Should the US switch to the Metric System completely?

[Rainstorm]

The United States is one of the three countries in the world who still use the Customary Units, which has no real base number to go by. Every other country in the world uses the Metric System, with a base number of 10.

So, my question to you is whether the United States should join the other countries of the world and adopt the metric system, or whether it should keep our current unit.

[Perseus]

I prefer the measuring system we use. Inches make since; I've actually thought that inches should be implemented into the metric system since they're bigger than centimeters and smaller than meters.

[Rainstorm]

I prefer the measuring system we use. Inches make since; I've actually thought that inches should be implemented into the metric system since they're bigger than centimeters and smaller than meters.

I have to disagree with you here. While inches are bigger then centimeters and smaller meters, it is also harder to learn. (Plus, there is decimeters). Memorizing how many inches is in a mile, or yards to a mile is a waste when it can be as simple as moving a decimal.

[Perseus]

I have to disagree with you here. While inches are bigger then centimeters and smaller meters, it is also harder to learn. (Plus, there is decimeters). Memorizing how many inches is in a mile, or yards to a mile is a waste when it can be as simple as moving a decimal.

Still, saying something is thirty centimeters makes it sound big. Saying twelve inches, or one foot, isn't. I understand what you're saying, but since I've been taught inches and the such, it is just me saying that inches is more reasonable since it isn't too small, nor is it too big.

[Mzor203]

I prefer the measuring system we use. Inches make since; I've actually thought that inches should be implemented into the metric system since they're bigger than centimeters and smaller than meters.

Being someone who used to live in America, and now lives in Canada, I've seen both worlds. Comparitively, the Imperial system of measurement doesn't make sense at all.

12 inches = 1 foot, 5280 feet = 1 mile

compared to

100 cm = 1 meter, 1000 meters = 1 km

Centimeters being smaller also mean they are a more precise measurement, which is quite nice. It also means that fractions of a centimeter can be converted to meters much more cleanly, while converting fractions of an inch to feet is just a burden.

And let's not even mention temperature.

32 for freezing? 212 for boiling?

If you're doing scientific calculations, Kelvin makes the most sense of any of them because it puts 0 at the very bottom and takes out the confusing negatives. But for day to day use, Celcius makes a lot more sense. Freezing at 0, boiling at 100. Nice and easy.

Even though I'm still American I am very much an advocate of the metric system.

EDIT: Only for Americans does 30 centimeters sound big. If it was just implemented and taught the whole "it sounds big" thing would go away. Case in point, myself. As I said, had Imperial taught to me all my life and I picked up easily.

For me, 35 degrees sounds quite hot because I just know it's quite hot.

[Rainstorm]

Being someone who used to live in America, and now lives in Canada, I've seen both worlds. Comparitively, the Imperial system of measurement doesn't make sense at all.

12 inches = 1 foot, 5280 feet = 1 mile

compared to

100 cm = 1 meter, 1000 meters = 1 km

Centimeters being smaller also mean they are a more precise measurement, which is quite nice. It also means that fractions of a centimeter can be converted to meters much more cleanly, while converting fractions of an inch to feet is just a burden.

And let's not even mention temperature.

32 for freezing? 212 for boiling?

If you're doing scientific calculations, Kelvin makes the most sense of any of them because it puts 0 at the very bottom and takes out the confusing negatives. But for day to day use, Celcius makes a lot more sense. Freezing at 0, boiling at 100. Nice and easy.

Even though I'm still American I am very much an advocate of the metric system.

Pretty much this.

[The Batman]

It makes sense to switch but since a good majority of americans don't know the metric system it would be better to just teach both in schools and slowly but surely get more people educated about the metric system and start putting it into the public eyes along with the system we have now.

[Perseus]

Being someone who used to live in America, and now lives in Canada, I've seen both worlds. Comparitively, the Imperial system of measurement doesn't make sense at all.

12 inches = 1 foot, 5280 feet = 1 mile

compared to

100 cm = 1 meter, 1000 meters = 1 km

Centimeters being smaller also mean they are a more precise measurement, which is quite nice. It also means that fractions of a centimeter can be converted to meters much more cleanly, while converting fractions of an inch to feet is just a burden.

And let's not even mention temperature.

32 for freezing? 212 for boiling?

If you're doing scientific calculations, Kelvin makes the most sense of any of them because it puts 0 at the very bottom and takes out the confusing negatives. But for day to day use, Celcius makes a lot more sense. Freezing at 0, boiling at 100. Nice and easy.

Even though I'm still American I am very much an advocate of the metric system.

EDIT: Only for Americans does 30 centimeters sound big. If it was just implemented and taught the whole "it sounds big" thing would go away. Case in point, myself. As I said, had Imperial taught to me all my life and I picked up easily.

For me, 35 degrees sounds quite hot because I just know it's quite hot.
Gah, why must Americuh complicate things? :P The centigrade system doesn't mess me up since it makes a plethora of sense. Maybe that's because we went over it in my French classes. :P So I know thirty five degrees Celsius is about eighty degrees Fahrenheit. It's just the silly measuring system that I don't like. :P

[Rainstorm]

It makes sense to switch but since a good majority of americans don't know the metric system it would be better to just teach both in schools and slowly but surely get more people educated about the metric system and start putting it into the public eyes along with the system we have now.

I would say to just abolish the old system. We are taught the Metric System in school, but because its never used in real life aside from sciences, it goes to waste here. The Old System was fine and dandy, but it has outgrown itself.

[The Batman]

I would say to just abolish the old system. We are taught the Metric System in school, but because its never used in real life aside from sciences, it goes to waste here. The Old System was fine and dandy, but it has outgrown itself.

You can't just abolish the old system too many people use it. The only way to change is by doing it gradually and also educating the public about it more. Just getting rid of the old system and putting the new one infront of people will cause confusion and anger.

[Rainstorm]

You can't just abolish the old system too many people use it. The only way to change is by doing it gradually and also educating the public about it more. Just getting rid of the old system and putting the new one infront of people will cause confusion and anger.

I don't mean by abolish it to throw it out right today. However, our generation of people know more of the metric system then the generations before us. What the Government should do is slowly edge the Metric System into Society and Education while removing the old units. Eventually, when the generations continue on, the metric system will take its place.

[The Batman]

I don't mean by abolish it to throw it out right today. However, our generation of people know more of the metric system then the generations before us. What the Government should do is slowly edge the Metric System into Society and Education while removing the old units. Eventually, when the generations continue on, the metric system will take its place.
That's pretty much what I was trying to say :P

[Rainstorm]

That's pretty much what I was trying to say :P

Ah, well, glad we're on the same page.

[Peace God]

i think we should...its a lot easier once you learn it

[huginnmuninn]

i prefer the metric system for measuring distance but i prefer to use Fareinheit over Celsius

[Amnesiac]

It should be done. The metric system is almost unanimously accepted by the rest of the world as well as the scientific community. It's simple, and it all makes sense. However, such a conversion would take years and cost billions of dollars — we can't just say "oh, we use the metric system now", the implications of such a change are enormous.

How unanimously, you ask? This is a map of nations that use the metric system:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Metric_system_adoption_map.svg/1000px-Metric_system_adoption_map.svg.png

[JackOfClubs]

I don't mind the metric system. But I do prefer the imperial system.

The conversion factors are much easier in the metric system, but the numbers are either huge or tiny. I hate kilometers with a passion, it seems like such a huge number for a small distance. (1000km vs 620 miles). Miles per hour also seems like a much better system of measuring speed, vs kilometers per hour.

I guess it all depends on what you are raised learning. I was raised learning the imperial system, even when I was in Ireland, and I've been in American schools for the last 9 years, and we might have done a couple weeks on the metric system.

[Perseus]

It should be done. The metric system is almost unanimously accepted by the rest of the world as well as the scientific community. It's simple, and it all makes sense. However, such a conversion would take years and cost billions of dollars — we can't just say "oh, we use the metric system now", the implications of such a change are enormous.

How unanimously, you ask? This is a map of nations that use the metric system:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Metric_system_adoption_map.svg/1000px-Metric_system_adoption_map.svg.png

How would it cost billions of dollars?

[Amnesiac]

How would it cost billions of dollars?

Just imagine the thought of having to change all the little things that rely on the standardized system: highway and road signs, car speedometers, government geographical data, school textbooks, ect. ect. They may seem like little things, but they all add up, especially considering the size of America's highway system.

[Perseus]

Just imagine the thought of having to change all the little things that rely on the standardized system: highway and road signs, car speedometers, government geographical data, school textbooks, ect. ect. They may seem like little things, but they all add up, especially considering the size of America's highway system.

Oh wow; I didn't think of that, to be honest.

[Amnesiac]

Oh wow; I didn't think of that, to be honest.

Well, now you are :D

I mean, just look what happened when Sweden switched to driving on the right in 1967:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Kungsgatan_1967.jpg

[lengthy_brochure]

I have deleted the contents of this post

[Church]

As far as I know even metric countries use the standard system in some situations, I prefer the standard system for measurements cause its easier to remember how big an inch is etc. I could see metric in some situations but I prefer standard.

[mrmcdonaldduck]

Metric all the way. If the imperial system had a proper basis, and was easy to use, then i would say eh, allright. But how can 32 be freezing, and 212 be boiling? It makes NO sense. Also, all metric systems are devided by 10, 10mm=1cm=10cm=1decimeter=10decimeters/100cm=1m=1000m=1km. It makes much more sense then 5240 or whatever feet to a mile.

[The Batman]

Metric all the way. If the imperial system had a proper basis, and was easy to use, then i would say eh, allright. But how can 32 be freezing, and 212 be boiling? It makes NO sense. Also, all metric systems are devided by 10, 10mm=1cm=10cm=1decimeter=10decimeters/100cm=1m=1000m=1km. It makes much more sense then 5240 or whatever feet to a mile.

It's not that it doesn't make sense, if you grew up learning one system then to you it makes perfect sense but to other people it doesn't. But for all practical reasons the metric system is better.

[willrod]

Well, now you are :D

I mean, just look what happened when Sweden switched to driving on the right in 1967:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Kungsgatan_1967.jpg

I looked up what you said about Sweden driving on the right on Wikipedia. It wasn't as bad as this picture makes it out to be- in fact, most people stayed home that day. The government prepared for this a long time in advance, and had special departments set up to deal with the transition. The United States can feasibly implement the Metric System with a full time Bureau of Metrication dedicated to helping consumers.

However, a few things need to be done to change to the Metric System. The reason we failed in the 1970s was plain and simple: it was voluntary. I'm sorry to say this, but America is a lazy country in some ways. What we need to do is like other countries who switched: make the switch mandatory with a "grace period" where both measures are used widely. As for things like car speedometers and cooking, there already are dual measures in place. Most new thermostats in the home can be set to Centigrade. And new cars now have speedometers that can be switched from Imperial to Metric with the push of a button.

As for changing things like highway signs, product packaging, etc. it shouldn't be too difficult. Signs need replacing eventually, and are relatively inexpensive if they're not all replaced at once. Hence the "grace period". Products can easily be converted from weight in pounds and ounces go grams and kilograms. And the good old gallon of milk can be sold in 4-liter bottles- just like when the soft drink companies offered a liter bottle instead of a quart, the consumer benefits with a larger amount of product.

Even so, seeing as we're part of the Anglo-American culture, there will still be a strong sense of holding onto "tradition". In Britain, for example, they still measure in miles, and give weight in stones (that drives me up the wall- can't you use pounds at the very least if you're not using kilos?!), though they measure temperature in centigrade. Canada is more metricated, but they still measure height in feet and inches. And of course, expressions such as "a mile a minute" and "not budging an inch" will still be part of our vocabulary.

In short, switching to the Metric System is inevitable. We can either do this in a long, drawn-out process, or we can tackle this problem with maturity and practicality.

[SoWhatsUp]

We should.
They have been pushing it in school and trying to transition to Metrics for decades.
It's hard to break traditions and customs of a country.
So I don't really see it happening anytime soon.

My personal opinion still stands that we definitely should.

[Amnesiac]

I looked up what you said about Sweden driving on the right on Wikipedia. It wasn't as bad as this picture makes it out to be- in fact, most people stayed home that day. The government prepared for this a long time in advance, and had special departments set up to deal with the transition.

I know, but it's an example of how enormous such seemingly simple changes can be. I fully doubt the U.S. is anywhere near converting to the metric system, mostly due to the massive budget deficit and American nationalism. I agree with you, if this is going to be done, it has to be done professionally and cleanly with assistance to all involved.

[Tiberius]

Well, now you are :D

I mean, just look what happened when Sweden switched to driving on the right in 1967:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Kungsgatan_1967.jpg

You are really the only person who gets it. People don't seem to realize what a financial disaster it would be to switch systems. Billions and billions of dollars would just be flushed down the toilet because some people feel the need to be like the rest of the world. Take England for example; they STILL use the imperial system for daily distance measurement. The same would happen here, but I think it would be even more of a problem. I'm perfectly happy using the imperial system and I don't see a need to conform to what other countries are doing.

[Amnesiac]

You are really the only person who gets it. People don't seem to realize what a financial disaster it would be to switch systems. Billions and billions of dollars would just be flushed down the toilet because some people feel the need to be like the rest of the world. Take England for example; they STILL use the imperial system for daily distance measurement. The same would happen here, but I think it would be even more of a problem. I'm perfectly happy using the imperial system and I don't see a need to conform to what other countries are doing.

Thanks :D It would be an immense task to switch to the metric system, the United States isn't some small country: it has hundreds of thousands of miles of roadway, tens of thousands of schools, and of course millions and millions of cars. Such a transition won't be easy and would take decades at minimum to accomplish. There's no flicking a switch and saying "we use the metric system now", that's not possible. I can understand why the U.S. wouldn't go through with converting to the metric system, it almost seems impossible considering the size of such a project.

[Mzor203]

Road maintenance happens all the time. Honestly, most small towns could probably just pay a couple of kids to paint over road signs in the town for the time being and then replace signs as maintenance is done.

It'd be some money down the drain, certainly. But that would be alleviated if it was eased in slowly.

I'll just gloat from Canada I guess.

[Amnesiac]

Road maintenance happens all the time. Honestly, most small towns could probably just pay a couple of kids to paint over road signs in the town for the time being and then replace signs as maintenance is done.

It'd be some money down the drain, certainly. But that would be alleviated if it was eased in slowly.

I'll just gloat from Canada I guess.

Oh, you superior canadians :rolleyes:

But seriously, they'd have to replace every road sign that involves feet and miles in the entire country. That's probably tens of thousands of road signs, each costing a few hundred dollars.

[jason93]

Australia used to have imperial system and we converted gradually.

You cant just change straight away because you cant change all the street signs quick, you cant change the speedometers in cars quick but you can gradually do it with the understanding that over time people buy new cars. You could start with duel imperial / metric speedometers and once the majority have them change all the street signs.

This is how Australia did it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication_in_Australia

Yes, Australia is very good at working things out, we even invented the "secret ballot".

[jason93]

Oh, you superior canadians :rolleyes:

But seriously, they'd have to replace every road sign that involves feet and miles in the entire country. That's probably tens of thousands of road signs, each costing a few hundred dollars.

They get replaced anyway, not yearly but new signs are put up. So why not have a change over system where the next signs have two systems and then finally one system.

[Azunite]

Is America a godly natior something? Or england? Why they cant just be like everyone else ?

[Jess]

Just imagine the thought of having to change all the little things that rely on the standardized system: highway and road signs, car speedometers, government geographical data, school textbooks, ect. ect. They may seem like little things, but they all add up, especially considering the size of America's highway system.

this. it would be a lot of work. we just use the metric system in science classes.

[obknobe]

We should stay with our system. My dad said they tried to change it years ago and it just did not work. It's not broke so why fix it!

[Syvelocin]

PLEASE, YES. It's so confusing :eek:

12 inches in a foot, three feet in a yard... what the fuck? I know the measurements, it just seems so random though.

Ten, ten, ten, ten... I like that better.

Oh, you superior canadians :rolleyes:

But seriously, they'd have to replace every road sign that involves feet and miles in the entire country. That's probably tens of thousands of road signs, each costing a few hundred dollars.

That is true though, and probably why the US won't switch nowadays.


The estimated costs of metrication in the UK range from near zero to a 1970 estimate of £5bn (about £50bn in 2002 pounds) by opponents of the change. True scientific calculations of the potential costs have been fairly rare. A 2005 report pointed to the metrication of the UK's 2 million road signs as the major cost. In 2008/9, before the outcome of the consultations that led to the EU directive 2009/3/EC was known, the Department for Transport had a contingency of £746 million for the metrication of roads signs.
A 1970s study by the UK chemical industry estimated costs at £6m over seven years, or 0.25% of expected capital investment over the change period

[Azunite]

And there isn't anything to counter the milimeter ( I think so ).
I mean, it is like the old english money system
Penny, Shilling, Pound...

[The Dark Lord]

And there isn't anything to counter the milimeter ( I think so ).
I mean, it is like the old english money system
Penny, Shilling, Pound...

You are aware that the old british currency has been out of use since the 60's?

I've always understood yards/feet etc to be the traditional mesurements and there is not a big enough reason to change which is why Britain and America remain using these measurements

[ShatteredWings]

Gah, why must Americuh complicate things? :P The centigrade system doesn't mess me up since it makes a plethora of sense. Maybe that's because we went over it in my French classes. :P So I know thirty five degrees Celsius is about eighty degrees Fahrenheit. It's just the silly measuring system that I don't like. :P

35 is NOT eighty.
35 is near/over 100
(32C=90F approx)

[Perseus]

35 is NOT eighty.
35 is near/over 100
(32C=90F approx)

What I'm saying is it's around there. I know that thirty five degrees Celsius is around eighty degrees Fahrenheit; since it is about ninety two, it is around eighty.

[welcome_to_chaos]

i wish we used the metric syestem so bad

[ShatteredWings]

What I'm saying is it's around there. I know that thirty five degrees Celsius is around eighty degrees Fahrenheit; since it is about ninety two, it is around eighty.

I realize this is a hijack, and this is my last post on this paticcular tangent, but how can you say 92 (which i'm fairly sure is wrong) is 'around 80'?
(proper type rounding, you could argue 75-84 being 'around 80', not 85 and above, as that then rounds to 90)

that's like saying 16 is 'around 10', it's not.

[Perseus]

I realize this is a hijack, and this is my last post on this paticcular tangent, but how can you say 92 (which i'm fairly sure is wrong) is 'around 80'?
(proper type rounding, you could argue 75-84 being 'around 80', not 85 and above, as that then rounds to 90)

that's like saying 16 is 'around 10', it's not.
Because they're both hot; why does it matter?

[Errr]

Think of all the new stuff we would have to teach people and change. It would take ages and be a mirical. It's fine as it is.

[Azunite]

Teach people stuff? You can learn metric system in an hour !

[The Batman]

Teach people stuff? You can learn metric system in an hour !

No you can't, since you'll also have to learn how it corresponds with our currents system which will take a lot longer than an hour.

[Azunite]

Well our school taught it in one lesson :D
But yes, it is a great thing when you think about the whole nation.
But it would be easier for everyone..

[Tiberius]

Well our school taught it in one lesson :D
But yes, it is a great thing when you think about the whole nation.
But it would be easier for everyone..

Wow. You are just out of it. You would have to COMPLETELY make people relearn how to judge measurements. That is essentially rewiring someone's brain. Something like that takes years and years for a person over the age of 8 or so. And that's not mentioning the hundreds of billions to potentially trillions of dollars that it would take to make the conversion. It's about as easy as doing brain surgery on yourself.

[mrmcdonaldduck]

Wow. You are just out of it. You would have to COMPLETELY make people relearn how to judge measurements. That is essentially rewiring someone's brain. Something like that takes years and years for a person over the age of 8 or so. And that's not mentioning the hundreds of billions to potentially trillions of dollars that it would take to make the conversion. It's about as easy as doing brain surgery on yourself.

Seriously? If i can learn the much more complicated, and difficult Imperial system in around 2 lessons, then shouldn't one be able to learn the easy system much quicker?

And Trillions of dollars? I dont think so, no more then a few billion, Roads signs are cheap, and eventually all old imperial signage will just be replaced.

[Scarface]

Seriously? If i can learn the much more complicated, and difficult Imperial system in around 2 lessons, then shouldn't one be able to learn the easy system much quicker?
Well for myself maths is not my strong subject and I can say for certain that I would NOT be able to learn the entire system in 2 lessons. As well as I know that I'm not the only one that isn't all together with math, it wouldn't make sense to FORCE a nation for so long used to a system that is currently working to change. Chris makes a valid point, it would take BILLIONS, but right now with everything that's going on financially with the United States it would so not be worth that money, just for a system that would essentially change the country. I see absolutely no point in it whatsoever. Would it be a nice add on? Sure it would, but is it practical right now? Absolutely not.

And Trillions of dollars? I dont think so, no more then a few billion, Roads signs are cheap, and eventually all old imperial signage will just be replaced.
Exactly pretty much proving his post along with everyone else that mentioned finances in their post. It's still going to cost billions of dollars that the U.S. seriously cannot afford at the moment. Like said; the system of course would be handy, but not a practical source at this time and juncture.

[Azunite]

Wow. You are just out of it. You would have to COMPLETELY make people relearn how to judge measurements. That is essentially rewiring someone's brain. Something like that takes years and years for a person over the age of 8 or so. And that's not mentioning the hundreds of billions to potentially trillions of dollars that it would take to make the conversion. It's about as easy as doing brain surgery on yourself.

You are super exagerating

[Scarface]

You are super exagerating

How so? You do not live in America to say how our economy operates and the deficit we're undergoing.

[Tiberius]

Seriously? If i can learn the much more complicated, and difficult Imperial system in around 2 lessons, then shouldn't one be able to learn the easy system much quicker?

And Trillions of dollars? I dont think so, no more then a few billion, Roads signs are cheap, and eventually all old imperial signage will just be replaced.

You seriously have no clue how large the U.S infrastructure is. It's like 15 or 20x the size of Australia in that respect. That doesn't take into account the cost of "re-education" for the population and many other costs. It will likely end up being a trillion dollars with the way public measures are handled in this country.

[Sith Lord 13]

I don't mean by abolish it to throw it out right today. However, our generation of people know more of the metric system then the generations before us. What the Government should do is slowly edge the Metric System into Society and Education while removing the old units. Eventually, when the generations continue on, the metric system will take its place.

It was tried, it failed for a reason. Namely, Americans are stubborn as hell. I don't see a way to make it work in a feasible and cost effective manner.

Metric all the way. If the imperial system had a proper basis, and was easy to use, then i would say eh, allright. But how can 32 be freezing, and 212 be boiling? It makes NO sense.

It makes perfect sense, and it gives us a finer degree of specification in normal weather conditions.

Australia used to have imperial system and we converted gradually.

You cant just change straight away because you cant change all the street signs quick, you cant change the speedometers in cars quick but you can gradually do it with the understanding that over time people buy new cars. You could start with duel imperial / metric speedometers and once the majority have them change all the street signs.

This is how Australia did it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication_in_Australia

As has been said, the size and cost is prohibitive in the US.

Yes, Australia is very good at working things out, we even invented the "secret ballot".

Not true, secret ballot goes back to ancient Greece.

[Rainstorm]

Wow. You are just out of it. You would have to COMPLETELY make people relearn how to judge measurements. That is essentially rewiring someone's brain. Something like that takes years and years for a person over the age of 8 or so. And that's not mentioning the hundreds of billions to potentially trillions of dollars that it would take to make the conversion. It's about as easy as doing brain surgery on yourself.

To be honest, it has to happen eventually.

We are the only Industrialized country that refuses to change to the Metric System. The only two other countries are Burma (Myanmar) and another country in Southern Asia whose name I can't remember. Plenty of countries bigger then America have switched over in time. China, Brazil, Canada, Russia.

Our system just makes no sense. 1 mile is 5220 feet or however many it is? Wherever the hell the person who invented the system got these numbers, they make little to no sense.

Now, 1 meter equals 1km? Does that not seem a bit easier? Math scores would improve over time as well, as it requires less memorization and is easier to learn.

The cost? We're already wasting money on other things. Cut back on those, you got the cost settled.


As I said, it's gonna have to happen eventually. Better to start now and slowly work your way to it then to just put it off and make excuses to not convert.

[Perseus]

As I said, it's gonna have to happen eventually. Better to start now and slowly work your way to it then to just put it off and make excuses to not convert.

How is we can't afford it an excuse? And plus, we are perfectly fine on the system we are using now. It's not like it's life or death that we know how to use the metric system. I prefer inches over centimeters. It makes more sense to me and a lot of people.

[pageplant77]

We probably should, but, I doubt we ever will.

[Whisper]

I don't even know the full metric system.....
when i was in school rulers had to be in inches
if you brought one in that had mm and cm you had to buy another one
all the measurements i've ever worked with have been inches (fractions) and ft
but I dont understand miles at ALL all i've ever used is km thats the same with temp; F is utterly foreign to me I only know celsius

I'm like a mix between the two systems

[Commander Thor]

I have a question here. When.... When do you EVER convert numbers during your day? Hmm?
When I want to know how far something is in miles, I look it up in miles, I normally don't look up the distance in feet then convert to miles, that's a wasted effort.
Why does converting matter?
Do you ever think to yourself while driving "Man I'm going 110000 meters per hour!"? No, you'll say I'm going 110 kilometers per hour.
There's no need. There is absolutely no need to be able to convert between units of measurement on a day-to-day basis.
So there's really not need to change to the metric system.
America doesn't really have to be like everyone else.
In fact, that's sort of America's success story; not being like everyone else.