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US going metric?



 
 
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  #11  
Old January 5th, 2004, 06:16 AM
alohacyberian
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Default US going metric?

"Bill" wrote in message
...
"jj" wrote in message
...
I'm curious, has there ever been an attempt at going metric in the US?

e.g.
using Celsius? How do people feel about it?

jj

Back in the 70's they took some early steps with some highway signs in

KM's.
That didn't last. Basically Americans like what's familiar.

To me it would make sense for weights and distances. But, sorry, but for
air temperature, Fahrenheit makes so much more sense, with zero to 100

being
about the range of temps we see in a the northern US. Yeah, some places

go
below zero, and some go above 100. But it is so much more informative than
the much more limited range on the Celsius scale. Celsius makes more sense
for scientific work though.


The ease and convenience with the metric system is far superior to the
hodgepodge used in the United States, though I agree that the use of
Fahrenheit and feet instead of celsius temperatures and meters offers much
more exact measurements and I think for that reason most Americans will
prefer the current sytem over metric for a long, long time. And I think
Americans by and large prefer miles to kilometers for distance, though
personally, I think kilometers are probably a better way to measure distance,
but don't expect most Americans to agree with me. KM
--
(-:alohacyberian:-) At my website there are 3000 live cameras or
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  #12  
Old January 5th, 2004, 06:20 AM
Hatunen
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Default US going metric?

On Mon, 05 Jan 2004 01:39:25 +0000, iaink
wrote:

Changing all the signs at once would cost a lot of $$$, and requires a
lot of political will, not to mention the logistical issues, so on a
practical level, road signs would be a big issue. Not that there is a
hope in hell of the US adopting the metric system anyway.


I believe I-19 from 'Tucson to Mexico is the only metric
interstate in the country. All distances and "mileposts" are
metric, so that even the interchange numbers (based on the
"milepost") are the kilometers from the southern end instead of
miles. On the streets and roads that interchange with I-19 the
approach sings are metric, e.g., "I-19 500 meters."

But the speed limit signs are in miles per hour, and I would
expect this to be because the statutory speed limits are in miles
per hour.

************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *
  #13  
Old January 5th, 2004, 06:27 AM
Hatunen
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Default US going metric?

On Sun, 04 Jan 2004 21:37:34 -0500, Me wrote:

In article ,
"jj" wrote:

I'm curious, has there ever been an attempt at going metric in the US? e.g.
using Celsius? How do people feel about it?


I believe there was a half-hearted attempt to go metric in the '70's.
Other than for scientific purposes, I don't ever expect the United
States to officially adopt the metric system, although it would
definitely benefit from doing so.


The United States officially adopted the metric system in the
late 19th century, and ever since then our units have been
defined in terms of the metric units. What the United States
didn't do was mandate its usage by the public. As a de facto
matter, though, almost any industry or business that operates
internationally has converted to metric; I believe even cars made
by the American manufacturers are actully metric these days. For
the most part only everyday things retain the English system,
such as speedometers, milk jugs and such. I can't say liquor and
wine bottles, since they are metric anyway. But even those items
which are nominally English/American units, such as the 12 ounce
soda cans also carry the content in ml as well. Even potato chip
(crisps) bags have the metric conversion from the content in
ounces.



************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *
  #14  
Old January 5th, 2004, 06:35 AM
florian
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Default US going metric?

"jj" wrote in message ...
I'm curious, has there ever been an attempt at going metric in the US? e.g.
using Celsius? How do people feel about it?

jj


Hi! I was born in "Celsius" European country, now living in San
Francisco Bay area. I like western USA, but in my opinion half
population (Asians, south and central Americans) + thousands tourists
and international busisnessmen in San Francisco area don`t know the
fahrenhait scale. Weather in local TV news and in newspapers is in
fahrenhait only. Where is problem in TV or newspapers to write 90F/32C
or 82F/28C or 54F/12C ? I don`t know. I even complained to local TV
station and had nice answer, but they don`t plan to change.
  #15  
Old January 5th, 2004, 06:57 AM
Miles
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Default US going metric?



florian wrote:
Hi! I was born in "Celsius" European country, now living in San
Francisco Bay area. I like western USA, but in my opinion half
population (Asians, south and central Americans) + thousands tourists
and international busisnessmen in San Francisco area don`t know the
fahrenhait scale. Weather in local TV news and in newspapers is in
fahrenhait only. Where is problem in TV or newspapers to write 90F/32C
or 82F/28C or 54F/12C ? I don`t know. I even complained to local TV
station and had nice answer, but they don`t plan to change.



Probably the same reason I rarely see Fahrenheit mentioned on weather
news when traveling to much of Europe.

  #16  
Old January 5th, 2004, 07:21 AM
Evelyn C. Leeper
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Default US going metric?

Me wrote:

In article ,
"jj" wrote:


I'm curious, has there ever been an attempt at going metric in the US? e.g.
using Celsius? How do people feel about it?



I believe there was a half-hearted attempt to go metric in the '70's.
Other than for scientific purposes, I don't ever expect the United
States to officially adopt the metric system, although it would
definitely benefit from doing so.


About the only effect of the 1970s effort is the two-liter soda bottle.


--
Evelyn C. Leeper
http://www.geocities.com/evelynleeper
Loyalty to petrified opinion never broke a chain
or freed a human soul. --Mark Twain







  #18  
Old January 5th, 2004, 07:35 AM
Richard
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Default US going metric?

On Sun, 4 Jan 2004 23:07:46 -0500, "Bill" wrote:


"jj" wrote in message
...
I'm curious, has there ever been an attempt at going metric in the US?

e.g.
using Celsius? How do people feel about it?

jj

Back in the 70's they took some early steps with some highway signs in KM's.
That didn't last. Basically Americans like what's familiar.

To me it would make sense for weights and distances. But, sorry, but for
air temperature, Fahrenheit makes so much more sense, with zero to 100 being
about the range of temps we see in a the northern US. Yeah, some places go
below zero, and some go above 100. But it is so much more informative than
the much more limited range on the Celsius scale. Celsius makes more sense
for scientific work though.

Scientists in the US do use only metric.


I grew up in U.K. during the time that they switched from fahrenheit
to Celsius (via centigrade). Having used both systems I find the
Celsius much better. I think that this will depend upon the
temperature range where you live. In more temperate climates, the
nice round 0 when it is going to be freezing has a nice ring to it,
but when it is below freezing for 3 months in a row that doesn't help
much.

In practice I think that people would fairly quick get use to
whichever system is used, not that it will change any time soon.

Of course the U.K. is even more mixed up when it comes to the use of
imperial / metric. All large distances are miles, but many younger
(and not so young) people use metres for shorter distances. Pounds
(and stones) are common for your own weight, but kilograms for most
other weights

  #19  
Old January 5th, 2004, 07:57 AM
alohacyberian
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Default US going metric?

"iaink" wrote in message
...
Why would anybody lobby on either side of the issue of road signs?


Road signs would have to be the least important aspect of using metric


measurement in any case.


Erm, not if you are driving along and you see a sign for "60", but dont
see the small print at the bottom as you whizz by.

In this hypothetical example, some of the signs across the nation have
been changed to kmh, some are still mph, how fast should you be going?

Changing all the signs at once would cost a lot of $$$, and requires a
lot of political will, not to mention the logistical issues, so on a
practical level, road signs would be a big issue. Not that there is a
hope in hell of the US adopting the metric system anyway.
Iain


Good points. KM
--
(-:alohacyberian:-) At my website there are 3000 live cameras or
visit NASA, play games, read jokes, send greeting cards & connect
to CNN news, NBA, the White House, Academy Awards or learn all
about Hawaii, Israel and mo http://keith.martin.home.att.net/


  #20  
Old January 5th, 2004, 07:57 AM
alohacyberian
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Posts: n/a
Default US going metric?

"Evelyn C. Leeper" wrote in message
t...
Me wrote:
In article ,
I believe there was a half-hearted attempt to go metric in the '70's.
Other than for scientific purposes, I don't ever expect the United
States to officially adopt the metric system, although it would
definitely benefit from doing so.


About the only effect of the 1970s effort is the two-liter soda bottle.


Also the displacement of automobile engines changed from cubic inches to
liters. KM
--
(-:alohacyberian:-) At my website there are 3000 live cameras or
visit NASA, play games, read jokes, send greeting cards & connect
to CNN news, NBA, the White House, Academy Awards or learn all
about Hawaii, Israel and mo http://keith.martin.home.att.net/


 




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