RIP Metric System

ubersonic said:
Two litre bottle of [drink], five hundred mil bottle of [drink], x metre cable, x pounds and x pence, x hours x minutes, 60 watt light bulb, 80 mbit/s internet connection, 50 litres of petrol, 120mm fan, 3.5mm audio jack, etc.
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No one says can I have a 500ml bottle of coke.. you have just given a load of measures next to products.

So if we say a pint of lager is the most common imperial expression what is the metric equivalent in common use in the UK today? There must be something?
 
rhobbyh said:
The metric system is the tool of the devil! My car gets 40 rods to the hogshead and that's the way I likes it.
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Damn I just filled it in - wish I'd seen that first so I could have nicked it. I did add that converting nutritional value per 100g into nutritional value per 1543.24 grain is just going to confuse some people.

This line: "1.1 Imperial units have been in use for centuries in the UK and remain part of our national identity." made me irrationally angry. Partly because it's insulting to think that a unit of measurement is worthy of a mention in the context of history and partly because I know it resonates deeply with the little Englanders :rolleyes:
 
n111ck said:
No one says can I have a 500ml bottle of coke.
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I know, It's generally spoken as five hundred mil, hence why I wrote it like that.

n111ck said:
you have just given a load of measures next to products.
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You asked for examples of when metric measurements are commonly used to describe things, myself and others gave you examples, now you're complaining you're being given examples? O.o

n111ck said:
So if we say a pint of lager is the most common imperial expression what is the metric equivalent in common use in the UK today? There must be something?
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Two litre bottle of [drink], five hundred mil bottle of [drink], x metre cable, x pounds and x pence, x hours x minutes, 60 watt light bulb, 80 mbit/s internet connection, 50 litres of petrol, 120mm fan, 3.5mm audio jack, etc.
 
In my experience when in europe for example you ask for a small (typically 250-300ml) or a large beer (typically 500-600ml). Generally only unusual measures like 1 litre glass of beer would be specified.
A small or a large coffee

In the UK we seem semi fixated, particularly a certain demographic, with defining exactly what measure we require.

Same with food in most places around the globe as well, generally they don't fixate on the weight of the burgers in the bun, for example.
 
ubersonic said:
I know, It's generally spoken as five hundred mil, hence why I wrote it like that.


You asked for examples of when metric measurements are commonly used to describe things, myself and others gave you examples, now you're complaining you're being given examples? O.o


Two litre bottle of [drink], five hundred mil bottle of [drink], x metre cable, x pounds and x pence, x hours x minutes, 60 watt light bulb, 80 mbit/s internet connection, 50 litres of petrol, 120mm fan, 3.5mm audio jack, etc.
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You are not really getting the point - there are no colloquialisms in the metric world as there are in imperial because metric doesn't cut across the public conciousness.

Regardless imperial measures ARE part of the national identity - no one wants 225g steaks - and as this is intended as red meat (lol) for the red wall I think it will do well.
 
Terminal_Boy said:
Me (standing at counter of auto parts store): “A litre of 5W40 engine oil, please.”
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So to put it another way if metric was scrapped would you still insist in asking for a litre? I suspect no so why has imperial persisted? Because its part of the national identity and should remain a choice.
 
n111ck said:
So to put it another way if metric was scrapped would you still insist in asking for a litre? I suspect no so why has imperial persisted? Because its part of the national identity and should remain a choice.
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you are aware imperial measurements haven't ever been scrapped aren't you?

Metric is a much simpler, universal way to measure things used the world over. You can still sell in imperial measurements but you have to have the metric equivalent advertised alongside it I do believe. Is that a compromise you can get on board with or are you keen to wipe the metric system off the face of the planet?
 
rhobbyh said:
you are aware imperial measurements haven't ever been scrapped aren't you?

Metric is a much simpler, universal way to measure things used the world over. You can still sell in imperial measurements but you have to have the metric equivalent advertised alongside it I do believe. Is that a compromise you can get on board with or are you keen to wipe the metric system off the face of the planet?
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I’m not saying metric should be scrapped only that imperial should remain an option.
 
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