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Should the US finally switch over to the metric system?

Should the US finally switch to the metric system?


  • Total voters
    50

Threegoofs

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We are basically the last country to not use the metric system in our day to day lives - we measure temperature in Farenheit, distances in feet.yards and miles, and have a ridiculous volume and weight measurement system of cups, ounces, quarts, gallons, etc.

Its an antiquated system that costs the US milions each year by having to convert, tool things in english units (5/8 in wrenches?) etc. Our kids need to learn both systems, and tend to learn neither well.

Why is there no active movement in the US to upgrade our systems?

Why dont we just bite the bullet and change already?

Nice article that may jump start the popular cry: Why Americans still use Fahrenheit long after everyone else switched to Celsius - Vox
 
I learned metric in the 70s, when the initiative to change was on, and before it flopped.


I'm good with meters, kilometers, liters, all that stuff.... found it very handy in doing scientific calculations too.


The one I STILL have trouble with is Celsius vs Fahrenheit.... I can't seem to stop thinking in Fahrenheit and struggle convert C to F in my head.



The idea, back in the 70s, was to use both measurement systems for a long time until people were equally comfortable with either. Didn't really work out, lack of motivation I suppose.
 
Sure why not. Never hurts to admit when somebody else has a better idea. Besides, not doing so can hold one back.
 
Sure why not. Never hurts to admit when somebody else has a better idea. Besides, not doing so can hold one back.

Because my measuring cups and tape measures would need to be replaced. I can push a button that switches my car, but otherwise it would cost me like $30.47 and that is too high a price to pay.
 
Because my measuring cups and tape measures would need to be replaced. I can push a button that switches my car, but otherwise it would cost me like $30.47 and that is too high a price to pay.

You big kidder you.
 
Would be a great way to improve domestic infrastructure and manufacturing.

Would a billion new highway signs really substantially improve infrastructure?
 
We are basically the last country to not use the metric system in our day to day lives - we measure temperature in Farenheit, distances in feet.yards and miles, and have a ridiculous volume and weight measurement system of cups, ounces, quarts, gallons, etc.

Its an antiquated system that costs the US milions each year by having to convert, tool things in english units (5/8 in wrenches?) etc. Our kids need to learn both systems, and tend to learn neither well.

Why is there no active movement in the US to upgrade our systems?

Why dont we just bite the bullet and change already?

Nice article that may jump start the popular cry: Why Americans still use Fahrenheit long after everyone else switched to Celsius - Vox

It would be rather costly. it would also make trade cheaper añd more efficient. It would be less good at training children's minds
 
Would a billion new highway signs really substantially improve infrastructure?

Have you seen how many of them that are shot full of holes by rednecks?
 
Hell no.

Milk and gas is bought by the gallons (just to name a few things).

It could really mix a lot of people up.

I don't give a flying **** what the rest of the world is doing, we can and will stick to our system when dealing with ourselves. With the rest of the world we'll use their system.
 
It's long past due for us to get with the program.

I happened to live in the UK when their monetary system was converted to the metric system. There used to be 240 pennies in a pound, that was changed to 100 pennies, or pence; it was in the early 1970's as best as I can recall. 240 pennies, that's twelve shillings; each of which had 12 pennies. Pounds/Shillings/Pennys. It looks like they cut out the middleman; now it's simply Pounds/Pence. Quicker, faster, easier.

So the common rebuttal............too costly, happy with the way it is, why should we, I might even suggest "I have my rights!" ........ The article that the OP provided was good reading.
 
We are basically the last country to not use the metric system in our day to day lives - we measure temperature in Farenheit, distances in feet.yards and miles, and have a ridiculous volume and weight measurement system of cups, ounces, quarts, gallons, etc.

Its an antiquated system that costs the US milions each year by having to convert, tool things in english units (5/8 in wrenches?) etc. Our kids need to learn both systems, and tend to learn neither well.

Why is there no active movement in the US to upgrade our systems?

Why dont we just bite the bullet and change already?

Nice article that may jump start the popular cry: Why Americans still use Fahrenheit long after everyone else switched to Celsius - Vox

No need. The only people crying for conversion are the ones to stupid to deal with both.
 
We are basically the last country to not use the metric system in our day to day lives - we measure temperature in Farenheit, distances in feet.yards and miles, and have a ridiculous volume and weight measurement system of cups, ounces, quarts, gallons, etc.

Its an antiquated system that costs the US milions each year by having to convert, tool things in english units (5/8 in wrenches?) etc. Our kids need to learn both systems, and tend to learn neither well.

Why is there no active movement in the US to upgrade our systems?

Why dont we just bite the bullet and change already?

Nice article that may jump start the popular cry: Why Americans still use Fahrenheit long after everyone else switched to Celsius - Vox

1. I didn't respond to your poll because I didn't like your snarky additions to the simple choices. I would have willingly answered with a plain "no".

2. I don't care about what the rest of the world uses. If I ever have to convert something...well, that's what the internet is for and it's pretty cheap.

3. There is no active movement in the US to convert because nobody...except a few, like you, who insist we become more like Europe...really cares about it.
 
1. I didn't respond to your poll because I didn't like your snarky additions to the simple choices. I would have willingly answered with a plain "no".

2. I don't care about what the rest of the world uses. If I ever have to convert something...well, that's what the internet is for and it's pretty cheap.

3. There is no active movement in the US to convert because nobody...except a few, like you, who insist we become more like Europe...really cares about it.



What about those who don't give 2 craps that Europe uses it, but rather wish our children learned about units that have fundamental definitions based on real scientific properties.
 
What about those who don't give 2 craps that Europe uses it, but rather wish our children learned about units that have fundamental definitions based on real scientific properties.

I don't know about YOUR kids, but my kids learned about the metric system in school.
 
We are basically the last country to not use the metric system in our day to day lives - we measure temperature in Farenheit, distances in feet.yards and miles, and have a ridiculous volume and weight measurement system of cups, ounces, quarts, gallons, etc.

Its an antiquated system that costs the US milions each year by having to convert, tool things in english units (5/8 in wrenches?) etc. Our kids need to learn both systems, and tend to learn neither well.

Why is there no active movement in the US to upgrade our systems?

Why dont we just bite the bullet and change already?

Nice article that may jump start the popular cry: Why Americans still use Fahrenheit long after everyone else switched to Celsius - Vox

I voted no, because it would be pointless. Wouldn't accomplish anything, would be no positive impact, and meanwhile the switchover would cause businesses and regular folks hardship.

I see no real incentive to change.
 
I don't know about YOUR kids, but my kids learned about the metric system in school.

so then, assuming your kids are of average or higher intelligence, they probably realized how much more rational and intuitive the metric system is.
 
What about those who don't give 2 craps that Europe uses it, but rather wish our children learned about units that have fundamental definitions based on real scientific properties.

Is it really that hard to learn two systems? I mean, I know how big a centimeter is, and I know how big an inch is. It's not that mind-blowing.
 
so then, assuming your kids are of average or higher intelligence, they probably realized how much more rational and intuitive the metric system is.

shrug...

It doesn't matter. They use the system we have in the US and, like me, convert when necessary.

My kids are of sufficient intelligence to know that tilting at minor windmills is a fools errand.
 
Is it really that hard to learn two systems? I mean, I know how big a centimeter is, and I know how big an inch is. It's not that mind-blowing.

Sure.

Do most people (ugh) know

how to convert between pounds and kilograms (trick question)
what the Rankine is
horsepower(which one) to watts?

........
 
We are basically the last country to not use the metric system in our day to day lives - we measure temperature in Farenheit, distances in feet.yards and miles, and have a ridiculous volume and weight measurement system of cups, ounces, quarts, gallons, etc.

Its an antiquated system that costs the US milions each year by having to convert, tool things in english units (5/8 in wrenches?) etc. Our kids need to learn both systems, and tend to learn neither well.

Why is there no active movement in the US to upgrade our systems?

Why dont we just bite the bullet and change already?

Nice article that may jump start the popular cry: Why Americans still use Fahrenheit long after everyone else switched to Celsius - Vox

Canada introduced the Metric System here over 40 years ago, when I was still in school, and yet go to any grocery store and things like meat and produce are still priced by the pound, etc., and it's not just because of us old people.

It's the retail trick. Anything sold by weight is listed by the pound because a kilo is about 2.1 pounds so it looks cheaper if it's sold at the by-the-pound price. Conversely, anything sold by volume is listed by the liter, such as gasoline, because there are about 4.5 liters in a gallon, so it looks cheaper if sold at the by-the-liter price.

As a result, Canadians are tricked into thinking their prime rib isn't grossly overpriced when on sale at $7 a pound instead of $15 a kilo and our gasoline doesn't cause riots when it's priced at $1.40 a liter instead of $6 a gallon.

But manufacturers in Canada and those in the US who ship to Canada would likely reduce costs and thus prices in Canada if they only had to list products in metric weight and volume and not imperial measures too. But then, they'd still have to print French and English on the products so it's a wash.
 
I voted no, because it would be pointless. Wouldn't accomplish anything, would be no positive impact, and meanwhile the switchover would cause businesses and regular folks hardship.

I see no real incentive to change.

I agree.

Can you just imagine the number of divorces that'll result from housewives who start cooking crappy food for their husbands because their cookbooks suddenly changed into a metric system? :shock: :hitsfan: :bomb:
 
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