topic Re: A quick question in Community Chat

A quick question

SuhseK — Fri, 08 May 2020 22:29:57 GMT

A post that I just read, brought this to mind:

How many posters, here, on the forums, know the metric system?

Yes, of course we can Google on how to convert information, but how many of us, are at least relatively familiar with the metric system?

Another question, might be why in the world, isn't the United States, like almost every other country on the planet, on the metric system. But, that's another question for another discussion.😊

Re: A quick question

on the bay — Fri, 08 May 2020 22:35:47 GMT

@SuhseK -

Well, remembering when it was tried to change here in the US, I think everyone tried for awhile while still keeping the old system, but then most of us just thought, nope,we are not having it!

I along with I'm sure many others, was relieved. I thought why make all this one more thing to learn and do?

Even if it might be more accurate or so many other countries use it, why change?!

It has served well all these years so should be enough! That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it!

Re: A quick question

Anonymous032819 — Fri, 08 May 2020 22:41:55 GMT

They tried in the 70's, but Americans were too stubborn to even try to learn it, so the push to convert gave up.

But, we do have some things that are metric, the 2 liter soda bottle for example, plus, tools are in metric.

Re: A quick question

Cakers3 — Fri, 08 May 2020 22:43:56 GMT

The USA didnt' want to use the metric system since the French developed it (1700"s ??) based on their land. If I remember correctly the French developed this by using coordinates based on France's land position.

By the time the USA decided to join in sometime in the 19th century, businesses in our country were well entrenched in customary units and so we never converted.

I do remember somewhere-maybe the 1980's??? when the metric was being eased in - we started seeing it on soda bottles, e.g. but it never took off in schools.

Metric is used in the USA; DH and DS are well versed in it and it's used in some industries; just not as a math subject.

I learned this in high school as part of a history class.

Re: A quick question

FLGranny — Fri, 08 May 2020 22:43:14 GMT

I think that’s why you’ll find the Metric and the Imperial measurements on everything. It would take who knows how many generations to teach everyone the metric system and to be proficient in it. Kind of like if we were to switch the entire world over to one currency. It would take decades for everyone to learn it and use it. I am not able to use the metric system. I know the basics like a meter is about a yard, a liter is about a quart, etc. but get into centimeters,millimeters and so on, forget it! And being over 65, this old dog ain’t gonna learn it now!

Re: A quick question

godi — Fri, 08 May 2020 22:44:55 GMT

I remember when President Jimmy Carter really pushed the metric system. That's when two liter bottles of soda where born. 🤣🤣. People fought it tooth and nail not to change. I do not know the metric system at all.

Re: A quick question

Sooner — Fri, 08 May 2020 22:47:20 GMT

@SuhseK wrote:
A post that I just read, brought this to mind:

How many posters, here, on the forums, know the metric system?

Yes, of course we can Google on how to convert information, but how many of us, are at least relatively familiar with the metric system?

Another question, might be why in the world, isn't the United States, like almost every other country on the planet, on the metric system. But, that's another question for another discussion.😊

@SuhseK Because we're the US and we aren't like everybody else!

We often treasure uniqueness in other countries and cultures--why not treasure it in ours?

Re: A quick question

tansy — Fri, 08 May 2020 22:50:11 GMT

My engineer father sure thought the US should adopt that system way back in the 60s.

Re: A quick question

Desertdi — Fri, 08 May 2020 22:51:42 GMT

I can barely convert fractions to decimals.....

Re: A quick question

fthunt — Fri, 08 May 2020 22:53:54 GMT

If it ain't broke..........don't fix it.

Re: A quick question

Caligurll — Fri, 08 May 2020 22:57:49 GMT

@Desertdi wrote:
I can barely convert fractions to decimals.....

That's what Google, Alexa, and Siri are for. At least in my house.

Re: A quick question

FrostyBabe1 — Fri, 08 May 2020 23:07:08 GMT

My nephew bought a new (to him) truck about 18 months ago. He kept saying he thought something was a little off with the speedomoter (yes, he should've noticed it when he test drove it, but he didn't). He'd be getting passed like mad on the highway, but the speedomoter would read in the high 90's or low 100's. Took about a month to figure out that the truck had come from Canada, and the speed was reading out in kilometers per hour, rather than miles. 20 minutes with his mechanic and it was switched to miles per hour.

Re: A quick question

germanshepherdlove — Fri, 08 May 2020 23:24:05 GMT

I can visualize 3' but I have to think about it to know what a meter looks like. When I was a kid I learned in elementary school that the freezing point was 0 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Fahrenheit and that the boiling point was 100 degrees Celsius and I have totally forgotten the conversion to Fahrenheit...makes ya feel dumb not knowing. Oh well.

Re: A quick question

bikerbabe — Fri, 08 May 2020 23:26:23 GMT

I know metric forwards and backwards and know it better than English or Imperial or whatever the heck it is. Now a nurse. Former chemist.

Re: A quick question

on the bay — Fri, 08 May 2020 23:45:46 GMT

I say yea us for not giving in!

I was happy and impressed that all that feeling against it, made that dumb idea go away.

Dont you wish we could do that for everything we didn't like?!

Though this might have been the one time the majority of our country agreed with each other. One for the record books for sure.

Re: A quick question

jeanlake — Sat, 09 May 2020 00:37:53 GMT

I've learned it about 3 times, but haven't used it. It's like my Spanish... Missed our May 2020 trip to Ireland. I was going to brush up on metric system again, especially for kilometers / miles. My row machine only measures meters, so I know around 1600 meters is a mile.

Re: A quick question

fthunt — Sat, 09 May 2020 00:39:46 GMT

@FrostyBabe1 I'm laughing b/c that happened to me. I bought a Caddy that had just come off Lease in Conn. In the middle of 4-way intersection cars were zooming around me - my car's reading said I was going like 101 - what?

Took me a while to figure it out.

Re: A quick question

jpie — Sat, 09 May 2020 00:45:48 GMT

@germanshepherdlove wrote:
I can visualize 3' but I have to think about it to know what a meter looks like. When I was a kid I learned in elementary school that the freezing point was 0 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Fahrenheit and that the boiling point was 100 degrees Celsius and I have totally forgotten the conversion to Fahrenheit...makes ya feel dumb not knowing. Oh well.

____

Celsius Poem:

0 Degrees is Freezing

10 is Not

20 Degrees is Pleasing

30 is Hot!

This is helpful when it comes to weather (in other countries).

Re: A quick question

stevieb — Sat, 09 May 2020 00:48:44 GMT

Tried it, didn't like it, half way understood it at one time but don't any longer... And actually, instead of asking why we aren't on the metric system, I'd suggest asking why isn't the rest of the world on our system...?

Re: A quick question

proudlyfromNJ — Sat, 09 May 2020 01:18:36 GMT

With Celsius it's not exactly accurate but a quick way to convert to Fahrenheit is to double it and add 30.