Metric and Imperial

[spainlads]

Shopkeepers and market traders have been taken to court for failing to display prices in metric, yet the British government still display road speeds in MPH rather than KPH. How can they get away with it, and are there any plans to change over???

[bernardo]

Not yet - the shopkeeper tyranny only applies to selling things.

[Hippy]

To some extent the change has happened years ago. In Public Transport and Haulage, which as we know is nannied over by the government yet not supported, regulated almost to oppression yet not promoted, all calculations concerning the operation has to be in kilometres and litres. Tachograph readings (spy in the cab, remember) are in kilometers, and the main analogue speed indicator is in kph with the smaller subsidiary scale in mph. When buying tanker loads of fuel from the refinery we buy it in litres and it is only some dozy Local Authorities, not yet fully into the nineteenth century, that issue edicts in miles and gallons.

It is about time the rest of road transport caught up with the professionals.

[Hippy]

Cpellink?

Yes, dear reader, I do know how to spell "kilometres". AnswerBank would be much improved by a "Poster can Edit" function.

[SteveD]

I agree, it would be very useful if it were possible to edit a post. The number of times I have submitted a post, then spotted a mistake!

[Gef]

There's nothing wrong with pounds, ounces, inches, feet etc.

[IndieSinger]

In our shop, we have to label them "Metric Mints" now.

[Pinotage]

UK Govt has an exception from the EU to use miles on road signs and pints in pubs, so they're the legal definitions.

What is certain tho' is the UK seem more efficient and gung ho at enforcing EU rules than anywhere else in the EU. There are market stalls in France that still use the ancient 'livres' measurements and note how few fruits and vegetables are marked with their origin, as required by EU law.

[thewillow]

Quote: "There's nothing wrong with pounds, ounces, inches, feet etc." Metric is so much simpler. Would you want to go back to the days of pounds, shillings and pence?

[secretspirit]

I don't think it's that that everyone objects to (I can happily use either) but more that the govenment is A: hypocritical, and B: shops/traders have no freedom as to which measurement they choose to sell goods in. I suspect they don't change the road markings it's partly because if the government changed them to kph people in court for speeding could say they don't understand it, thereby possibly losing the government some of that lovely dosh they make out of it whereas they don't lose any money by food being sold in kilogrammes even when many don't like them.

[cheyenne]

well if you live abroad you would be use to KPH.or half litres of beer.we live in the UK and we are proud of our pints of beer.stuff the litres???

[spainlads]

It doesn't matter if your proud of pints of beer. Legally you can't buy a pint of milk. It has to be metric. It's just the English being picky about something. Oh, we can't change pints in pubs or MPH in cars. That would be to hard wouldn't it.