To think it odd that so many British still use Imperial measurements?

[Elouera]

Britain started using metric measurements in 1965, so I can only assume that majority of people under about age 50 learnt metric in school? I spend part of my schooling under a British system, but it was all metric. I'm just intrigued as to why, 50yrs later, some younger people are still referring to pounds and lbs???

We are in a sense bilingual in it all.

That was the term which occurred to me too. Th thing which surprises me is how many people on this thread - younger than me at that - seem so determinedly 'monolingual' and claiming advantages for the irrational imperial system based on their own attachment to it.

Anyway ... New Years resolution was to try to do 5km walk or rower per day, my watch and rower are calibrated in metric and 5km feels more satisfactory than ~3 miles.

The Imperial system was standardised and the Weights and Measures Act brought in in1824, so after that it didn’t matter how long your thumb joint was. The metric system became compulsory in France in 1837, though standards were accepted in 1799.
I find it fascinating that the British took their historical units and standardised them, creating a sort of mathematical fossil, and the French invented anew set of measurements that made life easier by utilising the denary nature of the number system.

And the way we measure time is of course a much older fossil.

It's a free country, you can use ; pecks , bushels, chains and furlongs if you want.

By law (for now), trade has to be conducted in metric. Weighbridge tally rolls (now replaced by electronic versions) must also record in metric.

Scales used for trade must be type-approved for trade, and that means able to display in metric. If they can display in any other system - fine, no problem, knock yourself out. But the sale must be in metric.

When I worked in metrology, we had a little private museum on site (had some 5,000 year old merchants scales from Egypt). They had example scales from the 60s that were marked n metric and imperial. Meaning the "metric martyrs" up in Sunderland must have really dug through the scrap heaps to find imperial only scales. And one of the selling points of the first electronic scales was the ability to display in metric or imperial at the flick of a switch.

Apparently metric was added in the 60s as European imports started - which were of course all measure in metric. Much easier to split 1kg into 8 125g packs if you have metric markings. rather than risk the 8x"nearly"4oz packs.

At the end of the day, all the love for imperial is for the cuddly everyday units that chocolate is measured in (which might explain a lot). If you burrow through your "Imperial in 999 easy steps" book, you'll see there are quite a few units that are never coming back. BTUs spring to mind.

And for obvious reasons, you aren't going to find a single petrol station that is ever going to want to go back to £/gallons ....

HOW MUCH ?!?!

I'd say most people are clever enough to swing between both.

I don't think most people especially people who grew up under metrication are clever enough to do more complex calculations with Imperial measures. They may know their weight in stones and pounds but ask them what 20% of that is and I bet many people would struggle.

Speed limits are in miles per hour. So even the law makers and enforcers require you to use imperial for driving.

Yes, we are bilingual in weights and measures. It’s also due to parent/grandparent. Learning metric at school but being taught to cook by my mother.
And of course baby weights had to be translated for grandparents.
As art of my job I’m always cross calculating so can do a ready reckoning. I would probably hunt out a kitchen scales that had both if imperial disappeared

Luckystar777 don't be so picky. You've just proved my point that I know nothing about metric and prefer imperial.

And they both mean the same.

Speed limits are in miles per hour. So even the law makers and enforcers require you to use imperial for driving.

The two UK exemptions from metrication were miles and pints. Mainly because they so parochial as to be irrelevant internationally, which is ultimately the aim of metrication. And people in Ireland appear to be able to drive over borders that swap between the two. The UK is obviously now free to display in whatever units it likes. But if it wants to avoid non-UK lorries getting stuck under bridges marked in imperial only, it's going to need to invest in a lot of height activated signals ...

Under the cover, wine and spirits are now sold in metric measures. Not that anyone ever really knew what a gill was to start with

Another old school measure I notice nobody is waxing lyrical about is "degrees proof" for alcohol. We appear to have embraced the newfangled ABV without a shot being fired (although maybe several were downed )

For temperatures Fahrenheit is just so much more expressive; 20s really freezing, 30s very cold, 40s chilly, 50s cool, 60s warm, 70s hot, 80s 'phew what a scortcher'.

For temperatures Fahrenheit is just so much more expressive; 20s really freezing, 30s very cold, 40s chilly, 50s cool, 60s warm, 70s hot, 80s 'phew what a scortcher'.

I don't agree, especially not in the U.K. - in Celsius the equivalent works just as well : below zero, freezing (literally and unambiguously) , 0-10 cold, 10-15 need a coat or cardi, 15-20 nice, 20-25 lovely, 25-30 getting a bit too warm, >30 phew what a scorcher seems fine to me.

I love how report weather in the uk.

Highs of 83 degrees

Lows of minus 6 degrees

Yes, @Calleigh - and no one gets that outside the UK (or even some in the UK of a different generation)

Fun fact: -40 degree is the same in Fahrenheit and Celsius !

I agree with Errols temperatures! Cant see how the other is more expressive 🙄

I find it fascinating that the British took their historical units and standardised them, creating a sort of mathematical fossil, and the French invented anew set of measurements that made life easier by utilising the denary nature of the number system.

A few people made some jokes about metric time in this thread, suggesting they didn't know it had been tried ... by (of course) the French. Needless to say it was an utter disaster (or d'saster ) and something few people know about.

In a tribute to the late Nicholas Parsons, in a recent documentary he made about Marie Antoinettes watch, there were a few references to metric time. And Al Murray was shown some metric clocks in Paris by Antoines de Caunes in a show I can't be asked to Google.

My abiding memory is the month "Germinal" came from the metric year.

When I hear an American say they weigh 160 pounds, I do have to stop and think if that is a lot or not a lot.

I just multiply by 2 and have a fair idea in Kg.

The metric system was designed to link to the earth as in the planet. So not dependent on a measure of metal or stone.

The one I do not like is the metrication of computer memory, a kilobyte should be 1024 bytes not 1000.

I know exactly what I weigh in stones and lbs but wouldn’t have a clue about kg. Likewise I’m 5’7 - but ask me how tall I am in metric and I wouldn’t have a Scooby Doo!

The metric system was designed to link to the earth as in the planet. So not dependent on a measure of metal or stone.

The metre was for a long time dependent on the length of a metal bar in France. Platinum, I think.

Isn’t the kilo a thing as well in France. I mean an actual physical entity.

The metre was originally defined in 1793 as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole along a great circle
Wikipedia

Yes there are physical 'standards' or metres and Kg but that's more because it is impractical to measure the earth and then divide it down into manageable chunks.

I just multiply by 2 and have a fair idea in Kg

If yo multiply 160 pounds by 2 - you have a really have person in Kg !!!

Isn’t the kilo a thing as well in France. I mean an actual physical entity

It was - but now it' been defined scientifically.

futurism.com/the-byte/redefined-kilogram