Will America Ever Go Metric?

[komitsuki]

Reference:



Countries that don't use metric system

[burkhartdesu]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

Something I always find amusing is when I say "liter" and am asked "How much is that?" - and answer "Half a two-liter"...

And they are always like "Oh, I get it now!"

LOL! That is embarrassing.

[Sinestra]

Well you know the US we always have to try to be different.

[fluffy0000]

In 1875, the United States solidified its commitment to the development of the internationally recognized metric system by becoming one of the original seventeen signatory nations to the Metre Convention or the Treaty of the Meter. The Treaty of the Meter established the Bureau international des poids et mesures (BIPM, International Bureau of Weights and Measures) The use and disuse of the Metric system in the United States is about as different as the metric system is used by the military-The U.S. military uses metric measurements extensively to ensure interoperability with allied forces, particularly NATO STANAGs, "standardization agreements". Ground forces measure distances in "klicks", slang for kilometers. Most military firearms are measured in metric units, beginning with the M-14 which was introduced in 1957. The Navy and Air Force continue to measure distance in nautical miles and speed in knots = distance and speed.

[Sinestra]

Originally Posted by fluffy0000

In 1875, the United States solidified its commitment to the development of the internationally recognized metric system by becoming one of the original seventeen signatory nations to the Metre Convention or the Treaty of the Meter. The Treaty of the Meter established the Bureau international des poids et mesures (BIPM, International Bureau of Weights and Measures) The use and disuse of the Metric system in the United States is about as different as the metric system is used by the military-The U.S. military uses metric measurements extensively to ensure interoperability with allied forces, particularly NATO STANAGs, "standardization agreements". Ground forces measure distances in "klicks", slang for kilometers. Most military firearms are measured in metric units, beginning with the M-14 which was introduced in 1957. The Navy and Air Force continue to measure distance in nautical miles and speed in knots = distance and speed.

ah thanks Fluffy i completely forgot the military uses metric system.

[SephirothVVC]

i realized how ridiculous it is to use the English system when almost the entire rest of the planet uses metric, so i try to use metric as much as i can, but for things like driving, its kind of difficult to use KM/h when all the signs are MPH=.=

[rison]

American sysem is ttally different like using mile instead of kilometre, pound intead of kilogram, farenheit ..celsius,
however, i use my phone as a converter but half the time i guess...not much of a nerd.

[MissMisa]

I spend so much time on Japanese lolita websites and American brand sites and then English clothing sites, I basically know all my measurements in cm and inches, my weight in stones, pounds, kilograms etc.

My gran is used to fahrenheit so I also know that in comparison to degrees celcious. In the UK fahrenheit is mentioned in weather reports, but celcious is dominant.

In England things are measured randomly, like a persons measurements would be in inches, but a room would be measured in cm and meters.

Milk is measured in pints but most other things are measured in litres and mililitres. Some of the road signs have 'Junction X in 1 mile,' others have 'Roadworks in 40 yards.'

So yeah, there is a whole mix of all sorts!

[Sinestra]

I dont think we should favor one system over another. Cause we know what happens when people start demanding that other convert to what they think is the right way of doing things. However I would be in favor of making sure newer generations have an understanding of both systems and how to covert them if need be which means teaching them in school for more than one semester.

[Nagoyankee]

Originally Posted by Sinestra

Probably not you know what happens when a culture gets too comfortable with a certain system if it ever changes it will take decades for it to implemented. Its like asking if Americans will start driving on the left. I must admit i have forgotten the metric system if i ever had a use for it i would relearn it again such if i ever moved to country where it was used.

You speak the the truth.

Thing is, though, that Japan wasn't metric from the start, either. We converted in 1891 from an old system unique to the country. I know this created great confusion at all levels of life throughout the archipelago. Our great-grandparents, who were already adults by that time must have felt the same way you would if the U.S. were to convert now. But because we converted, we can now talk with the rest of the world about numbers (with the exception of ......).