British Firms May Be Allowed to Ditch Metric Measurements after Brexit

Breitbart ^ | February 19, 2017 | NIck Hallett

[C19fan]

British manufacturers may once again be able to sell goods in pounds and ounces after the country has left the European Union, the Environment Secretary has hinted.

[dfwgator]

Remember the "Metric Week" from SNL?

[American in Israel]

Carpentry is a good example of why metrics is for nerds. Real men think in fractions.

[Oil Object Insp]

As does “barkeep, a gill and a pint for me on my tab”, infact I think it’s late enough in the day to invoke.... It is a holiday

[bgill]

Horses are however many hands tall.

[oldplayer]

I stop this discussion with one last thought (not trying to get the last word by this simple gambit): No matter what arbitrary standard is used, once the standard is set, it doesn’t really matter what the standard is. The “length of a tall man’s stride” was standardized by the English system. A bushel is standardized, just like a metre or a litre.

In either system, arbitrary does not mean that the system is wrong. But there is no intellectual high ground for either system. Just pick one for your use that suits your needs.

[Organic Panic]

Finally I can get my ale by the hogshead. No more stupid pints. Oh wait...

[dainbramaged]

I remember when Jimmy Carter wanted to impose the metric system on the US.
I spent 25 years with the State of Alaska DOT as a draftsman - preparing right of way maps, highway construction plans and survey maps/plats.
In March of 1992 President George Bush I signed an executive order forcing all states receiving FHWA funding for roads and bridges to use the metric system, so we did - and it was a gigantic pain in the neck. Since many of our maps ended up being part of the public record, we had to show dimensions in both metric and English, which made for some pretty crowded drawings.
Thankfully, when the Republicans gained control of congress in 1994 Newt Gingrich and his crew said: "forget that metric garbage", in so many words - and so we did.
Had that not happened, every mileage sign on federally funded highways in our country would be in kilometers today.

[norwaypinesavage]

"it does sound like a refreshing challenge!"

I actually was able to buy one. I was directed to one of the only auto parts stores that was open. Of course he didn't have one. However, the store happened to be across the street from a Triumph motorcycle dealership, and the owner happened to stop by and go in while I was there. He obligingly sold me the Withworth nut.

[hanamizu]

The Revolutionary French gave the metric clock a try. 10-hour day divided into 100 metric minutes/hour. They also tried a metric calendar with three 10-day weeks to the month. This idea lasted longer than the clock. It was possible to lose one’s head over using a pre-revolutionary calendar. It got rid of the “superstitious” religious holidays and it also got rid of one day off per month, so that the masses could work for the revolution that much harder.

[Billthedrill]

I like the English system myself, principally as a means of torturing small children in grade school. Word problems, baby. “If a horse with a cart wheel with a 13 3/4 inch radius travels a furlong in a fortnight, what percentage of the speed of light is the rim of the wheel moving at? Answer in Joules, please.” Make the little buggers sweat, that’s what I say...

[DennisR]

I am very conservative and would be nothing but happy if we converted to metrics. Hate to say it, but Carter was right on this one.