Why aren't we using the metric system??

[Mark Henry]

Funny thing is the mph and kph conversion is real simple
50km/h is 30mph,
60km/h is 40mph,
80km/h is 50mph,
100km/h is 60mph
120km/h is 75mph

Those are not exact, for example I know that 100kph is really 62.1 mph, but it's close enough.
At 100km/h or 60mph I will cover roughly the same distance in one hour.

When I first began to drive I would do the conversion from mph to km/h, now it's km/h to mph.
Also In case you're on the ball and noticed I used km/h and kph, both are acceptable.

BTW it took way longer to type this, than to do the conversion, again I did the conversion in my head in seconds.

[spuggy]

Originally Posted by A horse with no name

It is though interesting that the British did adopt the metric system but not in the use of their currency - Pounds, shillings and pence,

Uuuh, do what now?

On 15 February 1971, known as Decimal Day, the United Kingdom and Ireland decimalised their currencies.

Date was set in 1966 - but it was first proposed in 1824 (according to WIkipedia) - after the French went to a decimal franc in 1795.

UK continued to use SAE and Imperial standards e..g measurements, gauge, threads - in engineering for somewhat longer than that.

But pretty much the only pre-decimalization measurement that remains now is the pint of beer/cider/milk. Sacrosanct. Oh, and troy ounces for precious metals.

Originally Posted by A horse with no name

I was on a vacation in NZ in when they and AU were still using the Pound.

NZ switched to the NZ dollar in 1967, Australia decimalized in 1966.

[Rinty]

Originally Posted by Mark Henry

Say your car gets 10L/100km (10 liters per 100 kilometers), just move the decimal place so 10L/100km = 1.0L/10.0km or 10/100km = 100L/1000km
Within seconds you know simply doing the math in your head you need 1 liter to go 10KM or 100L to go 1000km.

When you think in metric things become quite simple, because most of the time when calculating you are just moving the decimal place.

That's a good trick.

After every fill I write the kilometres travelled on that tank on the gas slip and calculate the kilometres per litre. I confess that I then convert to miles per Imperial gallon, by multiplying by 2.84.

[Kraftwerk]

Same reason the Chicago to New York train- takes hours longer than it did 100 years ago. Kind of.

Modern version:
The Acella Train ( D.C. to Boston) was suppose to take x mount of hours but they translated the width off the tracks (inches) too wide compared to the spacing of the wheels ( Metric ) European train on American tracks. Train cannot reach top-speed.There is also the fact that the tracks are too "bumpy" which has less to do with measurement..

[McLovin]

[vash]

Just saw this on a knife discussion




Sent via Jedi mind trick.

[Mark Henry]

Originally Posted by vash

Just saw this on a knife discussion




Sent via Jedi mind trick.

The Apollo Guidance Computer was programmed in SI, but displayed and accepted data in English units.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Mark Henry

Funny thing is the mph and kph conversion is real simple

I just multiply KPH by .6 to get MPH. The math is easier for me than memorizing a conversion table, and it's fairly close.

[Mark Henry]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I just multiply KPH by .6 to get MPH. The math is easier for me than , and it's fairly close.

The thing is for Canadians memorizing a speed conversion table is easy as every car since the 80's has a speedo that's marked in both km/h (large font) and mph (small font).
Anything out of the normal car speed range and I'd likely have to do the math.

I no longer convert most measurements, it's the same as learning a 2nd language, if you use it every day you will be fluent, if you stop using one you will forget quickly.

[island911]

"Why aren't we using the metric system?? "

We are.

The US uses both.

I use SI daily. (engineering)

And don't drug dealers, for the past 5 decades, sell by the gram? or is it oz?