Murray Kelly
Well-known
Sometimes I imagine if I lay down here my head would be approximately 'there' and if I did the same thing from there my head would then be 11' 6" give or take.
Farlymac that's true about GM and Ford not disappearing from the market place. They already sell heaps of small cars which is what folk want. The big 6 and V8 rear-wheel drives will disappear, that's all We will have to rely on Toyota if you want such a car or go (expensive) import mostly german.
Michael, there's a whole generation now that doesn't remember how many pence in a shilling or shillings in a quid. One curious thing is some still talk about their weight in 'stones' but the ounce and pound have gone and thankfully rods roods and chains.
Rick, I lived a year in Denmark late 60's and there were the old fellers who bought inch rulers and drills etc after they converted even before the US.
If you grow up with something like that you 'see' it better, I guess. As a retired medico I never had a problem with the metric but it took some time for quite a few people.
Peter, is the H-D made in Japan now or only certain models?
Farlymac that's true about GM and Ford not disappearing from the market place. They already sell heaps of small cars which is what folk want. The big 6 and V8 rear-wheel drives will disappear, that's all We will have to rely on Toyota if you want such a car or go (expensive) import mostly german.
Michael, there's a whole generation now that doesn't remember how many pence in a shilling or shillings in a quid. One curious thing is some still talk about their weight in 'stones' but the ounce and pound have gone and thankfully rods roods and chains.
Rick, I lived a year in Denmark late 60's and there were the old fellers who bought inch rulers and drills etc after they converted even before the US.
If you grow up with something like that you 'see' it better, I guess. As a retired medico I never had a problem with the metric but it took some time for quite a few people.
Peter, is the H-D made in Japan now or only certain models?
gunsmithing
Member
Simple 1 meter is = 3 feet or 1 yard this is close only, but for most meter to feet it works .
1 meter is = to 3.28 feet or 1.09 yards
Dave
1 meter is = to 3.28 feet or 1.09 yards
Dave
David Hughes
David Hughes
Yup, I can remember saying in France that I wanted to stay at eleven stone something and everyone (that was French) fell about laughing; "stones" they said and laughed even more...
Regards, David
Regards, David
Richard G
Veteran
Some of the most successful models bought here have been made in Europe. Those boasting of their European uber machines often don't realize that their car was made in South Africa, and the humble Holden parked next to them is a rebadged European import.
My son had me import a particular guitar from the US. When it needed some service here the techs didn't have an Allen key to fit one particular bolt. Not sure how they got around that.
I hear US manufacturing is on the rise with a lot of firms repatriating operations from China.
Despite my father in his tool shed and many jobs I was his assistant for keeping up an imperial metric duality, the only translation I make in my head for my own use ever in recent decades is an inch to millimeters. I still want a conversion from gallons to liters (imperial gallons, not US gallons) and pounds to kilograms. And I cannot think in hectares.
Michael Markey
Veteran
Addy101
Well-known
So, stick with meters :angel:Exactly ...it doesn`t make sense
Jason Sprenger
Well-known
Keep trying, the metric system has some clever ideas and we Americans will happily adopt it when it really is shown to be better... or at least perceived as cool.
The problem is that traditional units really do work fine for millions upon millions of people, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Hmm, those "hours" and "weeks" are so traditional and not decimal at all.
It seems an entire planet of people can agree that the metric system doesn't work well for everything. It maybe the only thing the planet does agree upon.<g>
The problem is that traditional units really do work fine for millions upon millions of people, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Hmm, those "hours" and "weeks" are so traditional and not decimal at all.
It seems an entire planet of people can agree that the metric system doesn't work well for everything. It maybe the only thing the planet does agree upon.<g>
Rodchenko
Olympian
I work best in metres, but my Minox, my Paxettes, and IIRC my Nettar are all in feet, which is confusing. My Super Paxettes are marked in both.
I used to work in lighting, and needed to estimate cable runs pretty accurately. cables are always measured in metres, and generally came in 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 15 or 20. Using a longer than necessary cable might mean another somewhere else wouldn't reach, so I quickly learned to visualise the run. Even now, two decades out of the business, if I'm not sure about a distance, I imagine a cable running from me to the subject.
I used to work in lighting, and needed to estimate cable runs pretty accurately. cables are always measured in metres, and generally came in 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 15 or 20. Using a longer than necessary cable might mean another somewhere else wouldn't reach, so I quickly learned to visualise the run. Even now, two decades out of the business, if I'm not sure about a distance, I imagine a cable running from me to the subject.
pseudobreccia
Member
No...the USA did not truly go metric in 1975
No...the USA did not truly go metric in 1975
Most products in the US list both English and SI units. All cars have speedometers listing both units. The '95 Camaro you bought was made specifically for export from the US...American vehicles are never 100% metric.
No...the USA did not truly go metric in 1975
I was under the impression that the US went metric about 1975. I was surprised to hear that because we did it here comparatively painlessly at the same time but a decree that banned the importation of foot rulers for 5 years helped!
When I bought my '95 Camaro it was all metric - GM had decided to go with the decree thus confirming to me the story was true.
Printing scales isn't too hard - I was forced to make a new shutter speed scale for the Zorkii 4 as it was originally painted and was growing faint fast. All very fiddly but well worth the effort.
Most products in the US list both English and SI units. All cars have speedometers listing both units. The '95 Camaro you bought was made specifically for export from the US...American vehicles are never 100% metric.
Addy101
Well-known
Huh
The world uses the metric system.... and almost the whole world agrees it is a good idea to use the metric system.
Michael Markey
Veteran
Its a good job they still use mph in cars otherwise it could start getting expensive in speeding fines .
Moto-Uno
Moto-Uno
Just 'cuz this is too much fun,,what size rim do all the metric width tires fit ( of course they're all in inches!)
No Harley Davidson motorcycle is made in Japan,however, many components have been sourced there since the '70's ( suspension,carbs,instruments,later switch gear,etc.)
And although Canada has been metric since the '70s it's still way more trouble to find metric nuts and bolts compared to sae fasteners at a hardware store.
I use them both,but I always talk thousanths of an inch to machinist. Peter
No Harley Davidson motorcycle is made in Japan,however, many components have been sourced there since the '70's ( suspension,carbs,instruments,later switch gear,etc.)
And although Canada has been metric since the '70s it's still way more trouble to find metric nuts and bolts compared to sae fasteners at a hardware store.
I use them both,but I always talk thousanths of an inch to machinist. Peter
Murray Kelly
Well-known
All of which goes to show we like what we're most comfortable with. A meter is ~1.1yd and a kilo is 2.2lb. 4.5 L to the imp gallon (3.75 to the US) and so on.
At the time I was importing the Camaro and moving the steering from L to R (by law) I was discussing it with my accountant who said that he had a client with a dozen 1 ton trucks in his business but the Aust Taxation Office (ATO) had decided that since the manufacturer said they could only carry a metric tonne (2200 lb) they were 40lb short of being able to carry a ton and therefore he couldn't claim them as 1 ton trucks. This 30 years after we went metric BTW but the ATO obviously makes its own rules.
My suggestion was to take off the spare wheel (not necessary by law) and have an engineer re-certify they could now carry a ton. The spare could be part of the load. Never heard what happened but the ATO pick and choose to suit themselves.
When I went to buy the Camaro I was refused a sale because I was not resident in NA. My friend in Atlanta got it for me finally and I went from there. The GM dealer said he would lose his franchise if he sold one to someone not resident in NA. GM weren't at all interested in exporting them - I actually believe they were aiming to sell so few they would have an excuse to shut down the factory. I think they did finally.
Michael, the French can laugh all they like but they revert to scores after counting to 60. So do the Danes, at 40.
None of which helps farlymac so I thank him for his indulgence.
At the time I was importing the Camaro and moving the steering from L to R (by law) I was discussing it with my accountant who said that he had a client with a dozen 1 ton trucks in his business but the Aust Taxation Office (ATO) had decided that since the manufacturer said they could only carry a metric tonne (2200 lb) they were 40lb short of being able to carry a ton and therefore he couldn't claim them as 1 ton trucks. This 30 years after we went metric BTW but the ATO obviously makes its own rules.
My suggestion was to take off the spare wheel (not necessary by law) and have an engineer re-certify they could now carry a ton. The spare could be part of the load. Never heard what happened but the ATO pick and choose to suit themselves.
When I went to buy the Camaro I was refused a sale because I was not resident in NA. My friend in Atlanta got it for me finally and I went from there. The GM dealer said he would lose his franchise if he sold one to someone not resident in NA. GM weren't at all interested in exporting them - I actually believe they were aiming to sell so few they would have an excuse to shut down the factory. I think they did finally.
Michael, the French can laugh all they like but they revert to scores after counting to 60. So do the Danes, at 40.
None of which helps farlymac so I thank him for his indulgence.
Murray Kelly
Well-known
As an afterthought I remembered that plumbing still uses a lot of the old thread sizes here. Taps and pipes and hose fittings. Half, three quarter and inch for starters. Not all, but the basic fittings still do. Probably for retro-compatibility with existing systems.
French cars came with metric tyres as I recall but I don't know about now even tho I just got back from 2 months there. Never once looked at the tyre sizes. Our rental was a VW Polo anyway
Machinists cope pretty well either way - there's 40 thou to the mm as I recall. They just dialup whatever it takes.
I did fall in to a spot of bother when I tried to tow my boat with its 50mm trailer socket and a 2" ball on the car! No way, Jose!