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> Should The US Go Metric?, Join the rest of the indutrialized world
 
Should the US switch to the Metric System?
Yes, within 5 years [ 25 ]  [47.17%]
Yes, within 10 years [ 6 ]  [11.32%]
Not sure [ 3 ]  [5.66%]
No, never [ 16 ]  [30.19%]
No, not until it's studied further [ 3 ]  [5.66%]
Total Votes: 53
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tsargent62 
Posted on 17-Mar-2004, 09:27 AM
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What do you think? The United States is the only industrialized nation to not go metric. Do we need to? Why not? Why haven't we? Is it arrorgance (we don't have to because we're the US)?


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oldraven 
Posted on 17-Mar-2004, 09:46 AM
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I look at it this way, we're all using the 24hr clock, we're all using the 365 (366) day calendar, why aren't we all using one standard of measurement? I live in a Metric country, and we are still forced to use standard feet & inches in our industrial sector. Why? Because our closest cousin still uses it, and since the states has a greater impact on industry, we have to conform. But it's confusing as hell.

They started teaching metric when I started school, and that's all I knew, until the day I became a machinist and a drafter. It's like I had to relearn everything I knew. Pain in the arse.

From where I'm standing, it just sounds like a bunch of stuborn old schoolers WON'T change. And I'm talking industrial leaders, not the people. You can teach the kids, but if industry doesn't change, nothing will. You're already using metric in many areas for the same reason I have to use ' & ".

The world automotive market has switched to metric, and American cars use half foreign products, so metric bolts, volume, etc. are beingused. Electronics have made the switch to metric for the same reasons. An American DVD player or camera with Japanese parts.

Then there's always the obvious reasons. It's a hell of a lot easier to devide a number by ten than by twelve or three. sly.gif

It just makes sense. Now it's all up to the local industry in the US to make the change.


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tsargent62 
Posted on 17-Mar-2004, 10:28 AM
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The military is all metric. The medical industry is metric as well. I feel for you OR. I remember when Canada went metric in the late '70s. The only ppl who had real trouble were the older folks.

I'm hoping you're right about the "old school" types. Most ppl of my generation would gladly go metric. So, maybe once Congress is made up of those of us born in the '60s, things'll change. I hope so. It might cause some initial expenses, changing road signs and what-not. But I think the overall effect would be positive.
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birddog20002001 
Posted on 17-Mar-2004, 10:51 AM
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Here in North Carolina the state passed a law stateing that within a certain date they would go metric for all highway jobs. The the Engineers, Construction crews, surveyors, etc... pretty much revolted. We had to use feet (inches), feet (tenths) and metric. The state then reversed its decision stating that no jobs were to be in metric, except the jobs that had already been put on paper. So 8 years later we were still out in the field converting back and forth looking for metric rulers etc. memorizing new pace counts and body measurements. I prefer tenths as my favorite measuring system but I really don't care if every one would stick to the decision they make.


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Herrerano 
Posted on 17-Mar-2004, 11:05 AM
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Down here we are a metric country, although curiously both systems are in use. Gasoline is sold by U.S. gallon, but here at the plant we buy ethanol by liters. Weight is measured by kg and distance by kilometer, but often things will be sold by pounds. Confusing, no, just interesting. As far as I know every other latin country uses the 24 hour clock, here most people will just look at you with confusion if you would say you go to bed at 22.30.

Any sort of drawings we do are usually dual dimensioned to avoid confusion. I keep my trusty SI conversions close by the desk. As far as if the U.S. should go completely to the SI, I don't much care one way or the other since I am accustomed to converting anyway. So, in that vein I didn't bother to vote tongue.gif .

Leo cool.gif


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Annabelle 
Posted on 17-Mar-2004, 11:54 AM
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tsargent62 
Posted on 17-Mar-2004, 11:55 AM
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QUOTE (Annabelle @ Mar 17 2004, 12:54 PM)
NO

OK, why not?
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oldraven 
Posted on 17-Mar-2004, 12:17 PM
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QUOTE (Annabelle @ Mar 17 2004, 10:54 AM)
NO

Come on. That's not an answer. You just came off as extremely thick and stuborn. You've got to support your answer with some sort of reasoning, other wise there's no debate and you've represented your side as, like I said before, one of those suborn old school types.

I know you love the talk, so let's have it. smile.gif
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Dugadelphia 
Posted on 17-Mar-2004, 12:43 PM
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Personally, I would like to see the US adopt the metric system.

As to why that has not happened yet, I think that is a matter of the approach used to teach the "new" system back in the 70s. Teaching was based upon learning the metric system by converting from inches, pounds, ounces, etc. into metric measurements instead of simply adopting and teaching metric measurements. I think not letting go of the old contributed to never adopting the new.


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tsargent62 
Posted on 17-Mar-2004, 12:47 PM
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QUOTE (Dugadelphia @ Mar 17 2004, 01:43 PM)
Personally, I would like to see the US adopt the metric system.

As to why that has not happened yet, I think that is a matter of the approach used to teach the "new" system back in the 70s. Teaching was based upon learning the metric system by converting from inches, pounds, ounces, etc. into metric measurements instead of simply adopting and teaching metric measurements. I think not letting go of the old contributed to never adopting the new.

I was never taught conversion. I was taught straight out measurement. Maybe it depends on where you're from as to how you were taught.
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oldraven 
Posted on 17-Mar-2004, 01:06 PM
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Same here. I got flat out metric in school. My brother says that his first few years of elementary (grade school in the US) he was taught inches, then when they switched it was full out metric as well. That's why it always made more sense to me than to those that came before.

I never use metric in my job, and it's quite frustrating to know just how much simpler everything could be.
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Eamon 
Posted on 17-Mar-2004, 01:10 PM
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I have enough trouble with the U.S. system, but we do use the metric system alot. I have metric tools, and when we brew beer, we use liters, etc. I personally didn't have a problem figuring stuff out when I was in Europe, but it gave some of my travelling companions fits.

It might be a bit dangerous driving to work the first few weeks when they switched over (folks driving around at 100mph rather than 100kph).

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oldraven 
Posted on 17-Mar-2004, 01:16 PM
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Yeah, that's another thing. A speedo that registers 200 is WAY cooler than one that registers 125. laugh.gif
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tsargent62 
Posted on 17-Mar-2004, 01:35 PM
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Depends on the car. My Jetta shows 160 (it'll do 120). Although 200 would be cooler.
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oldraven 
Posted on 17-Mar-2004, 02:08 PM
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Well, mine shows 200 (and it's done that, with lots left to go. but what's the point when you can't tell anymore?) but US versions of the same car were only equiped with 85mph speedos. Don't ask me why. Something to do with gov. regulation or something.
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