Metric or not?

[slo crostic]

I was just pondering the stupidity of measurements in Australia and wondered if it is at all like this in other parts of the world. AFAIK Australia changed to decimal currency in 1966??? (correct me if I'm wrong), and changed to metric measurements at about the same time (maybe not though, because my Mum's 1972 Holden has a speedo measured in Miles). Anyhow, that's 30-35 years ago and people still refer to one's height as being 6'2" rather than 189cm. Also, if you buy pre-cut timber in Australia it is available in 1.2m 1.8m and 2.4m lengths (i.e. 4' 6' and 8')

Another strange one, in Australia at least, is tyre sizes. A standard tyre size would be 205/75/14. The 205 refers to the width of the tyre in millimetres, the 75 is an aspect ratio and denotes the height of the side wall being 75% of the tread width, whereas the 14 refers to the diameter of the rim the tyre will be fitted to and is measured in inches!!! What's going on there?

What I'm wondering is if there are similar oddities in other countries' measurement systems. I've also often wondered why America has a decimal currency system but still continue to use ounces, pounds and gallons for weights and volumes, and inches and miles for distance.

Wouldn't it be much easier if the whole world woke up to the simplicity of the metric system and adopted it's use?

 

[Jake the Dog]

i'd like to see what havoc the introduction of a metric time system would cuase. change is good

 

[Groltz]

Recommended reading

 

[jtr1962]

I don't know about anyone else here, but I'm perfectly comfortable using either system of measurements, and converting between them. For example, it wouldn't bother me if a vehicle speedometer was reading in mph, km/hr, m/sec, or knots. Right off the top of my head, I know that a posted 65 mph speed limit is 105 km/hr, 29 m/sec, or 57 knots(ignoring decimal places in all three cases). I can pretty much do the same with volume and distance measurements. Since a measurement system is arbitrary anyway, does it really matter? As long as the standard upon which the system is based is based upon some repeatable procedure(i.e. the meter is a defined as a certain number of wavelengths of radiation from the decay of a particular isotope) it is really irrelevant what sytem you use. Computers can easily convert one system to another, and since practically all manufacturing and sales is computerized today, you can just convert to whatever set of units you're comfortable in. My suggestion is to get used to doing this. It's only going to get worse once we start trading with extraterrestrials in the future. I'm sure these places have long had their own "standard" system of measurements.

A little interesting fact is that the standard spacing of railroad tracks(4' 8.5") actually dates back to the spacing of Roman chariot wheels, which were made wide enough to allow two horses to ride abreast. Therefore, in a manner of speaking, modern railroading is standardized on the width of a horse's ass(actually two horse's asses). :lol:

 

[slo crostic]

Interesting link Groltz. I wasn't aware there ever was a push for metric in the states.


I also am quite capable of converting metric to imperial measurements in my head but most of the younger generation in oz wouldn't have half a clue how long an inch is, let alone trying to divide it into 16ths.

As far as a change over is concerned, surely it would be a big cost saver for companies who export goods in the long run. I have a can of Zippo fluid sitting in front of me right now labelled 4fl. oz. (125ml) and if i looked around i would find at least another 40-50 products in my house labelled in such a way. I know it would be costly for companies to change over their printing machinery, but surely those costs would be offset in a matter of years by the money saved in using less ink/paint.

 

[Mercutio]

Near where I used to live, not far from Urbana, Illinois, there is a sign that says "Peoria: 100 kilometers". It has been there since the 70s, and is the only example I can think of that there was ever a push to go metric here.

I have had enough science classes in my life that it doesn't matter to me which system I use - I like metric better for volumes but celcius isn't good enough for temperature.

 

[James]

... but celcius isn't good enough for temperature.

I was happy with your post until I came across that last bit. I think I speak on behalf of many when I say, whut?!

 

[slo crostic]

I have had enough science classes in my life that it doesn't matter to me which system I use - I like metric better for volumes but celcius isn't good enough for temperature.

That brings an interesting point to light Merc. There is no simple way to convert celcius to fahrenheit because the two don't meet up at zero (-40 instead) For example 100C is 212F but 200C is 392F. The only way I have found to convert the two is to look at a thermometer or chart, or use a computer based conversion program.
Personally I prefer the celsius scale, A: because I've grown up with it, and B: because 0 degrees signifies the freezing point of water, and 100 degrees represents the boiling point of water, two common things anyone can relate to.

 

[blakerwry]

a celcius degree is 9/5ths of a Fahrenheit degree


so if you have a celcius tempurature, say Zero. Multimply it by 9, divide by five, and add 32... 32F

Take 100 Celcius, multiply by 9, divide by 5, and add 32.... 212F

by the way, water in Kansas City boils around 210F (Altitude...err atmospheric presure changes the boiling point of water)


If you had a Fahrenheit temp, you would do the inverse. 212 F... subtract 32, divide by 9, multiply by 5.... 100C

easy as Pi, right?

 

[Fushigi]

... but celcius isn't good enough for temperature.

I was happy with your post until I came across that last bit. I think I speak on behalf of many when I say, whut?!

Mercutio's gripe could be similar to mine: The scale isn't fine enough. A temp of 81F (27.22C), to me, feels noticably warmer than 78F (25.55C). Weather reporting always rounds off to the nearest whole number (with barometer readings & rainfall measurements being the exceptions) so the above would be reported as 27C & 26C respectively. A difference of 1 degree should not really feel all that noticable. Sure, weather reporting could start providing decimal degrees, but most Americans wouldn't be comfortable with it and would resist that portion of any change to metric.

America is messed up with standard & metric. Most sciences use metric as does a reasonable amount of manufacturing. But most common items (consumer goods) are in the standard system. Carbonated beverages come in 12oz cans, 20oz bottles, and 2l bottles. Wine bottles are 750ml. Computer monitors are in inches yet CPU manufacturing wafers are measured in nm. Paper is 8.5"x11" (dunno why we don't use A4).

Having been born & raised using feet & pounds, I can think in that system quite easily despite the goofiness (12" to a foot, 3' to a yard, 1760yd to a mile). But metric can make more sense and I can use it as well.

Ultimately, it's whatever you're raised with. Those raised on the standard system will be more comfortable with it despite metric's easier conversions.

What about time? 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes to an hour, 24 hours to a day, 28 - 31 days to a month, 365 - 366 days to a year? Now that's messed up!

- Fushigi

 

[Tea]

Absolutely! What's with this stupid 365 and a quarter? Why can't we have a nice, sensible 300-day year? Then Christmas would be here lots sooner. They could leave out all the tedious months, like July when it's too damn cold, and September when it's always bloody windy, and August when it's cold and windy. I feel it all the way through my fur - lord knows how humans cope with it.

 

[Tannin]

August? My birthday is in August, you idiot! Much better to leave out all the Fridays, and if there are any days left over, have extra Saturdays.

 

[Bartender]

Eliminate Monday mornings because it is my biggest clean-up day. We should have two Saturdays, one before and the other after Sunday.

Tea, since humans don't have fur to keep warm, they usually end up buying costly clothing that looks nowhere near as comfortable as that nice red coat you grow.

 

[Mercutio]

Personally, I really like the idea of 6 28-hour days rather than 7 24-hour ones.
And yes, my beef with Celcius has everything to do with the scale not being fine enough to cope with what I feel are noticeable differences in temperature.

 

[Buck]

Personally, I really like the idea of 6 28-hour days rather than 7 24-hour ones.
And yes, my beef with Celcius has everything to do with the scale not being fine enough to cope with what I feel are noticeable differences in temperature.

If you stick around long enough, you just might see that. As the moons orbit moves away from earth (which it does on an average of 1.2 inches a year), earths rotation on its axis will slow. Days and nights will be long, but that will also increase the heat during the day, and the cold temperatures at night. Maybe Celsius will be better when our temps are more extreme.

 

[Buck]

Oh, and Slo, the mix of measurements used by the Aussies is really a strategy. You see, this way, you can understand the Americans and the British, but neither of us can properly understand you. :mrgrn:

 

[NRG = mc²]

I prefer metric all the way.

I can still remember around 10 years back when we first moved to the UK for short time, my mum asked the guy at the supermarket how much do these tomatos weigh, he said one pound, then she said "yes but how much do they weigh?"

LOL...

 

[NRG = mc²]

Another strange one, in Australia at least, is tyre sizes.

Thats everywhere. Everything in mm except the width of the wheel itself and the diameter of the wheel or tyre. Offset is also measured in mm.

Around 15 years back, Michelin tried to push metric measurements on the tyre market , but those tyres also required new wheels to go with them as they had small differences.

The only manufacturer that I know of that went with this was BMW with their 6-series coupes. Ask any 6-series owner what tyres they're using and chances are theyre still the original as you can't get them any more

Either that or they got new wheels.

 

[NRG = mc²]

Metric tyres: Rather oddly, despite metric measurements having taken over in most areas, wheel diameters are still quoted in inches. Thus a 155R13 tyre is 155 millimetres wide, and fits a 13 inch wheel. A couple of car manufacturers (Austin Rover and BMW) tried to introduce metric tyres in the 1980s, and if you own a car with these tyres you will know what a pain they are. As so few cars have them, they are usually double the price of the non-metric equivalent (which will not fit on the metric rims). So if you have a Metro, Maestro, Montego or BMW with metric tyres which are near the limit of wear, go to your local scrapyard and see if you can pick up a set of non metric wheels cheaply. They will bolt on in place of the metric ones, and you will almost certainly save more on the cost of one set of tyres than you spent on the wheels.

http://bangernomics.tripod.com/tyres.htm

 

[Tea]

Tea, since humans don't have fur to keep warm, they usually end up buying costly clothing that looks nowhere near as comfortable as that nice red coat you grow.

Bartender, I don't understand.

Oh, I know that humans are born bald all over, and never grow a proper coat. It's not their fault, it's just something wrong with their genetics.

And I know that this clothing stuff is supposed to be a sort of substitute, I understand that bit - though it doesn't look as comfortable as proper fur. But it doesn't make sense! That cheap stuff that Tannin wears seems to work OK ...

... but the more expensive sort of clothing doesn't look like it would work very well at all.

When you pay more money, you are supposed to get a better product, aren't you?

Are humans ... er ... sorry to have to ask this, but are humans stupid?

 

[Buck]

Indeed they are.

 

[GIANT]

Near where I used to live, not far from Urbana, Illinois, there is a sign that says "Peoria: 100 kilometers". It has been there since the 70s, and is the only example I can think of that there was ever a push to go metric here.

There have been Km speed postings around certain parts of Houston for decades. Back in the late '70s and early '80s, I recall that many service stations -- at least in the Houston metro area -- posted the price for fuels by the Liter (e.g. -- 0.29 / L). Shell service stations were 100% metric pricing. Also, I don't drink the stuff, but CocaCola came out with Liter bottles around then, too -- they still have them.

...but celcius isn't good enough for temperature.

Celsius in half-degree gradients is a bit beyond what the human skin can sense. I believe we can sense fine differences in temperature change the best around the 20°C ~30°C range than with anything above or below, meaning this is when 0.5° increments should be used when providing current weather temperatures.

By the way, you can thank President Reagan for canceling the US Metrification program back in the early 1980s.

 

[blakerwry]

By the way, you can thank President Reagan for canceling the US Metrification program back in the early 1980s.

He WAS good for something!