RIP Metric System

[Haggisman]

The easily verified correlation between anti tory and anti brexit members here, and them also being against sections of the publics desire to still use British Imperial measurements is of course entirely coincidental

It's interesting that you frame that as a negative. Some of us feel enough pride in the UK that we want it to stride proudly forward into the 21st century and beyond, while people like you (who constantly claim to be patriotic and love the UK) are stuck in the past and confusingly seem to want us to be left by the wayside whilst the rest of the world marches onwards.

 

[SpeedFreak]

I don't see how we can legitimately continue to take the mick out of America if we step backwards on this. Surely that is enough of an incentive to leave it in the past?

 

[R.P.L]

Pretty sure the real world impact of this is going to be very close to **** all, as pretty much no shops will go back to imperial. Good thing to get wound up about for those that are into that though.

 

[GGizmo]

I'm not dictating anything. I'm just pointing out that allowing business to choose how they measure and quantify things is an economically regressive thing to do. You might think that's okay. I don't. I think it's idiotic. I have no problem with both measurements being used. I have a major problem with standard markings and measurements NOT being used.

And yes, the market would/will self-regulate. Resulting in shrinking productivity, GDP, tax take, exports, etc, etc. Increases in costs and unemployment. Brilliant. Bit like Brexit.

Imperial measurements are a standard.

Before the measurements were in both metric and imperial. If you go to a deli counter you're likely to have to use the imperial system as thats how meat is often weighed.

Speaking of Brexit, to hold consistant to your position, would you have the same complaint if shop items were marked in both £'s and Euros?

 

[koolpc]

I prefer inches etc

 

[inogen]

Imperial measurements are a standard.

Before the measurements were in both metric and imperial. If you go to a deli counter you're likely to have to use the imperial system as thats how meat is often weighed.

Speaking of Brexit, to hold consistant to your position, would you have the same complaint if shop items were marked in both £'s and Euros?

Wut..?

Standard weights in the UK are metric. Yes, imperial are A standard. Not THE standard and for the second (third?) time, I have absolutely no problem with anyone using or displaying imperial weights and measures SO LONG AS THEY ALSO DISPLAY AND USE METRIC.

Before what measurements are in both metric and imperial? They still are and always have been (or could be) since metric was introduced. Currently, business is allowed to use whatever measurements they like, so long as they display THE standard metric most prominently.

This is not about reintroducing Imperial as an alternative as the Rees-Moggalites would have you think (and clearly you do) as Imperial has always been such since metric became the standard, it's about removing the requirement to display THE standard metric. Which is totally backward and regressive.

FWIW BTW, my local butcher (a farm shop no less) sells everything in metric. Nothing is marked or sold in imperial and the butchers behind the counter (yes, they are butchers, not shop assistants) have absolutely no idea about imperial weights and measures as I found out pretty quickly when it opened and tried to buy a steak. I had to tell them that an ounce was 28 grams. They're all in their 30s and 40s. And I can't remember going into a shop that required me to use and understand imperial weights and measures. I'm nearly 50. It's been illegal to only use imperial for quite some time.

And speaking of Brexit and the Euro, WTF has that got to do with this, other than pig-headed stupidity? We were metric long before we joined the EC.

 

[GGizmo]

Wut..?

Standard weights in the UK are metric. Yes, imperial are A standard. Not THE standard and for the second (third?) time, I have absolutely no problem with anyone using or displaying imperial weights and measures SO LONG AS THEY ALSO DISPLAY AND USE METRIC.

Before what measurements are in both metric and imperial? They still are and always have been (or could be) since metric was introduced. Currently, business is allowed to use whatever measurements they like, so long as they display THE standard metric most prominently.

This is not about reintroducing Imperial as an alternative as the Rees-Moggalites would have you think (and clearly you do) as Imperial has always been such since metric became the standard, it's about removing the requirement to display THE standard metric. Which is totally backward and regressive.

FWIW BTW, my local butcher (a farm shop no less) sells everything in metric. Nothing is marked or sold in imperial and the butchers behind the counter (yes, they are butchers, not shop assistants) have absolutely no idea about imperial weights and measures as I found out pretty quickly when it opened and tried to buy a steak. I had to tell them that an ounce was 28 grams. They're all in their 30s and 40s. And I can't remember going into a shop that required me to use and understand imperial weights and measures. I'm nearly 50. It's been illegal to only use imperial for quite some time.

And speaking of Brexit and the Euro, WTF has that got to do with this, other than pig-headed stupidity? We were metric long before we joined the EC.

You seem to be under a misconception of what I was saying.

I'm saying that companies should be allowed to use both systems and not be forced in to only displaying metric. If you have no problem with displaying the imperial system as well as metric then we're on the same side of the argument.

Did you know that laws were brought in to force to remove displaying the imperial measurements along side metric? It was another sneaky law that the government signed us up to which only came to light decades later. It was implemented in 1995. But there was resistance and the requirement was eventually dropped in 2009.

The Euros point was because you seemed to be against displaying 2 forms of calculation. But now I see you're not.

 

[CapitalOne]

Ah the metric martyrs. What a hill to die on

 

[Mr Badger]

I'm not dictating anything. I'm just pointing out that allowing business to choose how they measure and quantify things is an economically regressive thing to do. You might think that's okay. I don't. I think it's idiotic. I have no problem with both measurements being used. I have a major problem with standard markings and measurements NOT being used.

And yes, the market would/will self-regulate. Resulting in shrinking productivity, GDP, tax take, exports, etc, etc. Increases in costs and unemployment. Brilliant. Bit like Brexit.

Very much along the lines of a conversation I had with an unrepentant Brexiter recently. When challenged to name a Brexit success they brought up the dreaded "EU is rubbish because they have a hundred rules for classifying bananas and all the bureaucracy makes trade difficult" argument. Talked it through with them, but they seemed unable to accept that every business and country using different rules and standards makes trade more difficult rather than easier.

 

[Chris Wilson]

"An unrepentant Brexiter" Good God, how ridiculous this is getting... Do you wander the streets wearing a Sandwich board proclaiming "Repent, REPENT Brexiteers, repent to the EU Gods today"?

 

[Mint8]

Very much along the lines of a conversation I had with an unrepentant Brexiter recently. When challenged to name a Brexit success they brought up the dreaded "EU is rubbish because they have a hundred rules for classifying bananas and all the bureaucracy makes trade difficult" argument. Talked it through with them, but they seemed unable to accept that every business and country using different rules and standards makes trade more difficult rather than easier.

As a matter of interest are you still also fighting WW2 as well ?

 

[Tony Edwards]

"An unrepentant Brexiter" Good God, how ridiculous this is getting... Do you wander the streets wearing a Sandwich board proclaiming "Repent, REPENT Brexiteers, repent to the EU Gods today"?

You do realise you are a well sometimes at least, a repentant brexiter right?

 

[Chris Wilson]

You do realise you are a well sometimes at least, a repentant brexiter right?

Google translate says "Working on it".

 

[Tony Edwards]

Google translate says "Working on it".

Sorry for some reason I thought it was a @BowdonUK post. My apologies to @BowdonUK

 

[Graetzbridge]

I prefer inches etc

That's OK. I have no problem with Imperial or with metric but then I an an old phart. My dear wife is American. She uses pounds and ounces but she is also conversant with metric. She cooks and bakes so she has to use metric. I have a dog, quite a chap. We weighed hat the vets yesterday at 37kg. I can work it out in Imperial - almost six stones. But why would I bother. I weigh 70kg. I have done it that way since I was aboy twenty years old.

 

[inogen]

You seem to be under a misconception of what I was saying.

I'm saying that companies should be allowed to use both systems and not be forced in to only displaying metric. If you have no problem with displaying the imperial system as well as metric then we're on the same side of the argument.

Did you know that laws were brought in to force to remove displaying the imperial measurements along side metric? It was another sneaky law that the government signed us up to which only came to light decades later. It was implemented in 1995. But there was resistance and the requirement was eventually dropped in 2009.

The Euros point was because you seemed to be against displaying 2 forms of calculation. But now I see you're not.

citation please.

The EU did not completely outlaw use of imperial measures in the UK - Full Fact

Claims that the EU forced the UK to adopt the metric system and made the use of imperial measures illegal are not entirely true.

fullfact.org

When the UK joined the EEC, the existing European legislation on weights and measures was amended to take into account the fact that the UK used imperial units.

The UK’s Units of Measurement Regulations in 1994 amended the Weights and Measures Act 1985 so that from 1 October 1995 the metric system was required for retail sales of packaged goods. This law was then extended to loose goods, such as vegetables, in 2000.However even when these changes came into effect, retailers could continue using supplementary imperial measurements alongside metric ones. And the law also allowed for the sole use of certain imperial measurements, such as pints for beer, acres for land registration and miles for road signs.

An EU directive had called for a complete ban on the use of dual labelling after 1 January 2000, but the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), as it was then, chose not to include this ban in UK’s regulations of the time amid fears it would damage exports to countries such as the USA that were still using imperial measures. The DTI said it hoped this part of the legislation would be dropped.

In 2007 the EU announced it no longer intended to pursue this part of the directive, allowing the UK to continue using dual measurements and some specific imperial measurements indefinitely.

Classic Brexit bull****. Not only did it not become UK law, but was dropped as a EU directive 7 years after the UK, AS A SOVEREIGN NATION AND MEMBER OF THE EU (AND WITH A VETO) DID NOT PASS IT INTO UK LAW and A FULL 9 YEARS BEFORE IT WAS REWEAPONISED TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO VOTE LEAVE. Yeah, you had 9 ***ing years to spot this BS.

PAY MORE ATTENTION...

and less to the Daily ****ing Mail. And spiv ****heads like Nigel ****ing Farage.

 

[Tony Edwards]

I dont know why but I sort of feel those that want imperial would actually have problems with fractions as in the burger poster. Why would they want to make things harder. I hated doing carpentry in inches with my grandad.

It was always 4 and 5/8 and a little bit inches. Pain in the backside.

Although this just seems to be about lb, oz, miles and pints. Oh and the good old american quarter pounder. Fidiots.

 

[Dis86]

I hated doing carpentry in inches with my grandad.

It was always 4 and 5/8 and a little bit inches. Pain in the backside.

Taken out of context this is amazing.

 

[inogen]

Funny. Doing DIY, I quite often revert to inches and feet. 12 and 16 can be easier to divide.

I wouldn’t ask anyone to make me something without using mms though. That would be bat****.

It could end like spinal tap.

 

[GGizmo]

citation please.

The EU did not completely outlaw use of imperial measures in the UK - Full Fact

Claims that the EU forced the UK to adopt the metric system and made the use of imperial measures illegal are not entirely true.

fullfact.org

When the UK joined the EEC, the existing European legislation on weights and measures was amended to take into account the fact that the UK used imperial units.

The UK’s Units of Measurement Regulations in 1994 amended the Weights and Measures Act 1985 so that from 1 October 1995 the metric system was required for retail sales of packaged goods. This law was then extended to loose goods, such as vegetables, in 2000.However even when these changes came into effect, retailers could continue using supplementary imperial measurements alongside metric ones. And the law also allowed for the sole use of certain imperial measurements, such as pints for beer, acres for land registration and miles for road signs.

An EU directive had called for a complete ban on the use of dual labelling after 1 January 2000, but the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), as it was then, chose not to include this ban in UK’s regulations of the time amid fears it would damage exports to countries such as the USA that were still using imperial measures. The DTI said it hoped this part of the legislation would be dropped.

In 2007 the EU announced it no longer intended to pursue this part of the directive, allowing the UK to continue using dual measurements and some specific imperial measurements indefinitely.

Classic Brexit bull****. Not only did it not become UK law, but was dropped as a EU directive 7 years after the UK, AS A SOVEREIGN NATION AND MEMBER OF THE EU (AND WITH A VETO) DID NOT PASS IT INTO UK LAW and A FULL 9 YEARS BEFORE IT WAS REWEAPONISED TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO VOTE LEAVE. Yeah, you had 9 ***ing years to spot this BS.

PAY MORE ATTENTION...

and less to the Daily ****ing Mail. And spiv ****heads like Nigel ****ing Farage.

Do you have problems with reading?

You're posting what I was talking about. What in my post contradicts what you just posted?

This is twice you've done this on the same thread. Attributing a view I haven't made.

Maybe less of the big boy swearing and more looking at what you're replying to.

Metrication in the United Kingdom - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The treaty of accession to the European Economic Community (EEC), which the United Kingdom joined in 1973, obliged the United Kingdom to incorporate into domestic law all EEC directives, including the use of a prescribed SI-based set of units for many purposes within five years. By 1980, most pre-packaged goods were sold using the prescribed units. Mandatory use of prescribed units for retail sales took effect in 1995 for packaged goods and in 2000 for goods sold loose by weight. The use of "supplementary indications" or alternative units (generally the traditional imperial units formerly used) was originally to have been permitted for only a limited period. That period being extended a number of times due to public resistance, until in 2009 the requirement to ultimately cease use of traditional units alongside metric units was finally removed.