Why the heck does America still use outdated measurement and date units?

[Boeingfan]

There is nothing wrong with the system that the Yanks use, it's just that it's different. If you were American then you would say that the others are just different. Isn't that the great thing about different countries; differences? For what it's worth, here in Australia you still buy pants in inches off the rack, we still use feet when talking about aircraft height, and drag cars run the quarter mile. Relax, learn and enjoy them both. It's not that one is better than another, it's just that it's different.

 

[Boeingfan]

"A lot of conflict, both internal and external, could be avoided if people would simply live their own lives and avoid worrying about what everyone else is doing."

Beautifully put.

 

[SalisburySam]

True. President carter tried it too, but Congress hasn't made it mandatory because it would be expensive for the private sector (industries, and so on). In reality it would be expensive for the entire nation, or the public and private sectors. It is much cheaper for the local and Federal governments to leave it as it is now, or using metrics where required (a portion of the

Congress and executive orders have made lots of things expensive for everyone and they do so pretty much without regard to cost or who pays. I’d suggest at issue is not the expense but the seemingly total lack of any real benefits…it is change for the sake of change only, like saying English is mandatory in the US. Initiatives that tried to do that didn’t make it very far. Even globally Esperanto was to be the universal language. How many of us speak Esperanto today? That which benefits from a conversion to metric has long been converted. The rest is of insufficient consequence such that no one would spend money to do it. It COULD happen organically (slowly) but reality may differ.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

There is nothing wrong with the system that the Yanks use, it's just that it's different. If you were American then you would say that the others are just different. Isn't that the great thing about different countries; differences? For what it's worth, here in Australia you still buy pants in inches off the rack, we still use feet when talking about aircraft height, and drag cars run the quarter mile. Relax, learn and enjoy them both. It's not that one is better than another, it's just that it's different.

Very well said!

Congress and executive orders have made lots of things expensive for everyone and they do so pretty much without regard to cost or who pays. I’d suggest at issue is not the expense but the seemingly total lack of any real benefits…it is change for the sake of change only, like saying English is mandatory in the US. Initiatives that tried to do that didn’t make it very far. Even globally Esperanto was to be the universal language. How many of us speak Esperanto today? That which benefits from a conversion to metric has long been converted. The rest is of insufficient consequence such that no one would spend money to do it. It COULD happen organically (slowly) but reality may differ.

I agree with what you have written above

In reality, most of the rules local and Federal governments create increase spending. This in turn results in more taxes imposed on the private sector. Somebody must pay for it, right?

 

[Huntn]

The longer we wait, the more expensive the changeover will be in the future.
But we lose money every day because some companies won't buy products made with the Imperial system, because they would have to learn a new system and have two sets of tools.

Do it and get it over with.

I don’t know, but think that an International manufacturing company like GM would be using mostly metric with miles and gallon instruments for the US market.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

There is nothing wrong with the system that the Yanks use, it's just that it's different. If you were American then you would say that the others are just different. Isn't that the great thing about different countries; differences? For what it's worth, here in Australia you still buy pants in inches off the rack, we still use feet when talking about aircraft height, and drag cars run the quarter mile. Relax, learn and enjoy them both. It's not that one is better than another, it's just that it's different.

Only one note-worthy country is different. Just think about that for a moment. Standardization really is a good thing, especially when there is only one notable outlier.

 

[eyoungren]

Only one note-worthy country is different. Just think about that for a moment. Standardization really is a good thing, especially when there is only one notable outlier.

Why does it matter?

If the USA uses metric outside of the USA, why does it concern others what system we use inside the USA?

How does our everyday use of standard measurements actually hurt you?

 

[drumcat]

A big problem is in medicine. Some 3,000 to 4,000 kids end up in the ER each year because of wrong doses from a caregiver.

This is due to multiple units. Most health care measurements in America are metric, but people's lack of awareness contribute to bad health outcomes.

Then there's the Mars Probe. A 767 that ran out of fuel. And a host of other problems.

For me, all I'd like to see is the metric measurement to be printed on consumer goods first, and 25% bigger than the customary.

Start there, and see how this starts unlocking efficiencies everywhere. And Americans won't look so foolish travelling.

 

[Boeingfan]

Only one note-worthy country is different. Just think about that for a moment. Standardization really is a good thing, especially when there is only one notable outlier.

And one is better than none. Global standardisation is not an attractive goal, which is why Country Road XL sized shirts are about 3 times bigger than Kmart XL sized shirts. If we all had to wear Kmart sizes because it was the accepted spec, we’d all look like rissoles in cling wrap.

 

[eyoungren]

A big problem is in medicine. Some 3,000 to 4,000 kids end up in the ER each year because of wrong doses from a caregiver.

This is due to multiple units. Most health care measurements in America are metric, but people's lack of awareness contribute to bad health outcomes.

I'm curious what awareness has to do with it. I wonder if it's more just not paying attention to what they are doing.

The instructions on any given OTC/RX medication indicate MG. Dosing cups indicate MG. You do not need to understand metric at all to do this. If a cough medicine says 10mg dose, you pour enough liquid into the dosing cup up to the marked 10mg line. The dosing cups that come with the medication do not have teaspoons/tablespoons on them - unless you've kept some really OLD dosing cups.

And if people are guessing…oh this spoon is equal to 10mg rather than using a dosing cup, I'd argue that things haven't changed. Even when we were all on standard measurement for OTC meds, this was inaccurate.

In the case of pills…the directions specify one or two pills per X time. Those pills are MG from the factory. There's no way anyone can change that. So, again, you don't need to understand metric.

I take two pills for hypertension every day. One in the morning, one at night. Those pills just happen to be 50mg. I don't need to understand metric to take one pill in the morning and one pill at night.

Then there's the Mars Probe. A 767 that ran out of fuel. And a host of other problems.

The companies involved, Lockheed Martin and Boeing I believe, were dealing with NASA. A government entity that is already metric. How does this relate to me using miles/feet/inches each day? I'm not NASA.

For me, all I'd like to see is the metric measurement to be printed on consumer goods first, and 25% bigger than the customary.

Start there, and see how this starts unlocking efficiencies everywhere. And Americans won't look so foolish travelling.

I agree with you here.

 

[scubachap]

Where's your sense of adventure, adopt the British Dad measuring system.

Use metric for small stuff (mm + cm), after all no dad's want to show they can't work in fractions after giving out a 'maths homework is important' lecture. When you go larger and particularly when estimating always switch to feet, yards and miles. (We all know that no matter what shoe size or stride length you can always pace things out accurately in feet and yards.) Long distances and car journeys have to be done in miles - no Dads can visualise distances in km unless you've been in the army and then you call them klicks - particularly down the pub or when you're ex-army on a walk with other dads who haven't been in the army. (We are all also secretly scared that switching to km will mean we have to switch to driving on the wrong side of the road and while us dad's can cope with that for a week or two when abroad the thought of always having to do it forever is terrifying.)

Running, always measure in km (5, 10 etc) but really big runs must be in miles as no dad's have a clue what marathons (half or otherwise) are in km. Spanners - make sure you always have a mix of metric and imperial (inherited from your own Dad) mixed up in your tool box. Rounding off nuts is a British Dad speciality.

Clothes - always know your chest size in imperial (asking your partner if an L is 42 or 44? is staple of shopping trips) and weight can be either stones if you've got an old set of scales or kilo's if you've got newer ones or intend going down the gym to show off your dad bod etc. Weight in pounds (if trying to follow something from the US - like the gym machine instructions) is figured out by converting from kg on your phone as no-one here has a clue how lbs are in a stone even if they already know their weight in that measure.

Temperature, switching according to the season is absolutely the right thing to do. Use celsius in winter (-5 is clearly cold whereas 23 degrees clearly isn't) and use Fahrenheit in summer (announcing it's 100 degrees in the shade will impress your kids far more than 37.8 which sounds like boring maths homework).

There's plenty more - it's a system my dad taught me and i'm trying to teach it to my kids, with I think, little success.

 

[Cod3rror]

There is nothing wrong with the system that the Yanks use, it's just that it's different. If you were American then you would say that the others are just different. Isn't that the great thing about different countries; differences? For what it's worth, here in Australia you still buy pants in inches off the rack, we still use feet when talking about aircraft height, and drag cars run the quarter mile. Relax, learn and enjoy them both. It's not that one is better than another, it's just that it's different.

Is there is nothing wrong than why is NASA using the metric system? They should switch to measuring the distance to the moon in yards.

 

[eyoungren]

Is there is nothing wrong than why is NASA using the metric system? They should switch to measuring the distance to the moon in yards.

Because NASA is a federal agency and in the 1970s all US federal agencies were required to convert to metric. NASA deals with science as well, and since the rest of the world uses metric for science and NASA has to deal with the rest of the world, they use metric.

 

[Mousse]

Is there is nothing wrong than why is NASA using the metric system?

Consistency. They learned the mistake of mixed systems...a very expensive mistake.

 

[an-other]

I'm a little bit late joining this thread, so my apologies if this has already been mentioned.

The US was supposed to convert to the metric system in the year 2000. This was a Jimmy Carter era decision for those tracking US Presidents. Our highways had metric signs placed to indicate distance in km in addition to miles. Many still exist today.

The coming election pitted Jimmy Carter versus Ronald Reagan. Reagan championed the rugged individualism of the United States, and campaigned on several hot points. Among them were the raising of the 55 mph speed limit and not transitioning to the metric system. (There as a bunch more, so please accept this is a simplification. I will also note my intention is not to make any political editorial comment. Just doing my best to describe matters accurately.)

Reagan was a very popular president, and so the no metric system had a lot of support. The "it's un-american to measure things in kilometers rhetoric."

I'd venture now it's a business thing. Tool manufacturers and other companies, etc. get the sell both imperial and metric products. Money tends to influence things.

I doubt there's anyone who's used both systems views the Imperial system as superior. I know it's a lot easier trying to figure out if a 2cm socket is smaller than a 3 cm socket versus a 13/16 and a 3/4 inch one.

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

Is there is nothing wrong than why is NASA using the metric system? They should switch to measuring the distance to the moon in yards.

Cubits, mate, cubits. If it was good enough for Noah, then it should be good enough for them...

 

[Algr]

I'd venture now it's a business thing. Tool manufacturers and other companies, etc. get the sell both imperial and metric products. Money tends to influence things.

Yes.

 

[Boeingfan]

Only one note-worthy country is different. Just think about that for a moment. Standardization really is a good thing, especially when there is only one notable outlier.

And one is better than none. Global standardisation is not an attractive goal, which is why Country Road XL sized shirts are about 3 times bigger than Kmart XL sized shirts. If we all had to wear Kmart sizes because it was the accepted spec, we’d all look like rissoles in cling wrap.

Is there is nothing wrong than why is NASA using the metric system? They should switch to measuring the distance to the moon in yards.

Again, it doesn’t matter. Who are you, or I, to tell NASA how to measure distance? NASA will decide what system they use, and they’re free to do so. There’s nothing stopping you from using metric, but just because you want to doesn’t mean others must follow. You can go ahead and learn metric and convert whatever you wish to your hearts content. So, what’s stopping you?

 

[Algr]

And one is better than none. Global standardisation is not an attractive goal, which is why Country Road XL sized shirts are about 3 times bigger than Kmart XL sized shirts. If we all had to wear Kmart sizes because it was the accepted spec, we’d all look like rissoles in cling wrap.

This doesn't make sense to me. If everyone agreed on what XL meant, how would that result in people wearing ill fitting shirts? People would just have an easier time shopping unfamiliar stores and brands because they would know what the sizes always mean.

When I go to the Doctor, they weigh me in Kilograms.

 

[Boeingfan]

This doesn't make sense to me. If everyone agreed on what XL meant, how would that result in people wearing ill fitting shirts? People would just have an easier time shopping unfamiliar stores and brands because they would know what the sizes always mean.

When I go to the Doctor, they weigh me in Kilograms.

Because American XL is way way bigger than Chinese XL. So, which country will have the defining spec? Again, it doesn’t matter, if one is fat, you choose an American XL, not a Chinese one 😂 differences are not just about metric and imperial, there’s currency, culture, traditions, competition, right hand drive, left hand drive, calories vs kilojoules, language, gun laws, codeine laws, and god forbid cup holders that hold buckets vs cans.

Where would you stop aligning differences, and what is the benefit if everyone is the same? And which country should be the foundation setter? Perhaps the rest of the world should switch to right hand drive and imperial? 😁

 

[eyoungren]

When I go to the Doctor, they weigh me in Kilograms.

All the scales in all the doctors offices I've ever been weighted on have been in lbs (pounds) - mechanical or digital.

 

[compwiz1202]

All you do is put up a little sheet of paper somewhere for every 25f.

In the roughest terms:

100 = 212 (200)
150 = 302 (300)
175 = 347 (350)
200 = 392 (400)

Literal estimates are half/double for cooking.

A cup = 250ml / 1/4l (0.236/4.22, a little off)
A liter = 4 cups
A kilo = 2lbs (2.2, I know it's a bit off)

This stuff is not hard.

If you need to get precise, "Siri, what's 600 grams in pounds".

It's never been easier to deal with it. Hell, all your sugar cola bottles are litres...

Or just have a big sign with each type of meat or whatever with F and C next to them. If it were my job I wouldn't care which standard, as long as it was the same everywhere. Wouldn't take to long to learn either one.

 

[compwiz1202]

Because American XL is way way bigger than Chinese XL. So, which country will have the defining spec? Again, it doesn’t matter, if one is fat, you choose an American XL, not a Chinese one 😂 differences are not just about metric and imperial, there’s currency, culture, traditions, competition, right hand drive, left hand drive, calories vs kilojoules, language, gun laws, codeine laws, and god forbid cup holders that hold buckets vs cans.

Where would you stop aligning differences, and what is the benefit if everyone is the same? And which country should be the foundation setter? Perhaps the rest of the world should switch to right hand drive and imperial? 😁

I hate how they can't just pick S-XL or numbers for everything, especially with women's stuff

 

[compwiz1202]

Just y'all wait until Darth Vader comes to Earth and force all of us use a single system. Guess which one? His theme music isn't the Metric March.😁

Someone needs to make a SW parody where the main conflict is the Empire using Imperial and the Rebels using Metric. "Your lack of Imperial Units is disturbing!"

 

[compwiz1202]

Is there is nothing wrong than why is NASA using the metric system? They should switch to measuring the distance to the moon in yards.

First two on the right are definitely better, but I prefer month first because it sorts logically. II don't want to see Jan 1 Feb 1...Jan 2 Feb 2....