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InsuranceToTheRescue t1_irfwxwg wrote

For all the dipshits that are gonna be like, "We're 'Murica and we're different than those other commie, metric countries! Besides, it's not like using different systems causes any problems."

It almost caused a drug overdose. It caused us to almost lose a satellite. It caused us to crater a Mars orbiter into the planet. It caused an airplane to run out of fuel mid flight. Finally, it caused a roller coaster to derail.

Folks currently alive will probably never be able to fully grasp metric. We'll likely never hear that something is 20km away and just have an intuitive estimate of how far away that is like we would if we were told it was 12mi. The same would probably be true of weights, and volumes, and other measurements.

But our kids and grandkids would know. And we would finally be able to work internationally without the confusion. Confusion that will someday cost lives instead of cash and the heartbreak of which will force us to change.

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EightyGig t1_irfyadc wrote

Sir this is a Wendy's

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Tokasmoka420 t1_irfz76d wrote

In that case, Spicy Chicken combo, no veggies with a coke.

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InsuranceToTheRescue t1_irfzord wrote

A liter of coke.

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chadslc t1_irhfmdj wrote

I want a goddamned litre of cola.

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TheSimpWhisperer t1_irg0irg wrote

Wendy's Chicken Sandwich is criminally underrated.

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jdmbuick t1_irgor09 wrote

And here I was thinking all the comments on Reddit were ridiculous. Thank you for saying it.

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MasterFubar t1_irg4y3d wrote

To be fair, the problems you mention are caused by the confusion between the two systems, not by the use of the medieval system by itself. To avoid this type of confusion, airplanes everywhere still have their altitude measured in feet and speed measured in knots. This is true even for airplanes made by Airbus and Embraer.

However, the medieval system does have shortcomings even without the confusion caused by conversion. For instance, adding fractions is much more likely to cause error than adding decimal numbers. That's the reason why machinists in the US have abandoned fractions long ago, using exclusively decimal inches in their measurements.

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gordosport t1_irg6h03 wrote

I remember in school in the 80's that it was brought up that the country might be changing to metric. I think we spent the day going over it but nothing became of it.

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Fast_Polaris22 t1_irgkmex wrote

America has officially adopted metric but has never implemented it.

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captain_flak OP t1_irgrdvn wrote

The powerful milk and dairy lobby was against it. It would have resulted in a total overhaul of their industry.

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B_P_G t1_irhunkz wrote

There's no way for the government to force anyone to use it. The system is out there. Everyone knows about it. Some people and industries use it but most don't. It's a major burden to switch and it isn't worth it.

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kelldricked t1_iri0tcw wrote

Indeed. Its like a language. The whole world learns it as kids except for 4 countrys. And not being able to properly communicate will cause damage.

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pjabrony t1_iri8gc5 wrote

> Besides, it's not like using different systems causes any problems." > > It almost caused a drug overdose. It caused us to almost lose a satellite. It caused us to crater a Mars orbiter into the planet. It caused an airplane to run out of fuel mid flight. Finally, it caused a roller coaster to derail.

I agree. These are all problems. That's why the rest of the world should give up metric and use the correct system.

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Kriffer123 t1_irl5wfw wrote

The aforementioned problems are caused by sheer incompetence, not the existence of imperial measurements. It would be like blaming paper for a boat made out of paper sinking

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McTwist1260 t1_irfyq00 wrote

Decades ago I was going up to Rockford, Illinois and passed a sign that said “Chicago 100km / 62 mi”. It’s been one of the most useful signs I’ve ever seen.

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Jforjustice t1_irg0kon wrote

Been there too! Cool little town. I was the best man at a wedding there a few years back

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Toad32 t1_iric8yv wrote

Rockford is neither small or cool. It has near the highest crime rate and poverty levels in the state. To be fair it has a nice raceway and some of the people are cool.

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Jforjustice t1_irlbvb4 wrote

>Rockford is neither small or cool. It has near the highest crime rate and poverty levels in the state. To be fair it has a nice raceway and some of the people are cool.

interesting. we just passed thru town, stayed in an airbnb and were hosted at peoples' homes for dinner while there. it looked quaint and unassuming. i guess coming from the suburbs of NJ, any small town looks cool and interesting. maybe it's all the books I read or the places I wish I could roadtrip to. i had no idea regarding the crime rate and poverty.

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BobBelcher2021 t1_irhm1wf wrote

There are speed limit signs in Blaine, WA that include both km/h and mph.

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platyboi t1_irhonfq wrote

That makes sense, as it’s right by the canadian border.

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CrieDeCoeur t1_irgw6s0 wrote

Pretty simple. 0 Celsius is where water freezes, 100 C is where it boils. A kilometer is 1,000 meters, there are 100 centimeters to a meter, a thousand milliliters to a liter, etc. All divisions or multiples of 10, 100 or 1,000.

Unlike pints and quarts and bushels and pecks and drams and gallons and yards and furlongs and God knows what else with values all over the goshdarn place.

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B_P_G t1_irhuh6s wrote

> 0 Celsius is where water freezes, 100 C is where it boils.

And why is that an advantage from the standpoint of a temperature scale? When was the last time you stuck a thermometer in a pot of boiling water?

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quooo t1_iri1oq9 wrote

>When was the last time you stuck a thermometer in a pot of boiling water?

I don't have to, I just wait until it bubbles.

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radioaktvt t1_irjpm82 wrote

That’s big brain stuff right there, and I’m not being facetious.

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Gandydancer t1_iril3pz wrote

> I don’t have to, I just wait until it bubbles.

Does this mean I can stop making crop circles in random countries? All I want is the hot water, I'm not too keen on knocking down grass with boards. Game changer if true.

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B_P_G t1_irj9lb4 wrote

Exactly. So why does it bubbling at 100 degrees versus 212 degrees matter to anyone?

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DefiantStomp t1_irgej4r wrote

Can confirm. Tucsonan here. People also drive like the speed sigs are in KPH too.

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cjnull t1_irftedt wrote

I can't believe how much Reagen screwed up…

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NoMoreFox t1_irhahgy wrote

The list never ends, tho. You'll always find out there's something new.

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PolyJuicedRedHead t1_irfuzi2 wrote

Big sky there. You can see for kilometres and kilometers.

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dvdmaven t1_irggpam wrote

I remember when Carter had some of the other highway signs done in Metric and Stupid, people cut the signs down or burned them.

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modangon t1_irjcoe0 wrote

Ah the only freeway with good taste

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Qnofputrescence1213 t1_irmfswh wrote

I drove this stretch back in 1995 when I was 21 and my immediate thought when I saw those signs was “WTF?” 😂

I’m still horrible at converting or even estimating km to miles so I would look at the speedometer numbers to figure out how many miles we had left.

I’ve never seen signs in the US like this since and now I know why. I just assumed that there were other roads along the southern border like this. Guess not.

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captain_flak OP t1_irmxsxw wrote

I thought it might have something to do with Mexico as well. Nope!

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deadwlkn t1_irfvar9 wrote

Live near there. Pretty land.

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