Should the US switch to the Metric system?

[ChefChiTown]

This is true, but if all this could POSSIBLY be done without consequence, I wouldn't see a problem. It's not like it's hard to learn this system,. I taught myself when I was younger... Much like I think all digital clocks should read on the 24 hour system instead of the 12. It just makes more sense to me.

I dread the day that the US converts to the metric system. It would change a part of our entire society and I don't think people would react well to it. It's not that hard to understand the metric system, but it's hard to teach and old dog new tricks. For instance...

Think about how confusing it would be to determine what size TV you are going to buy. We are all used the measurements of 24", 36", 48", 60", etc. If somebody tells an American that they have a 32" TV, they can immediately picture how big it is in their head and have a pretty good idea as to what size it is. But, if somebody tells an American that they have a 81.28 cm TV, that American is going to look at them like they're crazy.

I just think it would be to hard to convert our entire society over to the metric system. Sure, it could be done, but I don't think it should be.

 

[Embryoyo]

I completely agree with you Chef... It would be pretty funny in my mind to see the look of confusion on their face as per your example, but it would ultimately spell disaster. I just wish we had started on the metric system from the beginning.

 

[D-rock]

I think eventually we will someday. More younger people are better at using it than in the past, especially the ones that study scientific subjects. It's probably one of those things that would be better if we converted, it's just that nobody wants to go through that awkward period were we have to adjust. The rest of the world didn't seem to handle that bad though.

 

[meesterperfect]

I believe they are supposed to be completly converted by 1986.

 

[broderic_randal]

I believe they are supposed to be completly converted by 1986.

1086 was over 20 years ago

 

[chitrodriguez]

The reason the US never switched to the metric system is because it would cost way too much to switch. All new road signs would have to be made. Every single mile marker would have to be ripped down, and be replaced with km markers instead. Waste of time and money. Good old US of A should have just started with the metric system in the first place.

 

[broderic_randal]

1086 was over 20 years ago

i meant 1986

 

[bennihanna]

no we should not, this is America damn it!

 

[Facetious]

It's already been test run, better than 25 years ago as well as proposed, but for whatever reason, it didn't take flight.

For the auto industry, both SAE "Society of Auto Engineers" (standard sizes) as well as metric sizes are used. If I recall correctly, General Motors assembled quite a few vehicle using a combination of metric as well as SAE sized fasteners.

 

[GabberMan]

I think eventually we will someday. More younger people are better at using it than in the past, especially the ones that study scientific subjects. It's probably one of those things that would be better if we converted, it's just that nobody wants to go through that awkward period were we have to adjust. The rest of the world didn't seem to handle that bad though.

I can't get used to either metric or imperial. They were both in use when I was growing up so I never grasped either - I can use scales and measuring jugs fine - who can't? But if you asked me what two and a half ounces was in grams I wouldn't know.

 

[marquis2]

Look at what happened in the UK. People had got used to Imperial units (by the way that's the Roman Empire not the British!) and it began piecemeal.We still buy milk and **** by the pint (proper pints by the way, 20 ounces) and it's ******* to use metric on road signs.Everyday goods had to be sold in metric units (but a pot of jam was still a pound, just labelled 454 g ) though generally when stuff wasn't prepacked people still asked for Imperial quantities.There was a celebrated court case where someone was successfully prosecuted for selling a pound of bananas.This caused such an outcry that finally the EU and the government once again allows dual pricing.
I learnt the metric system before my teens and used it for scientific work in my career but I detest it .I never use it at home because I find Imperial units much more instinctive , not surprising as the system was designed for people to use in everyday life rather than being cobbled together by a group of pre revolutionary French academics.And they got it wrong too.Moreover it's often badly and wrongly used anyway.
I can see few advantages in a switch over for the US.Conversions are easy with universal use of calculators and as the saying goes, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

 

[hedonis]

I didn't vote because we already do use the metric system in several places. It's not standardized for things like road signs, vehicle speedometers, etc. but the military uses it heavily, we have many food containers that use it (Hell, the 2 liter bottle has been around here for decades), and so on.

H

 

[gunslingingbird]

I've had to use both in my life. In the years that I've lived in the US I've gotten used to English units, and in the years I lived in Mexico I was used to metric. going back and forth is a bit of a pain in the ass for a few months, but then it just becomes natural.

It would be beneficial if the US adopted the system used by 99% of the world. At work I often see where it would be beneficial to have the same measuring system. For example, an English road rigger tells the American local rigger that he has he has to hang a light that weighs 200 kg. and he needs it to go 15 m. in the air. The American guys looks at him without a clue of what the guy's needs are.

Have you ever seen "This Is Spinal Tap"? The gag of the 15" monolith coming down instead of a 15' monolith came from something that actually happened to Ozzy Osbourne. She ordered something from an American source, and got something that was many times bigger than what she needed.

 

[wrayven]

When I learned the metric system in elementary school, it seemed way more precise and useful than the standard system. Since most of the world is on this system, the USA should join the world though without some major problems(which probably also accounts for some of the reason why the States have not done so). Seems pretty stupid at this point.

 

[Wainkerr99]

Pounds and miles have a nicer feel, and are easier to conceptualize than cm and Km. They are just less precise though. I use mm to describe length in everyday talk as it makes more sense than 1/32 of an inch. I find myself having to work back from an inch, then hope I'm right.

 

[cartman24]

Not completely, maybe just use both. I see no reason why we would need to use metric and abandon standard completely.

 

[titsrock]

Yes we should do this. We all learn the metric system in what...8th grade science when we blow **** up with bunson burners?

I'm holding the line against the 24hr clock though. Leave that for the military to use. I'm just as fine with AM/PM....

 

[marquis2]

When I learned the metric system in elementary school, it seemed way more precise and useful than the standard system. Since most of the world is on this system, the USA should join the world though without some major problems(which probably also accounts for some of the reason why the States have not done so). Seems pretty stupid at this point.

Metric just isn't a system which people can switch to easily.Even in France it wasn't universal until new laws came in in the 1930s because people preferred to keep units they were used to.Napoleon tried to ban it too.
It only came about because every town in France had its own standard and things were chaotic.This isn't the case in the US , units are consistent throughout the land.
I'm faily well acquainted with metric and I'm amazed at the number of people who use it yet get it wrong.It's a system without charm or interest , it doesn't recognise the human scale and isn't intuitive.

 

[capricorn]

I think USA should eventually switch. The change should not be carried out abruptly though, but over a period of time, so to give the people time to adapt.

For example, you may prescribe by law that from some day on, all new products, road signs, etc. should be labeled in both imperial and metric units. Also existing road and other signs should be gradually converted to read both imperial and metric units.

That way people would eventually get used to metric units. When that happens, the imperial system can gradually be put out of use.

Here where I live, prior to 2002, all prices were expressed in German marks (deutsche mark, DEM). Then, with Jan 1 2002 euro was adopted, and within 2 months all the money was converted to euro. Back then, we used to convert in our minds all the new prices to DEM before we could grasp their meaning (which was fortunately easy since 1 EUR = 2 DEM). But after a year or two, everybody got used to EUR and now nobody thinks in DEM any more.

I myself, as an electrical engineer, sometimes use software that uses the imperial system and am used to expressing lengths in both systems. It's not that difficult.

 

[Will E Worm]

no we should not, this is America damn it!