metric system part of the requirements.

[Gary Phaserman 0]

The problem is we're a very large country and we have so much infrastructure and machinery etc built on the old system that changing would be neither cheap nor easy. The only feasible way to change is to have a dual system for a time while everything is printed in both. If I remember many things already come in both - measuring cups, rulers, speedometers on new vehicles.

 

Some of things that would need to be changed

Speed limit signs

tire gauges

thermometers

cookbooks

fabric & patterns

planting instructions for seeds

"mile" markers

all directional signs giving distance to next town

deeds and land descriptions

the bathroom scales

food product packaging

kitchen canisters

The Saffir Simpson scale

blood donor collection bags

 

I'd imagine the Mile/Klick markers would have to be moved, since 1 Kilometer is slightly over 62% the total distance of a mile (or 62.13 Km/100 Miles). the distance-to-city signs would stay at their same spots, just read (For example) "ELGIN 3.62 KM" instead of "ELGIN 2 1/2 MILES".

 

The other thing to consider is how it affects the mind. Americans are trained to think in terms of Miles, Gallons, inches, and feet, not Kilometers, Liters, Milimeters and Centimeters. How would it affect a person at a gas station when gas is $1.05/Liter rather than $4.00/Gallon? Right now, very few things are sold in metric measures. In this country, we even prefere to identify our ammunition in terms of decimal-inches (0.45 caliber vs. 11.45mm), althought Soda is available in Metric units (I know, I sell an awful lot of 2 LITER bottles), as is alcahol and obviously tools. But, Hamburger helper calls for 1 pound of beef rather than .46 KG, and also think about the affect on McDonalds. A double quarter pounder vs. the double 113.4 Grammer?

 

 

By the way, if we did switch, we'd have to listen to Billy Ray Cyrus singing "I want my mile back..."

Edited August 1, 2008 by Mr. Phaserman

[Odie 0]

By the way, if we did switch, we'd have to listen to Billy Ray Cyrus singing "I want my mile back..."

 

And if you play it backwards he gets that mile back! :P