43 replies to this topic

[DaveBond21]

I mentioned to a few American friends, and people I've met over the years, that in Britain, road signs show miles as the unit of distance.

This came as a surprise to many, who thought that the UK use the metric system. I also remember seeing a Simpsons episode where Lisa was due to visit England and Marge told her that miles are called kilometres in England, but this has never been the case.

Has anyone else discovered this? Does this news come as a surprise to anyone?


I find it really interesting. Also, as a side note, a quarter pounder with cheese, in Britain, is called a quarter pounder with cheese.

[MarcAngeDraco]

I can remember being taught in elementary school that the US was one of the only countries that hadn't switched to the metric system and specifically that "even England has stopped using the English system of measure". Therefore, I was surprised when (as an adult) I found that it wasn't entirely true.

[Kilroy6644]

Well, here in America, we're constantly reminded that "the rest of the world" uses the metric system. Until fairly recently (when I started interacting with British people online), I always thought that included Britain. Looking it up, I see that Britain has officially adopted the metric system as the primary system of measures, but that Imperial units are holding on. That could cause some confusion, since most of the information that we in America get from Britain comes from sources using the metric system, so that's all we see.

[Bondian]

Very interesting topic.

Yes. We do still use 'miles' over here. But we still drive on the left. Surely by going metric, we should now drive on the right.

You guys still use 'miles' in the USA, Kil?. I'm sure you do as I've heard 'miles' and not 'kilometres' in several movies.

Cheers,


Ian

[Sbott]

This reminds me of the story that NASA lost its Mars orbiter because the engineering team used English units of measurement while the NASA team used the metric system. Oooops!

[Jim]

(1)Has anyone else discovered this?
(2)Does this news come as a surprise to anyone?

(1) Yes
(2) Daily

Admiral Sir Kilometre Messervy just doesn't work.

Whose empire d'you think "imperial" derives from? Empire of the frickin' ants?

[Kilroy6644]

You guys still use 'miles' in the USA, Kil?. I'm sure you do as I've heard 'miles' and not 'kilometres' in several movies.

Yep, we still use Imperial units (we call them "standard units" over here). We tried to switch over to the metric system in the '70s, but it didn't catch on completely. It's caught on to an extent in the softdrink industry, where you can buy by the liter, and the drug trade has embraced it.

Whose empire d'you think "imperial" derives from? Empire of the frickin' ants?

I think most people just assumed you'd switched by now.

[marktmurphy]

Imperial is a bit rubbish, but miles are just more comfy.
I can't understand the US wanting to use feet and inches in construction or design, though- it seems so much more complicated. Alternatively I get the feeling that kilogrammes are used quite a bit when an American describes how heavy they are (might be wrong) whereas stone is preferred here still (although that's on the turn). It's all a bit mixed up.

[MarcAngeDraco]

I can't understand the US wanting to use feet and inches in construction or design, though- it seems so much more complicated.

Can't speak for all US companies, by our company does all of our design/engineering work in metric.

[Major Tallon]

Imperial is a bit rubbish, but miles are just more comfy.
I can't understand the US wanting to use feet and inches in construction or design, though- it seems so much more complicated. Alternatively I get the feeling that kilogrammes are used quite a bit when an American describes how heavy they are (might be wrong) whereas stone is preferred here still (although that's on the turn). It's all a bit mixed up.

Metric may be used in technical, scientific, or medical contexts. We purchase some drinks, particularly soft drinks, in two-liter bottles, but almost everything else is expressed in English measurements -- ounces, pounds, feet, and inches. If you said you were taking a twenty kilometer drive, or were purchasing five kilograms of something, the average person wouldn't have any idea what you were talking about. People describe their weight in pounds, but nobody uses stones. "Twelve stone four?" To Americans, that's a foreign language.

[DaveBond21]

Also, on a more important note, Britain still uses the imperial system for alcoholic drinks in pubs, which is why Bond asked for a pint, when talking to Alec in Goldeneye.

[Mister Asterix]

The U.S. Government has switched to metric. All new government buildings are built using metric measurements, which apparently cost us thousands, if not millions, in tax dollars because so much stuff needs to be special ordered.

I’m wondering if the Brits still use the word ‘billion’ as being 1,000,000,000,000 or is it 1,000,000,000 now like it is here in the states?

[Jim]

[quote name='Mister Asterix' post='779742' date='4 October 2007 - 14:18'][mra]

I

[doublenoughtspy]

One thing that surprised me on my last trip to London was how a lot more people and stores, museums, etc. were using what Americans call Military time - ie. 16:00 instead of 4:00 pm.

On my previous trips to Britain and my year in Scotland that was not the case.

[Jim]

One thing that surprised me on my last trip to London was how a lot more people and stores, museums, etc. were using what Americans call Military time - ie. 16:00 instead of 4:00 pm.

Well, we are at war.

Bring me my yard of ale!

[Jim]

[quote name='ms minniespinney' post='779770' date='4 October 2007 - 16:35'][quote name='Jim' post='779744' date='4 October 2007 - 13:28'][quote name='Mister Asterix' post='779742' date='4 October 2007 - 14:18'][mra]

I

[Royal Dalton]

It was recently discovered that the metric system was a British invention, as well.

So, feel free to blame us Brits for any measurement-related issues you might have...

[darkpath]

I must confess this comes as a surprise. I'm glad to know that if I hear miles referenced in Bond films, it's not catering to the American audience.

[DaveBond21]

I must confess this comes as a surprise. I'm glad to know that if I hear miles referenced in Bond films, it's not catering to the American audience.

Well, this is one of the main reasons I decided to start this thread, because it seems to surprise many people.

[DLibrasnow]

Nope. No surprise at all.

But then I spent the first 18 years of my life in the UK

[Bondian]

What's even more confusing now. We have a lot of stores that sell European shoes and clothes. Usually with a UK equivalent size, and some without. I bought Carol a dress that said 'size 16 UK'. It didn't fit her, so she gave it to me. lol

Just waiting for the high heels to be shipped.

[DaveBond21]

What's even more confusing now. We have a lot of stores that sell European shoes and clothes. Usually with a UK equivalent size, and some without. I bought Carol a dress that said 'size 16 UK'. It didn't fit her, so she gave it to me. lol

Just waiting for the high heels to be shipped.

Make sure you send us a photo, Bondian.....

[Skudor]

Hasn't Britain sort of officially adopted the metric system - just not implemented it? There was all sorts of nonsense going on a few years ago when all the local cockney market traders were going ballistic about having to switch to metric (which they no longer have to do after the gov introduced some compromise).

As a foreigner in the UK it amuses me to no end that distances are measured in miles, petrol (gas) is sold by the liter and fuel economy is measured in miles per gallon, or if you are lucky you'll find a reference to liters per 100km - neither of which is of any use whatsoever to anyone here.

It still surprises me that the UK hasn't joined the civilized world and adopted the metric system fully (also applies to the US, for that matter). Just because it's French doesn't make it all bad, you know.

I've also known a few Americans who have been surprised to see that it's all still imperial here.

[Jim]

Something in the paper the other day about being able to retain imperial weights and measures as long as metric used as well.

That said, fuel is indeed, as observed above, advertised by garages in the price per litre (I assume this is becaise if t'were price per gallon, there would be a riot because it is jolly, jolly expensive).

[Simon]

Sadly, England, for all its supposed fervour in 'going metric' by fining stores for selling a pound of carrots as a pound of carrots as opposed to its metric equivalent, has landed itself firmly in the middle of the unable-to-please-anyone quagmire of no-man's land.

To my mind, we should either whole heartedly go metric, or we should not.

To this end, we buy litres of petrol at the station but measure a car's performance in miles to the gallon; we buy a litre of spirits at the supermarket but buy the same in measures of gills at the pub; we have cars measuring in miles and kilometres but the road signs state miles; and, dare I say it, it goes on.

I pity the poor foreigner who has to negotiate our myriad number of 'systems', and this without our 692 train companies all operating in their own sphere.

How does a country so small, manage to complicate things so magnificently?

[Bondian]

What's even more confusing now. We have a lot of stores that sell European shoes and clothes. Usually with a UK equivalent size, and some without. I bought Carol a dress that said 'size 16 UK'. It didn't fit her, so she gave it to me. lol

Just waiting for the high heels to be shipped.

Make sure you send us a photo, Bondian.....

As soon as I get out of prison I will.

[DaveBond21]

Interesting.

[Mark_Hazard]

I find it really interesting. Also, as a side note, a quarter pounder with cheese, in Britain, is called a quarter pounder with cheese.

So what do they call a quarter pounder with cheese down under?

Me, I refuse to go metric, I'm too old to change and I'll do almost anything to upset those sprouts housed in Brussels who like to pass laws in this country that the populace of this country disagree with - well, all but the politicians. I order my ham and cheese by the half or quarter pound; I fill my fuel tank with petrol without any regard as to how many of those foreign units (litres) goes into it; a can of Coke is a can of Coke; I buy my milk by the plastic bottle (again bottled in plastic foreign units); my collar size is 16 1/2; shoes 9; waist 36 (ouch); I drive in miles; measure in feet & inches (although I can, at work, if necessary use mm) etc etc. But I must admit to adopting the mm when refering to 007's PPK, it's a 7.65, not a .32 (but then, that's how it was made).

The government may try again when us old 'uns are dead or too ga-ga to give a damn - they teach metric in schools, so I suppose it's inevitable.

Bye the way, we adopted the metric pound (a great excuse for price increaes, I know, I was there), so don't you just love it that a book of stamps consists of either one dozen or half a dozen - have they tried making metric egg boxes yet, mine are still in half dozens.

Edited by Mark_Hazard, 10 October 2007 - 11:08 PM.

[Kilroy6644]

But I must admit to adopting the mm when refering to 007's PPK, it's a 7.65, not a .32 (but then, that's how it was made).

Just as long as you remember that the cartridge was designed as a .32, if not necessarily introduced as such.

Edited by Kilroy6644, 10 October 2007 - 11:56 PM.

[Skudor]

Sorry to be pedantic but strictly speaking I think the metric system is actually Roman from Roman times.

It's not even remotely Roman. The metric system was first mooted by a Brit (!!!) called John Wilkins but first adapted by the French after the revolution.

The Romans obviously didn't use the current British imperial system (duh) but the word mile probably derives from the latin "milliarium", which was 5000 "pes" (or feet).