Comments on: An expatriate’s perspective on metrication http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/11/18/expatriates-perspective/ Commentary on the measurement muddle in the UK Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:14:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: Mark http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/11/18/expatriates-perspective/#comment-6824 Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:33:58 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/11/18/expatriates-perspective/#comment-6824 Also in response to Daniel, I have to point out that we went to school in the 70s, and although we used metric measures at school, in life outside school everything was imperial. I even did my apprenticeship in the early 80's using lathes that measured in thousandths of an inch! The point is, as long as you offer the former system in parallel, whether this be lbs, stone, fahrenheit, or French francs, people have no incentive to learn it or switch. I'm sure that every GP will tell the patient their weight in stones and pounds when they ask. Most bathroom scales show both, but I'm pretty sure that the majority read the imperial values. Also in response to Daniel, I have to point out that we went to school in the 70s, and although we used metric measures at school, in life outside school everything was imperial. I even did my apprenticeship in the early 80’s using lathes that measured in thousandths of an inch!

The point is, as long as you offer the former system in parallel, whether this be lbs, stone, fahrenheit, or French francs, people have no incentive to learn it or switch. I’m sure that every GP will tell the patient their weight in stones and pounds when they ask. Most bathroom scales show both, but I’m pretty sure that the majority read the imperial values.

]]> by: Alex Bailey http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/11/18/expatriates-perspective/#comment-6565 Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:07:17 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/11/18/expatriates-perspective/#comment-6565 In response to Daniel... it's really more a matter of what you're used to dealing with. If you don't make a concious effort to use metric here in the UK then it's more likely that others will talk to you in imperial. Small retailers will often use imperial (usually because they think it better serves their customers) and there are many places where the use of imperial is completely legal (McDonalds and their Quarter Pounder, Subway and the 6 inch and footlong products - because product descriptions do not fall within metrication laws). My own sister who is 37 and is a biology professor at a local university herself converts her weight back into stones after visiting the doctor because that's what she's used to hearing! In response to Daniel… it’s really more a matter of what you’re used to dealing with. If you don’t make a concious effort to use metric here in the UK then it’s more likely that others will talk to you in imperial. Small retailers will often use imperial (usually because they think it better serves their customers) and there are many places where the use of imperial is completely legal (McDonalds and their Quarter Pounder, Subway and the 6 inch and footlong products - because product descriptions do not fall within metrication laws).

My own sister who is 37 and is a biology professor at a local university herself converts her weight back into stones after visiting the doctor because that’s what she’s used to hearing!

]]> by: Daniel Jackson http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/11/18/expatriates-perspective/#comment-6561 Mon, 19 Nov 2007 11:29:34 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/11/18/expatriates-perspective/#comment-6561 If the author and his Siblings learned metric back in school in the '60s, then how is it possible that his siblings have no idea what the numbers mean? Even if they have some exposure to imperial in the market, the majority of products are marked in metric only. They have to notice them. Or do they deliberately pretend they are not there? Even a visit to the doctor would have them being weighed in kilograms. They can see the numbers on the scale and would know what range they are in even if later they find someone to do a conversion. I can't seem to wonder how people can pretend not to know metric when it stares them in the face every day. If the author and his Siblings learned metric back in school in the ’60s, then how is it possible that his siblings have no idea what the numbers mean? Even if they have some exposure to imperial in the market, the majority of products are marked in metric only. They have to notice them. Or do they deliberately pretend they are not there? Even a visit to the doctor would have them being weighed in kilograms. They can see the numbers on the scale and would know what range they are in even if later they find someone to do a conversion.

I can’t seem to wonder how people can pretend not to know metric when it stares them in the face every day.

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