When discussing driving rules that youβd like changed aΒ debate about switching from Mph to km quickly escalated to one on metric and imperial measurements. So which measurement do you prefer? Weβve invited community memberΒ Ian to sum up the debate so far…
In our discussion on switching from miles per hour to kilometers,Β William asked:
‘How about a topic should we go back to using Imperial rather Metric for selling items.’
So, ladies and gentlemen: are you happy with your millimetres, content with your millilitres, weighed down by your kilograms? Or do you longingly hark back to the halcyon days of Cables, Links, Rods, Perches, Quarts, Gallons, Hundredweights and fluid scruples?
Metric vs Imperial
For a number of years now the UK has used metric measurements, as Malcolm R pointed out:
‘We are a metric country in general β business, education, manufacturing. Just a few hangovers like road distances.’
But that doesnβt mean that everyone thinks in metric measurements, for Bishbut, imperial measurements are still useful:
βMany stores are still using imperial measurements so when I go to buy anything by length etc. I do not which measurement to use .It is unhelpful to go with a metric measurement just be told we still sell in feet and inches . lets return to imperial the children taught metric are young enough to learn imperial measures we older folk cannot get imperial out of our heads We are leaving the EU lets just forget about metric things and revert to our well known thingsβ
But, wavechange wondered, if we were to switch back to imperial, why we should stop at measurements?
‘I suppose we could go back to pounds, shillings and pence too. I have some of the old coins but would need 792 of these large old pennies to buy a pint of beer in my local pub.’
Quiet pointed out, for those who arenβt using metric, that itβs just a learning exercise:
‘Iβm 64 and was taught and used metric measurements at school (and Centigrade as well as Fahrenheit). How is it still difficult for we older folk? If youβre 92, like my dear old Mum, you may just have a point.’
And a learning exerciseΒ should be necessary, otherwise, we end up in strange situations like poor Clint Kirk:
βI went into a major chain DIY shop last year, and took a wooden board to their cutting service. βCan you cut this into 50Γ33 centimeter rectangles, please? β βSorry mate, my machine only measures in millimetres.ββ
Over to you
Itβs clear that some feel we should lose all metric measurements, others that we should keep both systems. A bit like train lines with varying gauges.
So what do you think?
This is a guest contribution by Which? Conversation community member Ian. All views are Ian’s and the community members own, and not necessarily those also shared by Which?.