Everything Is Metric Measurements On Tv Now

[dave50]

Every time i watch a program on TV about healthy lifestyle, being over weight or whatever, everything is in metric measurements, especially people's weight or height. I find it meaningless and cannot relate to it. I want to know in stones and pounds and feet and inches. At least they could give it in both imperial and metric. It is very annoying. The BBC are the worst culprits typically.

[anotheoldgit]

How many take the Celsius reading for the temperature, double it and add 30 to see how hot it is?
It's not bang on but near enough.

[diddlydo]

I've never used metric measurements. When I'm cooking I always use pounds and ounces for the simple reason that my wonderful ancient scales come with a set of imperial weights. When I'm sewing I measure in inches. Metric distances mean nothing to me until I've mentally converted them.

[bhg481]

Tyre sizes are the interesting ones - rim size in inches and width in mm. Dates back to the time when Michelin introduced radial-ply tyres - previous to that both measurements were imperial at least on British cars).

[kvalidir]

I'm a horrible mix of everything, mostly metric, but for some US (cooking especially and temperature) I'm US from when I lived there as a kid, and then my parents always work everything out in imperial so I half do that as well, a real mongrelly mess.

[Bazile]

I like my metric in pounds , shillings and pence - thank you

[tamborine]

Am 9.2 dog years old ;)

[10ClarionSt]

I always prefer Imperial. Motorway signs show distances in miles. That's never changed. Horse racing always use miles and furlongs. Petrol sold in litres just so you don't see the real cost of a gallon.

[bhg481]

Watching the programme about Paddington station the other night they were looking for something on the overhead electrics which was causing a problem. They were talking distances in chains (I think, certainly an old measurement) which, I guess, dates back before the days when railway lines were welded and came in fixed lengths of a chain (22 yards for the youngsters).

[ToraToraTora]

"The BBC are the worst culprits typically. " - Well the BBC yearn for the EU....... I'm at home with both TBH but I often revert to Imperial when I can wind up a Euphile.

[Zacs-Master]

Go on then.......

[ToraToraTora]

Did you know the Mile is in fact a metric measure? Mile = Mille = 1000, i.e the distance a roman soldier covers whilst doubling for 1000 paces.

[ToraToraTora]

is a Parsec a metric measure?

[horseshoes]

......and racehorses still bought and sold in guineas!

[bednobs]

brritish shoe sizes arent imperial are they? Just like dress sizes arent

[bhg481]

British shoes are measured in barleycorns = 1/3 inch (not starting at 0)..

[bhg481]

Water levels on the Altebrucke in Heidelburg are marked in feet, with a comment that "1 bad fuss = 30cm".

[Old_Geezer]

We all learnt the metric system at school from science lessons. But after a certain age familiarity means a different natural system has been implanted for normal day to day use. Nothing is then going to supplant it. So there is no justification to mock by asking why it's so difficult to learn a new system. Those that do have no understanding nor empathy regarding the issue. There is no reason to demand mature generations just suck it up. How difficult is it to use normal traditional units and then give a conversion to scientific units for those who need it ?

[Zacs-Master]

We’re all on the Internet. Converting is only a click (and 47 years) away.

[bhg481]

Z-M //We’re all on the Internet//
No we're not. Once I'm out of the house I have no internet. If I'm looking at the price of something in a shop I have to use mental arithmetic to do conversions and calculate prices. Fortunately I'm able; many aren't.

[Zacs-Master]

You’re still converting £sd to ‘new’ money?