Tyres, imperial, how did they escape the metric mafia

[Loosehead]

Pretty much throughout the world tyre diameters are in imperial while the profile spec is in metric. How did this curious marraige of systems come about? I am told there are such things as fully metric tyres but the motor trade won't touch them with a barge pole. Can someone in the know enlighten me? Thanks

[kempie]

This offers some insight on the matter...

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2001-03/9 85878609.Sh.r.html

[tubeway]

I remember that Austin bought out some cars with metric size tyres. If anyone remembers trying to buy "montego metrics" - the long searches and the sky high prices for tyres that would only ever fit one make of car - they will tell you why any further attemps to have metric sizes have been resisted.