Why is the U.S. still not using the metric system?

[bhsup]

I would support legislation forcing the abolishment of all metric usage in the United States, enforceable by caning of violators.

 

[NickyJ]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_system

Also correct me if I'm wrong but even in the US scientists and possibly engineers already use the metric system (see coherence in the link I provided)

While the imperial system might be easier for you as you're used to it, surely you can see why the metric system is superior?

Then in that case, driving on the right side of the road is superior to the left side. See the image here. While driving on the left side might be easier for the Brits and others, surely you can see why the right side is superior?

I would support legislation forcing the abolishment of all metric usage in the United States, enforceable by caning of violators.

Hear, hear!

 

[Joecoolyo]

Well changing gear? Considering changing gear to the point of covering the clutch and reaching for the stick? Not even to mention operating the radio and a/c, reaching for anything on the passenger seat, the sat-nav, the cig-lighter, grabbing shades from the centre console and so on and so forth.

None of these things are as important as the steering. In fact they are all trivial bar the gear stick, but that is "digital" rather than analogue as the steering. EG it's in gear or not.

Having the dominant hand on the wheel is better than wasting it changing gear.

Yes, but when you only use one hand when steering, that generally means that you're probably going straight, and can afford a few seconds to take your attention off the road and do something else. So why waste your dominant hand staying still on the steering wheel when you could use it to accomplish your other tasks faster and more precisely?

 

[GinandTonic]

Then in that case, driving on the right side of the road is superior to the left side. See the image here. While driving on the left side might be easier for the Brits and others, surely you can see why the right side is superior?

As I said the advantages of driving on the left are not worth the hassle. It is however simply a better system. Counting in base 12 would be better too, but not worth the hassle when living in a base 10 world - and frankly that's the best argument imperial has going for it. Except it only uses base 12 for inches and mixes them with base 3, 16, 4 5300 (or whatever) and so on and so forth.

Yes, but when you only use one hand when steering, that generally means that you're probably going straight, and can afford a few seconds to take your attention off the road and do something else. So why waste your dominant hand staying still on the steering wheel when you could use it to accomplish your other tasks faster and more precisely?

Because the steering is the most important safety and control consideration, and the accident stats back it up. Changing station is just not as important as steering.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Base 60 is better than base 12. Base n! (n factorial) is better than any other low magnitude base really (unless they have common factors).

EDIT: Base p! has merits as well, where p is prime.

 

[Joecoolyo]

Because the steering is the most important safety and control consideration, and the accident stats back it up. Changing station is just not as important as steering.

Yeah, that's why you always use both hands unless you've found yourself on a straightaway with little traffic (or a stoplight) in which you can afford a second or two to change stations, climate, whatever.

Using your dominant hand would just make that process a bit quicker, so you can get your hand back to the steering wheel faster.

 

[GinandTonic]

Base 60 is better than base 12. Base n! (n factorial) is better than any other low magnitude base really (unless they have common factors).

EDIT: Base p! has merits as well, where p is prime.

Perhaps. I dont understand the idea of base n! off the cuff. You want to explain it to the woman at the laundry in terms of how to make change then good luck to you.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

It maximises the divisors... so making sharing cakes easier.

10 is a terrible base really.

Base 2 is good (easy to do arithmetic).

Base 6 is /meh

Base 12 is good (has divisors 2, 3, 4)

Base 60 is better (has divisors 2, 3, 4, 5). EDIT: And 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, 30

Base 60 is the smallest nice base which also has 10 as a divisor.

 

[Hehehe]

I would support legislation forcing the abolishment of all metric usage in the United States, enforceable by caning of violators.

First target: CFC
Crime: using minutes, a metric unit
(you did not think that through, did you?)

Then in that case, driving on the right side of the road is superior to the left side. See the image here. While driving on the left side might be easier for the Brits and others, surely you can see why the right side is superior?

That image does not prove driving on the right is superior, only that driving on the right is more popular. I believe it would be easier if everyone drove on the right, but if the Brits (and everyone else for that matter) tried to change their ways, it would lead to too many accidents to make it worth while.

@ParadigmShifter: why exactly is 10 a terrible base? Surely it makes some conversions easier? Are you suggesting we switch to base n!? What I mean is, having more divisors doesn't necessarily make a base better.

 

[bhsup]

Minutes existed before the metric system!

 

[NickyJ]

That image does not prove driving on the right is superior, only that driving on the right is more popular. I believe it would be easier if everyone drove on the right, but if the Brits (and everyone else for that matter) tried to change their ways, it would lead to too many accidents to make it worth while.

Thank you for proving why Americans should still use Imperial.

 

[Hehehe]

Minutes existed before the metric system!

Yes but minute is also a metric unit (it is used in the metric system). And you said ALL metric usage.

Thank you for proving why Americans should still use Imperial.

Having the speed limits in metric is surely going to mean a lot of Americans crashing their cars... Seriously, it's obviously not the same thing, and nevertheless my point still stands (metric system is superior)

 

[bhsup]

Yes, but we would just re-define everything and ditch it all being defined by metric measurements. Congress has the Constitutional authority to do that, ya know.

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures

 

[Arakhor]

These are all status quo arguments. British people can drive easily enough on the Continent, because driving is still driving, no matter what side of the road you do it. Likewise, measuring is still measuring, whether you use inches or centimetres.

 

[SerriaFox]

Why the US will never fully adopt the metric system:

Most Americans know:

How big a gallon is,
How far a mile is,
And How Cold 37 degrees is. (I don't get why the rest of the world uses c with it's narrow temperature band available for weather reporting).


However if you want a better measuring system, I think a hexadecimal based measuring system would be better. After all it coverts to a logical bit directly. I have wonder if a 16 fingered alien would have a natural advantage in computing.

 

[carmen510]

I believe we did try converting to the metric system in the 1960s and 1970s, but it failed because people were too ingrained in the old system and found the new metric system confusing.

 

[civ_king]

People think Metric is too complicated, my response is "how many inches are in a mile"? when they don't know I say how many centimetres are in a kilometre, centikilo, 100,000

 

[NickyJ]

People think Metric is too complicated, my response is "how many inches are in a mile"? when they don't know I say how many centimetres are in a kilometre, centikilo, 100,000

Question: For what reason would someone ask "How many inches are in a mile?"

 

[carmen510]

People think Metric is too complicated, my response is "how many inches are in a mile"? when they don't know I say how many centimetres are in a kilometre, centikilo, 100,000

This was back in the 1960s and 1970s. I think the justification now is that everyone is too lazy to change everything into the metric system (Interstate highway signs and TV weather reports as an example), certain areas of the country wouldn't necessarily be educated about the metric system (isolated rural areas), and people might just like the old system better.

Also, just because people can't convert miles into inches (but they can do it for kilometers and centimeters) doesn't mean that they automatically know how far a kilometer goes; I would think that most American travelers think in terms of miles and would have some trouble in deciphering how far away 40 km would be.

 

[sophie]

Why the US will never fully adopt the metric system:

Most Americans know:

How big a gallon is,
How far a mile is,
And How Cold 37 degrees is. (I don't get why the rest of the world uses c with it's narrow temperature band available for weather reporting).

why 37 degrees?