Metric or imperial measurements?

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

Personally if going for 1 system I would go for metric. However at school we were taught both, and I tend to use them fairly interchangeably. Might describe something fairly small as 10mm to half an inch thick.

All the best

Keith
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5v3d3b0 · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Karma :

Well the metric system is linked to SI units, so is therefore more handy..
And I just find it more logical
1 km = 1000 metres, 1 mile = 1760 yards, or 5280 feet. Not as easy when you want to calculate 15 miles off the top of your head...

Skudd · Super Spammer Joined: 01 Oct 2006 Karma :

I use both when doing any diy job. both are interchangeable.
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NSR Mick · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Karma :

I use whichever fit's best at the time.

Britain will never be fully metric as it would cost too much money and time to change all the road signs.
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owdamer · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 Oct 2004 Karma :

I did metric at school and was told no one needed to use imperial anymore, then when I left school I started work at British Aerospace and had to relearn inperial as all the aircraft parts were built to imperial drawings. A few years further down the line I started work on Airbus parts and these were metric so I had to change back to what I was taught at school, except my machine was imperial so i had to keeps converting. Next I moved onto boeing parts and these were imperial again. Never knew where I was up to there!.
Now I fix dvdr's and no one measures sod all so it doesn't matter.
I buy my petrol by the litre but want to know my mpg..... Confused

and · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Sep 2007 Karma :

NSR Mick · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Karma :

Itchy · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Karma :

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

If choosing one it'd be metric, but it's not hard to understand both hence both should be taught.

and · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Sep 2007 Karma :

NSR Mick · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Karma :

Could be worse we could still be dealing with Witworth. Laughing

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Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

and · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Sep 2007 Karma :

5v3d3b0 · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Karma :

The reasonthe brits still have imperial is the same reason they still have pounds rather than euros: They're conservative
You still have your policemen with hats that make them look like tarts etc etc etc...im not into it at all...

NSR Mick · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Karma :

Surely an aircraft part is an aircraft part.

Much like bike parts. If I need a pinch bolt for the fork legs on my bike I couldnt give a flying whether it's imperial or metric, I just get the dealer to pull the part no. up and they supply me with the correct item.

The only time I ever measure anything is if I'm doing diy or one off bike work. DIY is usually done in inches, bike work work cm and mm.
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and · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Sep 2007 Karma :

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

.Chris. · World Chat Champion Joined: 09 Jun 2007 Karma :

Depends on what it is to be honest, but for most day-to-day things it's Imperial for me. I have no idea how much I weigh in kg, how tall I am in metres, how many kj I'm supposed to eat in a day, how much petrol my bike/car consumes in l/100km, etc.

On the issue of legislation, I think both should be legal for the various measurements. I can see very little reason why it would impede international trade if we continue to allow selling potatoes in lb/oz.

In the past metrication has also been used as a good cloak for price hikes - things going from 1/4lb to 100g while the price stays the same. I bet if they banned the sale of beer in pints most pubs would charge the same for 500ml as they currently do for a pint.

Edit: You link to the metric association website. These sort of people really make me dig my heels in. Example - they seem to think that one of the reasons we should change our road signs to metric is that it would be easier for drivers from the continent to understand. Well, I don't care if they don't understand it really - just as I'm sure they don't care that I don't understand their signs in km.
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Lone-Wolf · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Jul 2004 Karma :

Didge · Traffic Copper Joined: 02 Jul 2006 Karma :

My Buell is imperial & metric. Wink

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

What Lone-Wolf says is true of the UNF thread system more than Whitworth. Still imperial.

Personally. I use metric to measure, imperial to estimate.

I can visualise a height of 5' 11". I can't visualise 180cm.
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