Also, why can't we all drive on the same side of the street?

 

I was in elementary school when the "big push" happened. I remember the teacher saying that soon everything will be metric. I also remember how lazy and "stupid" a lot of people were in trying to learn the conversion/equivalents. If industry had just switched over, people would have been forced to learn. As long as it's not forced, it will not happen (my 2 cents).

 

It's already here, really. Just look how many parts on an American car are actually Japanese-sourced parts, and metric. Just push that little conversion button on your dash and enjoy metric.

It's also great mental exercise to do all the conversion math on the fly. I don't like the fact that my Stook has 28000 km rather than 17360 miles on her; however it does sound pretty good when I say she'll do nearly 260 kmph, rather than just160 mph.

 

I thought McDonalds made the Quarter Pounder with Cheese...

 

That would be the 113.5 Grammer in Europe, etal.

 

See, doesn't that sound like a big sandwich?

pvpd - you are right, until people are forced into metric they won't switch.

 

here in chattanooga they tried to introduce it a few years ago, all that they did was put up a sign that said "Chattanooga XXXmi or XXXkm" that was the last of it, nothing more, quite odd if you ask me.

 

Folks, the quarter pounder is called a quarter pounder (or non-english language equivalent) everywhere in the world so forget about thoughts of absurd naming conventions.

Here in Oz we changed to metric on the Queen's Birthday long weekend in mid June 1974. Over that weekend all road signs changed and speed limits were rationalised to nearest equivalent. This was positive in most respects as highway limits went up slightly from 60mph to 100kmh (62.5mph) and urban limits from 35mph to 60kmh(37.5mph). There were no real problems but a controversial issue was that the government banned the sale of any imperial measuring device for over 10 years. This was to ensure people would be thinking metric at all times. We can now buy dual measurement devices again (e.g. tape measures with inches on one side and centimetres on the other) but a lot of us still think imperial. I for one prefer miles per gallon as a unit of fuel consumption (it is far more logical than litres per 100km) and convert back to it in my head whenever I fill up.

The trauma of measurement conversion though is nothing compared to what happened to the Swedes in the early 70s. They had to switch overnight from driving on the left side of the road to the right. Can you imagine the chaos and confusion that would cause.

 

but what about the english????don't they still have things like steel that's strength is measured in pound/tonnes or the like???[ i won't even get into fortnights...]

 

Maybe in NJ.. here in Texas 95 is considered not too bad.