derk Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 dont forget do do your measurements at approximately 4 degrees celsius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommygilf Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 Britain is moving to the metric system, inch by inch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Futtocks Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 3 hours ago, derk said: dont forget do do your measurements at approximately 4 degrees celsius Centigrade! Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. Ralph Waldo Emerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC77 Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 More on this from the BBC: From 2007: EU gives up on 'metric Britain' http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6988521.stm And from 2011: Will British people ever think in metric? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16245391 “It is 200 years since Napoleon backtracked on his grand scheme to make his empire metric, but today the British remain unique in Europe by holding onto imperial weights and measures. Call it a proud expression of national identity or a stubborn refusal to engage with the neighbours. Either way, the persistent British preference for imperial over metric is particularly noteworthy at a time when its links with Europe are under greater scrutiny than ever.” For me (and I’d say most others) it’s not about national identity in sticking to using British stuff or refusing to use anything French, it’s more the nuisance factor of having to adjust. If I see (or hear a NZ/Aussie commentator) say a rugby player weighs 105 kilos, I just think that’s heavy without knowing exactly what weight that is. 1.90 cm plus you just think tall, but I couldn’t convert what that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommygilf Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 I get the sense growing up and being taught only metric, that I like thinking in imperial but measuring and working in metric. By that I mean I'd say "he's about six foot tall" or that a TV is "75inch", but wouldn't have a clue when it came to measuring using the system. I only know pints because of Beer and Milk and fluid ounces or pounds make no sense to me at all. I suppose imperial for distance is easier given that its based off bodily measurements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Futtocks Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 The Opera internet browser has a feature where, if you highlight a metric measurement, a little "translation" to imperial appears, and vice versa. It does the same with Fahrenheit and Celsius. Do other browsers offer this? I don't use it much, but it is useful when I need it. As for which one I use, that varies, depending on the measurement and who I'm talking to. I'm more likely to say something's an inch or a foot, rather than 2.5cm or 30cm, but I'll use cm and mm where they are better suited. When I'm cooking, I'll mix up the measurements, if it means I can read it in nicely-rounded numbers. Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. Ralph Waldo Emerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC77 Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 17 hours ago, Tommygilf said: I get the sense growing up and being taught only metric, that I like thinking in imperial but measuring and working in metric. By that I mean I'd say "he's about six foot tall" or that a TV is "75inch", but wouldn't have a clue when it came to measuring using the system. I only know pints because of Beer and Milk and fluid ounces or pounds make no sense to me at all. I suppose imperial for distance is easier given that its based off bodily measurements. Body measurements is one aspect, but ultimately imperial for distance is easier for us, because road signs are in miles and yards. For those that use metric that come here it’s bloody difficult. What you are taught in school doesn’t carry into society, as the dominant use in society prevails. I remember having the metre ruler in school (with inch markings), also the kg weight, but neither translated into measuring your height or weight in those. If you told someone you are 1.75 m and weigh 60 kg, 99% of society would need that converted to feet & inches and stone & lbs to grasp what height and weight that is. Metres in terms of 100m, 200m, 400m or 10k run people get, thanks to the popularity of athletics (doesn’t translate to car journeys though...tell someone the next town is 10k away they’d need that in miles). Similarly if rugby was more mainstream then it’s highly likely people would grasp metric heights and weights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedfordshire Bronco Posted September 25, 2020 Author Share Posted September 25, 2020 2 hours ago, DC77 said: Body measurements is one aspect, but ultimately imperial for distance is easier for us, because road signs are in miles and yards. For those that use metric that come here it’s bloody difficult. What you are taught in school doesn’t carry into society, as the dominant use in society prevails. I remember having the metre ruler in school (with inch markings), also the kg weight, but neither translated into measuring your height or weight in those. If you told someone you are 1.75 m and weigh 60 kg, 99% of society would need that converted to feet & inches and stone & lbs to grasp what height and weight that is. Metres in terms of 100m, 200m, 400m or 10k run people get, thanks to the popularity of athletics (doesn’t translate to car journeys though...tell someone the next town is 10k away they’d need that in miles). Similarly if rugby was more mainstream then it’s highly likely people would grasp metric heights and weights. Kids still work in feet/inches and stones!/pounds for body size and miles for distance.... Don't see it ever changing and I am glad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rocket Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 1 minute ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said: Kids still work in feet/inches and stones!/pounds for body size and miles for distance.... Don't see it ever changing and I am glad Bedford did you get a chuckle out of that kids singing. Not bad, is that how you use to entertain them at the club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barnyia Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 I live in France and have realised my kids only do their times tables up to 10. When I were a lad in England we did it up to twelve, it dawned on me the other week that maybe this was because of imperial measurements, but then thought I was wrong as there's 14 pounds in a stone. Nice and simple as always Like learning metric at school then going into a trade and the first thing your boss says is cut 2 foot off that pipe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC77 Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 2 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said: Kids still work in feet/inches and stones!/pounds for body size and miles for distance.... Don't see it ever changing and I am glad I’m not bothered either way, it would just be massive nuisance to readjust our way of thinking if we did have to change. When I was at primary school in the late 80s early 90s we had all the metric measurements like they do now, but it’s something you just learn as opposed to put into use. It would take an enormous cultural shift to stop people thinking of height in feet/inches and weight in stone/lbs, then there’s road signs with miles/yard having to be changed. Imagine Michael Buffer at Wembley stadium...”and weighing in at 75 Kilos, Anthony Joshua”. Cue blank faces in the crowd. The only measurement I (and I’d say most) can easily use interchangeably is metres and yards, although in football (which I still play) I’ve only ever used yards. “Beckham scores from 15 metres”..unheard of. All the key measurements are in yards (six yard box, penalty spot 12 yards, 10 yard wall for free kicks). Also play golf, which still uses the original Scottish rules, so no “putt from 10 metres”. Rugby is different though, which I’m guessing is due to trying to have uniformity with Aus/NZ/SA by using metres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearman Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 Bloke went into a builders merchants and asked for some 2x4. " 2x4?, what year are you in ? you in you mean 50x100" "Ok some 50x 100 please" "How much?" "6ft please" " Oh come on! This isn't 1968, you mean 2 metres" "OK can I have 2 metres please, how much is it?" "1 and 11 a foot" Ron Banks Midlands Hurricanes and Barrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barnyia Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 But an rl pitch is in metres, is it the aussies or the Americans who do weight in pounds and height in mètres or vice versa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barnyia Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 Also a weird one is all the rl coaches here in France say yardage for their own half of the field when trying to get out of their own half, (yardage set) "on fait pas de passe en yardage" Then again they say " good ball" for the other half of the field, so probably just English isms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Picture Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 6 hours ago, barnyia said: But an rl pitch is in metres, is it the aussies or the Americans who do weight in pounds and height in mètres or vice versa Unless I'm mistaken Australia went entirely metric. Unfortunately here in Canada we only went halfway so although temperatures are only given in Celsius now and highway signs all use kilometres most Canadians still use primitive measures for things like their height and weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tex Evans Thigh Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 Weren't imperial measurements on the Brexit ticket. Bloody foreigners trying to make us use logical scales (shakes fist) and dont get me started on those Arabic numerals... Formerly Alistair Boyd-Meaney fifty thousand Poouunds from Keighley...weve had im gid." MIPM Project Management and Business Solutions " Discounts available for forum members contact me for details Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griff Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 19 hours ago, barnyia said: I live in France and have realised my kids only do their times tables up to 10. When I were a lad in England we did it up to twelve, it dawned on me the other week that maybe this was because of imperial measurements, but then thought I was wrong as there's 14 pounds in a stone. Nice and simple as always Like learning metric at school then going into a trade and the first thing your boss says is cut 2 foot off that pipe! We did up to 16 times tables. Covers ounces. Surprised everybody didn't do that. "We'll sell you a seat .... but you'll only need the edge of it!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griff Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 15 hours ago, barnyia said: But an rl pitch is in metres, is it the aussies or the Americans who do weight in pounds and height in mètres or vice versa The change to metric was relatively recent. The parameters were originally set in yards. "We'll sell you a seat .... but you'll only need the edge of it!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griff Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 On 23/09/2020 at 17:44, derk said: do not forget who started the metric system.the french under bonaparte. they wanted a ten day week as well. There are seven days in a week because there are seven objects in the heavens which move against the star background. Sun, Moon and the five planets visible to the naked eye. "We'll sell you a seat .... but you'll only need the edge of it!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blind side johnny Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 10 minutes ago, Griff said: We did up to 16 times tables. Covers ounces. Surprised everybody didn't do that. Slide rules - much quicker. Sport, amongst other things, is a dream-world offering escape from harsh reality and the disturbing prospect of change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedfordshire Bronco Posted September 26, 2020 Author Share Posted September 26, 2020 2 hours ago, Blind side johnny said: Slide rules - much quicker. Yes.... No need for batteries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Futtocks Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 12 hours ago, Tex Evans Thigh said: Weren't imperial measurements on the Brexit ticket. Bloody foreigners trying to make us use logical scales (shakes fist) and dont get me started on those Arabic numerals... Ah yes, the metric "martyrs", who claimed they weren't allowed to sell things in Imperial weights. Apart from the fact that they are allowed to do so if they have a set of scales that show both measurement systems. Something every single one of them were aware of, but felt it was too inconvenient a truth to get in the way of some proper SHOUTING. Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. Ralph Waldo Emerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Prince Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 5 hours ago, Futtocks said: Ah yes, the metric "martyrs", who claimed they weren't allowed to sell things in Imperial weights. Apart from the fact that they are allowed to do so if they have a set of scales that show both measurement systems. Something every single one of them were aware of, but felt it was too inconvenient a truth to get in the way of some proper SHOUTING. Its correct that the EU did not force people to use metric, but it was the jobsworths in local govt who needlessly implimented it to the nth degree. The building industry went metric in 1970, before we joined the EEC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blind side johnny Posted September 27, 2020 Share Posted September 27, 2020 18 hours ago, Rupert Prince said: Its correct that the EU did not force people to use metric, but it was the jobsworths in local govt who needlessly implimented it to the nth degree. The building industry went metric in 1970, before we joined the EEC. If you worked in any technological discipline it would have been madness to insist upon retaining imperial measurements when your international customers, suppliers, standards bodies, technical legislation etc was operating under a metric system. At a parochial level its fine but that is all. Sport, amongst other things, is a dream-world offering escape from harsh reality and the disturbing prospect of change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barnyia Posted September 27, 2020 Share Posted September 27, 2020 All threads are imperial here with metric translation, 3/4 inch thread is 20/27, 1/2 inch is 15/21. 3/8 inch is 12/17 Inside and outside metric measurements. It's shown in imperial and metric on the shelf when you're buying fittings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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