Why aren't we using the metric system??

[aschen]

thermodynamics and basic mechanics suck in US units. When I was in school I did all my non symbolic work in metric and then converted back to metric in the end. It was too easy to miss points by being off by 32.2.

The golden engineering rule of "always carry your units through" breaks down in some instances for SI.

Many places use mixed unit systems as customary.

The reason why we don't switch is a good lesson in what drives adoption in my opinion: need and not just convenience. It would be a giant PITA for alot of industries and the upside is only slightly less annoyed technical staff. People dont care that much about annoying others slightly less.

[vash]

i'm still not 100% sure what a "Slug" is.

in college, our problems came at us in both flavors. the metric problems were a lot easier for sure. but i managed both. a miracle of sorts..

it would be very expensive to swap the USA over. california tried it (for projects), and backed out after a year of transition.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by john walker's workshop

90% of the population has pablum for brains is why.

This

In medicine, there is a lot of metric. Doses are mg/kg, for example.

As stated above, tires are in inches all over the world, go figure

[wayner]

Originally Posted by Tobra

This

In medicine, there is a lot of metric. Doses are mg/kg, for example.

As stated above, tires are in inches all over the world, go figure

Really? Mine are 245mm in the front and 275mm in the back (on 17" rims mind you)

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by wayner

Really? Mine are 245mm in the front and 275mm in the back (on 17" rims mind you)

Yep, that 17 inch diameter or whatever the diameter is, will be inches.

I always thought it was funny that the tire width is almost always in mm but the rim size is inches.

I have always wondered just how wheels are sold in China or Iran to local customers. Are those still sold in inches?

[hardflex]

wasnt' there a space mission that failed a few years ago because someone didn't carry the units out correctly in the formula? Didn't convert from Metric to English or vice versa?

I think the English lengths, inches, feet, yards, miles, makes as much sense as scoring in Tennis.

[wayner]

They actually make a lot of sense
-The distance between your first and second knuckle on your index finger is an inch
-A foot is a foot
-An outstretched arm is a yard
-Two outstretched arms from tip to tip is 6 feet
-A span between outstretched pinky finger and thumb is 6 inches, or half a foot.

It goes on...

[creaturecat]

Hegemony. American.
It is sort of like biting your nose to spite your face.
Is there a truly valid reason?

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by wayner

-A span between outstretched pinky finger and thumb is 6 inches, or half a foot.

I think that's called a dick, and it's 10"

Right?

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Tobra

This

In medicine, there is a lot of metric. Doses are mg/kg, for example.

As stated above, tires are in inches all over the world, go figure

Tires come in 400mm size. I'm not sure if there are any other metric sizes though.

[billybek]

Originally Posted by hardflex

wasnt' there a space mission that failed a few years ago because someone didn't carry the units out correctly in the formula? Didn't convert from Metric to English or vice versa?

I think the English lengths, inches, feet, yards, miles, makes as much sense as scoring in Tennis.

I know there was this when Canada switched to SI.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimli_Glider

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

When I started cooking as a hobby a few years I realized recipes make the US system look easy.
Ounces can be either a volume or a weight, you determine which to use based on the contex
People who write recipes pay no attention to repeatability of results. I've converted my favorite recipes to volume for liquids and weight for solids so I can repeat them if I want. I'm thinking of going to weights.

3 large tomatoes
1 medium onion
4 oz ground beef
2 oz beef broth
is basically meaningless if you want to repeat it accurately

OTOH, when I was a kid my mom took me to the doctor who gave her some powdered medicine for me. The prescription was to give me "about as much as you can pile on a dime."

To be correct, they should use Fluid Ounces for volume.

[Mark Henry]

One would think the little winkie crowd would be all for it ....afterall 4 inches is 10.5.....cm

[aschen]

Just thinking out loud, what if we appoint the day as the basic metric unit of time and then do centi hours, milli hours etc?

Things would get a bit out of hand when seasons change every .356 kilodays

It sounds a bit odd, but maybe because we are only so used to "non metric" time.

[MBAtarga]

Originally Posted by hardflex

wasnt' there a space mission that failed a few years ago because someone didn't carry the units out correctly in the formula? Didn't convert from Metric to English or vice versa?

I think the English lengths, inches, feet, yards, miles, makes as much sense as scoring in Tennis.

NASA- Mars Orbiter failed:
Nov. 10, 1999: Metric Math Mistake Muffed Mars Meteorology Mission | WIRED

[DanielDudley]

Years ago, my dad sent me to order some window sash for a pre revolutionary war colonial. I said to the fellow, I need to order some custom windows. He asked me how I knew I needed custom windows instead of a standard size. Well, I said, it's a pretty old house. Well, he said, it's a pretty old standard.

He was right, they were a stock size...

[Por_sha911]

Did ya ever notice that you snap that 10 mm socket onto a 3/8 ratchet?

[billybek]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

Did ya ever notice that you snap that 10 mm socket onto a 3/8 ratchet?

Actually that is 9 1/4 mm....

[wayner]

Originally Posted by NotaBRG

Mine is 9 3/4" FWIW.

Thats why women are such poor judge of distance. For years the've been told this is 6"...

EDIT:

I got that one wrong. Its supposed to be if you form an L with your thumb and index finger.

[911 Rod]

For the same reasoning you think a slotted screw is better than a Robertson.