big-will 7 Posted February 23, 2006 Share Posted February 23, 2006 Seen this? UK to possibly change signs from miles to km before Olympics. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4741894.stm Got to admit, I don't think in miles anymore now I have lived here. Link to post Share on other sites
gamera 0 Posted February 23, 2006 Share Posted February 23, 2006 Miles for distance is okay with me. I can convert it in my brain but feet and inches for mountain height is still hard. Link to post Share on other sites
firedog23 0 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 As an American I wish we would make the change. Imperial system was made in a time long ago and when you look at it, it really makes you think "what were they thinking back then" when you can do it based on tens (km).... Link to post Share on other sites
number9 0 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Are things other than speed limits and distance in metric in the UK? Link to post Share on other sites
js 0 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Funny though - Nautical Miles will probably always exist internationally for sea and air travel. Linear measurement is just too easy in metric, same with weights and measures. Reminds me of Jabberwocky (Monty Python) - '... the famous inventer of the inverted firkin.' Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by firedog23: As an American I wish we would make the change. Imperial system was made in a time long ago and when you look at it, it really makes you think "what were they thinking back then" when you can do it based on tens (km).... agreed! And, just to show my ignorance I thought peeps in England did use Kilos?? Link to post Share on other sites
nzlegend 1 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 nah the poms use "stones" when talking about weight, I weigh 13 stone! whatever that means? Link to post Share on other sites
gamera 0 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Grrr... stones. If I remember right, 1 stone = 14lbs? Very "approximate" lol... I think I weigh roughly 12+ stones if that were correct. Link to post Share on other sites
gamera 0 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by firedog23: As an American I wish we would make the change. Imperial system was made in a time long ago and when you look at it, it really makes you think "what were they thinking back then" when you can do it based on tens (km).... Firedog23, actually there still are some other old method like that in Japan as well. e.g. "sun and shaku" ( don't pronounce the "sun" like it in English way, do it as Spanish or Italians do!) I think a sun is roughly 3.3cms, a shaku is 10 suns(33cms) My parents sometimes mention about it which I totally don't understand. They are never used in any public documents any more though. But when older generations order some kimono, they usually tell the size in the sun and shaku. Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by number9: Are things other than speed limits and distance in metric in the UK? Just about everything is metric except drinks. You can still walk a mile to drink a pint. The nautical mile will always be with us because it is the distance travelled at the Earth's surface when you pass through one second of arc, measured at the centre. Link to post Share on other sites
number9 0 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Oh yeah and stones for weight, right? I never understood why Americans went with just pounds though.. Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 My favourite unit it the Firkin, which is the British Standard Measure of Excess. As in "two Firkin much", or "two Firkin heavy". Link to post Share on other sites
kintaro 0 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 I had dinner with an English guy last night and he asked me how many stones I weighed. I've got to admit I was clueless...I replied that it depended on the size of the stones. Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Nice response Kintaro Link to post Share on other sites
gamera 0 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Nice Kintaro LOL Link to post Share on other sites
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