Comments on: Decimal measures to oust inches and miles http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/ Commentary on the measurement muddle in the UK Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:13:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: Seares http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12205 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 23:32:38 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12205 Incidentally, was this "news item" actually submitted to any newspapers, TV stations, etc? <em>    [Indeed it was - to all national and some provincial newspapers, and major tv news organisations.  As far as we know, none used it - Editor] </em> Incidentally, was this “news item” actually submitted to any newspapers, TV stations, etc?

    [Indeed it was - to all national and some provincial newspapers, and major tv news organisations.  As far as we know, none used it - Editor] 

]]> by: Derek http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12202 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:54:35 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12202 The United States' liking for decimal systems goes back a long way. From the beginning, its currency was decimal, and its hundredweight has always had 100 pounds not 112. Recently, US dominance in IT has given us the 63 inch plasma TV and the 2.4 inch digital camera LCD screen - no feet or fractions here. Pity that the US preference for decimal has not resulted in the adoption there of a simple, rational and decimal system of measurement for all purposes. The United States’ liking for decimal systems goes back a long way.

From the beginning, its currency was decimal, and its hundredweight has always had 100 pounds not 112. Recently, US dominance in IT has given us the 63 inch plasma TV and the 2.4 inch digital camera LCD screen - no feet or fractions here.

Pity that the US preference for decimal has not resulted in the adoption there of a simple, rational and decimal system of measurement for all purposes.

]]> by: Martin Vlietstra http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12144 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:41:56 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12144 My understanding is that in Napoleonic France there was widespread disregard of metric units - shopkeepers were using the old measures which were not fixed - the vivre d'roi (King's pound) and the pied d'roi (King's foot) were widely disregarded in favour of the local variant (which was often ill-defined and smaller). This was the norm in France before the introduction of the metric system. What Napoleon did was to kill off the livre d'roi, the pied d'roi and all their local variants in favour of a single national measure, thereby killing a cancer. Unfortunately it took many years before the patient was well enough for the metric system proper to be used. My understanding is that in Napoleonic France there was widespread disregard of metric units - shopkeepers were using the old measures which were not fixed - the vivre d’roi (King’s pound) and the pied d’roi (King’s foot) were widely disregarded in favour of the local variant (which was often ill-defined and smaller). This was the norm in France before the introduction of the metric system.

What Napoleon did was to kill off the livre d’roi, the pied d’roi and all their local variants in favour of a single national measure, thereby killing a cancer. Unfortunately it took many years before the patient was well enough for the metric system proper to be used.

]]> by: Han Maenen http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12114 Sat, 05 Apr 2008 20:48:54 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12114 It is a funny joke; on the other hand David is right. Such madness seems impossible, but can never be ruled out. Politicians are capable of anything. Napoleon did a thing like this in 1812 in France, which nearly killed the metric system and delayed French metrication till 1840. Under Napoleon came the 'Systeme Usuel' (Customary System) for use in the home and in retail trade. The decimal system was taken out in this case. The metre was divied like the yard; the pound of 500 g was divided like the avoirdupois pound. The litre was divided in eights etc. Yet in 1816 the United Kingdom of the Netherlands (The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg) decided to adopt the decimal metric system, bewcoming an oasis in a nonmetric ocean. By law of 1837 July 4 France went to the decimal metric system at last, and all nonmetric and Napoleonic second-hand metric units were banned from 1840 January 1. This marked the start of metric take off. It is a funny joke; on the other hand David is right. Such madness seems impossible, but can never be ruled out. Politicians are capable of anything. Napoleon did a thing like this in 1812 in France, which nearly killed the metric system and delayed French metrication till 1840. Under Napoleon came the ‘Systeme Usuel’ (Customary System) for use in the home and in retail trade. The decimal system was taken out in this case. The metre was divied like the yard; the pound of 500 g was divided like the avoirdupois pound. The litre was divided in eights etc. Yet in 1816 the United Kingdom of the Netherlands (The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg) decided to adopt the decimal metric system, bewcoming an oasis in a nonmetric ocean. By law of 1837 July 4 France went to the decimal metric system at last, and all nonmetric and Napoleonic second-hand metric units were banned from 1840 January 1. This marked the start of metric take off.

]]> by: David http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12090 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:51:16 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12090 Be careful what you say! Sadly, I can just about imagine the UK Government introducing such as system as a "Great British Compromise".. :-( What this shows is that we really do need to move the last few measures over to metric as soon as possible: the current mess is a bad April Fool joke that's been going on for too many years already.. Be careful what you say! Sadly, I can just about imagine the UK Government introducing such as system as a “Great British Compromise”.. :-(

What this shows is that we really do need to move the last few measures over to metric as soon as possible: the current mess is a bad April Fool joke that’s been going on for too many years already..

]]> by: Martin Vlietstra http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12085 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:51:58 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12085 There is one radical solution - a solution that I know was used in South Africa and that I believe was used in Australia, New Zealand and many other countries - the prohibition of the sale or manufacture of measuring devices that are calibrated in imperial units. A few people whinged, but in the case of South Africa (of which I had experience) it was generally realised that this was the way forward. While it is true that many measuring devices calibrated in imperial (or rather customary) units could be imported from the USA, anything with quarts, pints or gallons would be suspect, while the stone is not used in the USA. It should be noted that such an action is expressly permitted by the EU - Article 4 of the Units of Measurement Directive 80/181/EEC. Another radical solution (which might be contrary to the EU Units of Measurement Directive) would be to redefine the pound as being legally 500 g in certain specified circumstances unless the words “Pound Avoirdupois” were used in full. There is one radical solution - a solution that I know was used in South Africa and that I believe was used in Australia, New Zealand and many other countries - the prohibition of the sale or manufacture of measuring devices that are calibrated in imperial units. A few people whinged, but in the case of South Africa (of which I had experience) it was generally realised that this was the way forward.

While it is true that many measuring devices calibrated in imperial (or rather customary) units could be imported from the USA, anything with quarts, pints or gallons would be suspect, while the stone is not used in the USA.

It should be noted that such an action is expressly permitted by the EU - Article 4 of the Units of Measurement Directive 80/181/EEC.

Another radical solution (which might be contrary to the EU Units of Measurement Directive) would be to redefine the pound as being legally 500 g in certain specified circumstances unless the words “Pound Avoirdupois” were used in full.

]]> by: Elk http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12070 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:11:38 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12070 This is not a scoop at all. The European Council has been aware of this for some time and has even (since 2007 - the 50th anniversary of the EU), recommended to other EU countries to educate their public about our new system. In France where I live, motorists are being advised of our new speed limit (100 ft/second) for if & when they drive to the UK, incidentally they call it 100 pps (pieds par seconde). I also heard that stones will no longer be 14lb, changing soon to 10 decipounds. This is not a scoop at all. The European Council has been aware of this for some time and has even (since 2007 - the 50th anniversary of the EU), recommended to other EU countries to educate their public about our new system.

In France where I live, motorists are being advised of our new speed limit (100 ft/second) for if & when they drive to the UK, incidentally they call it 100 pps (pieds par seconde).

I also heard that stones will no longer be 14lb, changing soon to 10 decipounds.

]]> by: George Carty http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12065 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:44:29 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12065 A hilarious April Fool joke... A hilarious April Fool joke…

]]> by: Daniel Jackson http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12064 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:44:07 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12064 April Fools! You had me going until I saw the 04-01 implementation date. April Fools! You had me going until I saw the 04-01 implementation date.

]]> by: Seares http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12059 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:09:33 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2008/04/01/decimal-measures-to-oust-inches-and-miles/#comment-12059 Oh Yes, I like it!!!!!! But only until 1200hrs after which we will revert to boring old metric Oh Yes, I like it!!!!!!
But only until 1200hrs after which we will revert to boring old metric

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