Why does the US not go Metric?

reply to post by LibertyLover

It's nearly impossible to change a way of apprehending things you have learned in school and have used in your everyday life. In France, most of the old people still think in old Francs (the money before the Francs and the Euro).
By the way, I thought the Americans had to use the metric system since a few years. I don't blame them for having problems to use it even if it is easier.

Originally posted by LightFantastic
Also I don't know anyone that uses centimetres - we all use millimetres for small things and metres for big things but the mainland Europeans use cm and seem to not understand mm. Very strange

Of course, we do understand centimeters !

oh I'm sure theres something on their constitution or bill of rights saying "We have the right to use imperial. Its our god given right. If sometime in the future the US goes metric it risks losing our sovereignty, identity, and all the crap the founding fathers fought so hard to create the home of the brave"

Or something along those lines...

Anyways... its the US. Why ppl keep questions its weirdness its beyond me... I mean, by now we should all be used to the "crazy US stuff" like owning a mini military arsenal at home and then be so shocked at columbine-like events, blaming Marlboro for your lung cancer and actually win, blaming mcdonalds for a burn by a coffee actually spilled by you, because the cup didnt say "Beverage is hot" and... win, thinking Obama is Osama Bin Laden, building up a legal process against a car company cause the guy turned the "Cruise control" on his van and went for a nap and crashed... and actually win the lawsuit, getting into wars they cant possibily win and STILL thinking they're the greatest super power the world has ever seen, thinking they OWN the moon, seeing a perfectly normal military base with... well... the usual military personnel and yell "PREPARE FOR MARTIAL LAW, I HAVE PICS"...

All this makes the US a funny country and culture to watch!

As for the metric units... I warn you, you are going TOO FAR.

Please don't give me more Math to think about...OH PPLEASE!!!!

The conversions oh it's making my brain hurt just thinking about it!!!!

reply to post by ldyserenity


I wouldn't panic...The metric scale is easy...

If you’re ever going to change, the time is always now. There will always be more pain, more people affected in future.

I think now days it may be easier to convert to metric, money is mostly electronic, car speedometers are increasingly becoming LCD not dials, and therefore would be easy to convert with a firmware change. Also people carry around smart phones and so-on and this could help make quick calculations more easily.

I think it's simply not on many people’s agendas. I do think global standards for many things are a great idea, but it seems like people have just gotten used to living with both systems.

I remember a Simpsons episode where skinner was using the metric system and he also went to "metric time". I know Australia doesn't have this!!

reply to post by JohnPhoenix


Your post contadicts itself John. First you say Imperial is easier then you say Metric is dumbed down.

Of course wthe one you have used most will be the easiest for you.

Anyway, how would you say 1 zeptometre in Imperial?

reply to post by 12voltz


just an ignorant american here but what is the origin of the word tyre vs tire does it have to do with the island(i think its an island) or is it more complicated then that? just curious?

reply to post by virgom129


Coz pounds, inches and gallons are for imperialists.
metric system requires learning and who want to split a gallon of gazoline in 4

It's only for the other countries to do that...split a gallon in 4 leters and stretch the rubber band for a few more dollars...yeas !

I think I am pretty thoughtful and intelligent - but some of us older dogs aren't in to learning new tricks