N3O Age Of Empires and Starcraft 2 Clan

Soccerman771

The United States officially converted to the metric system in 1981...

Why do they still use miles, gallons and feet 2 this very day?

Out

[quote=""LaZy""]Soccerman771

The United States officially converted to the metric system in 1981...

Why do they still use miles, gallons and feet 2 this very day?

Out[/quote]

Short answer - Americans are lazy and stupid.

Long answer - It "cost too much" to change industry standards, etc. Though in the long run it would have done nothing but help the US economy.

Also, it appears that I was a little off on my dates. The metric conversion act of 1975 (not 1981) was the one that was supposed to push the US to the Metric system.

Here's additional information and there was also an act passed in 1991 that was supposed to make the US government 100% metric. The Metric Act of 1975

Lots of boring lawyer stuff. IndyBrit should eat it up if no one else does..

[quote=""LaZy""]Soccerman771

The United States officially converted to the metric system in 1981...

Why do they still use miles, gallons and feet 2 this very day?

Out[/quote]

The real question is, why aren't you guys on the English system? (We still blame them in the name - lol). Why add and subtract zeros when you can use 12s, 16s, 5280s, etc. And a gill is cool, I don't care what anybody says. ::/

Much of industry has already switched to metric (actually SI), except some historically stubborn industries use old units that may never be converted ("barrels" in the oilfield, for example).

The man on the street may never convert. There is a silly sentiment in America that equates describing one's height in meters with a takeover of America. I think Britain has a similar sentiment - don't they still use MPH on their highway signs? But anyone who ever had to pick up a calculator wishes we would switch.

Yeah I dont get that, we use MPH, pints(for beer) but then again it would be stupid to go into a pub and say can i have 568ml of (drink here), or even saying can i have 500ml of (drink here) i think pints and half pints just work with beer.
Pretty much EVERYTHING else is imperial!

[quote=""IndyBrit""] But anyone who ever had to pick up a calculator wishes we would switch.[/quote]

From an engineer's point of view, you have no idea how true that statement is.

I love how every thread on the N3O boards inevitably winds up spiralling off on some bizzare tangent. For my part, I think our speedometers should measure speed in furlongs per fortnight.

[quote=""Puddleglum""]I love how every thread on the N3O boards inevitably winds up spiralling off on some bizzare tangent. For my part, I think our speedometers should measure speed in furlongs per fortnight.[/quote]

That and they all usually wind up talking or refering to alcohol..

[quote=""Soccerman771""][quote=""Puddleglum""]I love how every thread on the N3O boards inevitably winds up spiralling off on some bizzare tangent. For my part, I think our speedometers should measure speed in furlongs per fortnight.[/quote]

That and they all usually wind up talking or refering to alcohol..[/quote]

I'll drink to that.

^lol

Mmmmm....beer.