Metric vs Imperial

[Brendan]

So I?ve been reading the news on the Beeb?s tinterwebsite and apparently the EU has given up on trying to convert Britain to the Metric System.

What are people?s thoughts on the benefits of having a universal system of measurement that is used worldwide?

Growing up in a country that had made the change from Imperial to Metric shortly before I was born Metric was used officially but people still seemed to use Imperial in everyday life. It has led to a situation where many people now seem to use Imperial for certain measurement and Metric for others. I for instance measure height in Imperial but weight in Metric. Which gets confusing when I?m filling out the forms at the doctors.

[Alan Dale]

Metric is fine with me as long as you are still allowed to serve beer in 568ml glasses.

[Keef]

It makes a lot of sense to be universal. However, I like having a pint, and if it went metric, you'd probably get half a litre, thus losing that all important 68ml!!!

[Keef]

Great minds Alan.

[LostThePlot]

Brendan Wrote:

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> What are people?s thoughts on the benefits of

> having a universal system of measurement that is

> used worldwide?

Obviously a standard system makes life so much easier, but being of that age where inches were taught before the centimilliltres were drempt up it's hard to convert to the metric system for stuff.

If I have to estimate something in metric, I have to do it in inches, then convert to centimeters mentally. Daft I know!

One thing that does make me smile is our ability to swap between Centigrade and farenheight (Sp?)One minute we're talking about it being freezing, then the following week (This is England) we're talking about it being in the hundreds, like both are on the same scale!

[Keef]

It is odd, I tend to think about lengths in metres, but height in fl & inches. We have pints of beer, but 2 lt bottles... We're just a crazy mixed up bunch of kids! :-S

[Ant]

Farenheit totally baffles me. I just don't get it at all. Weird system.

Apart from that, I'm yer usual mishmash of some things in imperial and some in metric. Although probably slanted more towards the metric.

[Brendan]

I do distance in miles and speed in km/hr, which can really bugger things up sometimes.

[fish]

Aren't there more cm's to the inch, boys?

[cdonline]

Depends where you measure from.

[fish]

The tape measures are coming out, all over East Dulwich......

[SeanMacGabhann]

och - everyone has done that by age 14 surely?

[Asset]

only in imperial though

[mockney piers]

How old is 14 in metric years?

[Ladygooner]

5 for boys and 18 for girls

mockney piers Wrote:

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> How old is 14 in metric years?

[david_carnell]

Although I measure heat in farenheit (i.e. 100 equals hot) I measure cold in centigrade (i.e. 0 equals freezing). Weird non?

Height - ft and inches

Weight - kilos except at the butchers/greengrocers when I revert to lbs (and I'm under 30!)

Distance - metres then miles (?!)

Fluids (no laughing at the back) - pints then litres for higher figures

Area - acres (I was once told it is roughly one football pitch and is therefore easy to visualise)

God, no wonder the English are seen as eccentric.

[Brendan]

Yeah why do I weigh myself in kg and food in lbs? :-S

[lozzyloz]

I like imperial. Feels nice and comfortable. Like it's been here forever. A part of England, as much as our sovereignty. But Metric is so much more sensible, logical and easy to use.

[LostThePlot]

SeanMacGabhann Wrote:

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> och - everyone has done that by age 14 surely?

ROTFLMAO!!!! Very good!!!

[Ant]

Am I the only one who thinks the Imperial system is something to do with Darth Vader?

[Brendan]

Careful, next thing someone is going to mention the length of his light saber.

[Ant]

And then there's the girth, of course. Don't forget the girth.

[Brendan]

Wots a girth then? Some kind of imperial battle droid?

[Jah Lush]

Having been brought up in pounds and ounces I find it very hard to change to the metric system but I suppose it does make more sense. Should we drink our beer in Steins or pint glasses though?

[Ant]

Brendan Wrote:

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> Wots a girth then? Some kind of imperial battle

> droid?

Or perhaps a large, sand-dwelling, rebel-eating monster... But I digress. See here for a definition. In this case, particularly the second one.