Poll: I hate the imperial system. America, I'm looking at you! Give it up, metric is simply better!!!!

[subfield]

Everyone on this planet knows imperial is full of it.

Unfortunately we have these huge bloated systems and corporations (I'm looking at you, propulsion industry in the U.S.) that just refuse to change the way they do things. The result is our poor minds are subjected to the tyranny of obscure and arbitrary conversions between basically everything.

To anyone who still prefers imperial, just tell me: how many different units of length do you bloody need?!

 

[Purple Shrimp]

inches are the kings of length units

 

[ApeShapeDeity]

.

I'm American, and if we had started with metric, all would be well, but everything is already set in Imperial and there is no way to change it back, save a massive overhaul of every sign, product, and every other thing with a measurement on it. It's just not worth it.

Production in parallel. It works. System integration/replacement, there are books written on it.

You guys know that basically the whole world used to use imperial measurement, right? That we changed over, gradually. BECAUSE it IS an INHERENTLY MORE EFFICIENT SYSTEM! What this argument essentially states is that you'd rather piss time and money away forever than make an adjustment? Not just your time and money either, but everyone's?

I'm American, and yes, Metric makes more sense, but we're never going to change. I can visualize how much a pound is in my head, but I have no idea how much 100 grams is. The change would involve a lot of problems for people who grew up with the system.

The sysmtem, use it you will. Grams, you wil see...

11/15 socket? Find me one of those. It goes by 32nds, 16ths, 1/4s, 1/2s...

Seriously? You aren't accustomed to the concept of a sardoinc tone? Next.

Since the US has such an influence on the rest of the world, everybody else is forced to learn two systems just because the US refuses to change. Everybody's aware of the benefits of switching, yet they stubbornly cling to their system for no apparent reason other than "It's the American way".

No one can force them to switch, but I have a right to express my displeasure.

This is largely my point...

It's a bit of a PITA to have to convert foot pounds to newton-meters, celsius to fareinheit, cubic centermeter to cubic feet, inches to millimeters and all throughout the day, but you get used to it.

The biggest headache for us, though, is having to have two sets of all our primary tools - as if our tools weren't expensive enough, we need a set of "standard" and metric sockets and wrenches.

While this guy clearly (previously) states he's accustomed to the statis quo, he argues the case for metricification well.

In aviation, we sadly forced our units upon the rest of the world. This results in a cockpit that has maps in statute miles, altitude in feet, airspeed in nautical miles, windspeed in statute miles per hour, rate of climb/descent in feet per minute, fuel burn in gallons per hour. When trying to plan how much fuel you're going to burn descending from altitude to an airport, you throw all those units into a giant toilet and flush'm. Backup hand calculations my ass.

Yep. I know several pilots and areonuatics people who hate this!

I do a lot of thinking in Metric, but my country uses Imperial, so I'm kind of stuck. Unless I want to convert everything into metric, do the math, then convert it back again.

We really should just switch over to Metric.

See, other people? This guy understands the problem.

P.S. I'm pleased to see the flames die down a bit, the odd apology, 'we'll agree to disagree' scenarios. The intention of this is debate. I appreciate that debate gets firey, but at the end of the day, let's act like adults. Agreed?

 

[imperialreign]

It's a bit of a PITA to have to convert foot pounds to newton-meters, celsius to fareinheit, cubic centermeter to cubic feet, inches to millimeters and all throughout the day, but you get used to it.

The biggest headache for us, though, is having to have two sets of all our primary tools - as if our tools weren't expensive enough, we need a set of "standard" and metric sockets and wrenches.

While this guy clearly (previously) states he's accustomed to the statis quo, he argues the case for metricification well.

I did? You mind running that by me, cause I sure as hell didn't say I support the move to metric.

TBH, I prefer the imperial system - our measurements are more accurate than metric. 1 kg is equivalent to 2.2 lbs. Pounds equals the smaller unit, more accurate. 1 degree celsius is equal to about 1.8 degrees farenheit. Farenheit is again the smaller unit, more accurate. 1 inch is equal to 2.5 centimeters. Inch is the smaller unit, again more accurate. etc.

I work in a field were many times precision is the name of the game - our measurements need to be as accurate as possible, sometimes even to the thousanths decimal place. I'd prefer to use a measurement system that inherently supports precision.

I'd be careful of putting words in people's mouths, or taking their words out of context.

 

[Wyes]

I did? You mind running that by me, cause I sure as hell didn't say I support the move to metric.

TBH, I prefer the imperial system - our measurements are more accurate than metric. 1 kg is equivalent to 2.2 lbs. Pounds equals the smaller unit, more accurate. 1 degree celsius is equal to about 1.8 degrees farenheit. Farenheit is again the smaller unit, more accurate. 1 inch is equal to 2.5 centimeters. Inch is the smaller unit, again more accurate. etc.

I work in a field were many times precision is the name of the game - our measurements need to be as accurate as possible, sometimes even to the thousanths decimal place. I'd prefer to use a measurement system that inherently supports precision.

I'd be careful of putting words in people's mouths, or taking their words out of context.

Except smaller units hardly guarantee precision. What matters is the size of the increments used on measuring devices/tools. I think when people say metric is more accurate what they mean is you're less likely to incur an error if you're making a conversation. Of course, if you're careful enough it doesn't matter.

 

[alimarin]

Because we are America, and we use whatever the fuck we want because we can.
If you disagree you clearly hate freedom and are a communist, socialist, or some evil combination of the two.

I read that sarcastically, hopefully it was.

 

[Drakane]

I am studying geology at university right now (I started calling it university even though I am American... makes more sense to me) and I wish everyone would use the metric system. That is all I use my calculations, and it is infinitely easier and more useful than the imperial system.

errm... what does calling it "at university" have to do w/ American English or not?

OT: I wouldn't be that surprised if a some sort of middle ground isn't met between metric and standard... we (the us) won't give up on what we have, you (99% of the world or w/e) wont give up on what you have, so as globalization and all that expands, compromises will continually be made.

its at least occuring in other fields

 

[Bender Rodriguez]

I think hillbillies would go mental if someone tried to change their precious imperial system.

Come own Cletus, gieet ur shotgunn!

 

[CptRumGuy]

TBH, I prefer the imperial system - our measurements are more accurate than metric. 1 kg is equivalent to 2.2 lbs. Pounds equals the smaller unit, more accurate. 1 degree celsius is equal to about 1.8 degrees farenheit. Farenheit is again the smaller unit, more accurate. 1 inch is equal to 2.5 centimeters. Inch is the smaller unit, again more accurate. etc.

Feel like a pompous ass for pointing this out and I apologize in advance, but while you're right about degrees and lbs, centimeters are smaller than inches. Read your post again.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Metric is incredibly common in the US. Any decent scientific discipline works in SI, and the military has long used the metric system of measurement. The problem is, while metric is generally superior (one does not need to recall that there are 5280 feet in a mile for example, which seems fairly arbitrary), changing the system would be incredibly difficult. Older vehicles do not offer a KPH indicator, tens of millions of signs would need to be changed, two generations would have to be trained (which would come complete with enormous bitching), books would have to be reprinted and so forth. Switching from Standard to Metric is not as simple as declaring it to be true. Even ignoring the whining people part (easily the hardest part to overcome) you're looking at having to invest tens of billions of dollars just to swap the infrastructure around.

 

[Throwitawaynow]

1 world, 1 country, 1 ethincity, 1 measurement system, 1 language I support this thread.

 

[Mouse One]

Oh yea! An American (US) bashing thread.

Look you limeys, you start drinking your beer in half liter (excuse me, litre) mugs, and I'll let you rag on us for our feet and inches. Although I'll admit that I agree with my father in law (from Lancashire) that 12oz beer bottles are a crime against humanity.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to measure how many barleycorns of wall space I need to put a picture up.

 

[David Bray]

Imperial is good for two things: Maasuring your height and measuring your penis

 

[sogortheogre]

I am studying geology at university right now (I started calling it university even though I am American... makes more sense to me) and I wish everyone would use the metric system. That is all I use my calculations, and it is infinitely easier and more useful than the imperial system.

errm... what does calling it "at university" have to do w/ American English or not?

OT: I wouldn't be that surprised if a some sort of middle ground isn't met between metric and standard... we (the us) won't give up on what we have, you (99% of the world or w/e) wont give up on what you have, so as globalization and all that expands, compromises will continually be made.

its at least occuring in other fields

Every student I know just calls it college

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

I'm an engineer. Imperial measurement is crap. It's nowhere near as useful as a simple base 10 numeric system.

'Pass me an 11/15ths socket please...?'

Come to think of it, it's not just distance. Weight also. Grams. So simple. It translates well through from tiny amounts to colossal masses.

Measure temperatures in centigrade. It's so much more practical! 0 deg C, is freezing, 100 deg C is boiling (water @ 1 ATM) If you don't like that, then at least use kelvin.

Surely the American scientific community use metric? Why can't the rest of America just get on board with the rest of the world?

In short, imperial sucks. Let it die.

P.S. I have no problem with the conversational use of imperial units. It's where, I believe we need a standard, global system for engineering and science.

Edit: there you go spell, nazis... happy? I've fixed the odd mistake and typo. BTW C.o.l.o.u.r.

Edit 2: For further reading.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication - Metrication
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_system - Metric system
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_system - Imperial system

Edit 3: Off-topic, I'm not European. I'm Australian.

Edit 4: Please note post 264.

i am American and i highly agree. we use metric anyways throughout all of my college courses so far, i have used imperial maybe twice? oh and weight? weight and mass are different. so no i do not agree with using simple grams.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

1 world, 1 country, 1 ethincity, 1 measurement system, 1 language I support this thread.

1 blood? Or is that going too far...

Metric is good for computational measurements, Imperial is good for statistical/generalised measurements.

Or Metric: Accuracy / Imperial: Ease

That's why it's still nearly half past four, rather than 1:6:28.00

 

[Wolfram23]

Metric is definitely better.

And LOL at people who think it's too hard to change. So stupid. You realise Canada switched over to metric during my parent's life?

Of course now, we have to deal with BOTH systems. All scientific stuff uses metric due to being superior (did you know NASA uses metric?). But in everyday life we often still use pounds and feet/inches a LOT because for example my parents would measure me and my sisters in thsoe units so we got used to them. But at school we mostly used metric, until later we had to learn both (and only because USA uses it so we need to know it), and even in Mechanical Engineer we would have problems in either system. lb-f, N-m, HP, KW, KPa, Bar, PSI. Ugh so many fucking units. I HATE YOU IMPERIAL SYSTEM!!!!

It's not hard to convert. It's hard to keep both. Fuck off USA! lol.

 

[Torrasque]

I absolutely hate the stupid jumping around that the two systems do.
You'll go to a place that measures your feet by imperial, then another that goes by metric.
Or you'll have on your passport your height in inches, and meters.

Imperial is super random with its measurement increments, and they are just really stupid numbers.
Metric is so much better in every way because the increments increase by sensible amounts.

Off-topic:
Did anyone else think of Metric? I did, and lold.