
It's time for the US to use the metric system - z3t1
https://www.vox.com/2014/5/29/5758542/time-for-the-US-to-use-the-metric-system
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profsnuggles
The length and weight units we use every day in the US are defined in terms of
their metric counterparts anyway.

I work in furniture manufacturing in the US. All the hardware we use is
metric, many tools are metric and all CNC machines are programmed in metric.

Really the only time I ever have an issue is when I get European hardware that
has "helpfully" Americanized the units. Which means arbitrarily rounding the
dimensions on the spec sheets to be pretty looking.

I assume that it is the same in most US manufacturing industries. Does it
really matter if the industrial base uses different units than people use in
day to day life?

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Fjolsvith
Well, I suspect the construction industry isn't going to start calling an
8'-2x4 board a "2.4384 meter 50.8x100.16cm board" anytime soon.

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Doxin
no, you'd call it a 5 by 10 by 200 piece of wood. Having '2 by four' as a
common term is an american thing. Over here you just talk about the size of
the wood. in any case you'd call it a 5-by-10. Wood from the store isn't
properly dimensioned anyway, and the metric system has this neat thing where
it goes in steps of 10 (mostly) so you can pick a unit that's scaled usefully.

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rabboRubble
I made the transition to the metric system fairly late in life (moved
overseas) and here are some tricks I discovered to make the metric system
"feel" right to me.

\- A liter is equal to four of my kitchen's 1 cup measuring cups. Sort of.
Close enough for government work.

\- My feet are around 25cm. Four of my feet are a meter. Sort of.

\- 0C is cold, 10C is brisk and I need a jacket, 20C is so nice out, 30C is
hot, 40C I want to die from sweat, 50C I will die.

That's all it took for me to orient myself in the metric system. Metric not
that hard to use on an every day basis.

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makecheck
Measurements can be combined with things that are already irreducible. For
example, in baking, a recipe using “one egg” and “2 cups flour” has to keep
the “one egg” if it’s going to convert to metric; and given conversion tables
that favor nice round numbers over exact amounts, this means the _proportions_
will change ever so slightly. It definitely doesn’t matter in every case but
it’s these kinds of issues that would prevent people from wanting to spend
time just converting everything.

I am a little surprised that the U.S. hasn’t adopted more “low hanging fruit”
though. For instance, street signs could clearly display kilometer distances
and km/h speed limits, especially if the “km” was included on the sign (as it
was in Canada during a transition phase).

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RamenJunkie_
Eh, the 1 egg is already kind of a fudgy number anyway. Especially using
anything but standard store bought eggs. The farm eggs I get can be very small
to double the size of a small one easily.

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ravinizme
As you can see here. In Veritasium American kilogram.The US system (pounds)
are defined by a conversion from the metric system.

[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SmSJXC6_qQ8](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SmSJXC6_qQ8)

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jmclnx
"1) New federal laws" Never going to happen in the US with the political
climate. I can see the re-election adds now.

"2) A gradual slide" Somewhat possibility. I think these days the US Military
Complex is pretty much metric now. I have seen some of the terms bleed into
civilian live and in movies (ie: "klick").

"3) State-by-state mandates" never going to happen, see 1 above.

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observation
Never give up your feet and inches. They're intuitive in a way that metric
somehow is not. Can't explain it but it is true.

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luis_espinoza
I disagree, I think you are just used to it. I grew inside a metric system
country and is difficult for me to think in imperial system. So, if the US
embrace the metric system, I guess the shock will be on the current
generation, future kids will never notice it.

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osullivj
Forgive the nitpicking, but the US measures are slightly different than
Imperial [1]. They're both based on ancient English weights and measures.
However, a US pint is 16oz, and an imperial pint in 20oz. An important
distinction if you drink beer! Also if you're figuring your car's MPG as both
US & Imperial gallons are eight pints.

[1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_and_US_customary_meas...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_and_US_customary_measurement_systems)

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majewsky
Now you see why we want you to adopt the metric system? ;)

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osullivj
Oh yes! It's a perfect example of Cartesian rationalism and a great French
achievement. Better in every regard. But I do insist on keeping my pint of ale
;)

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kevin_thibedeau
We do use it. Many common products are sold in hard metric quantities. It is
difficult to buy plywood in non-metric thickness. Non-legacy electronic
components are metric. The US military pushes for metrication. This is all
done as a result of globalization or the need for commonality.

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Fjolsvith
Um, I disagree with this. Plywood still comes in 5/8" and 3/4" thicknesses.
Boards are still 2x4's and 2x6's, in even feet lengths. I own a wood shed
manufacturing business.

These sizes aren't going to change, nor are people going to start calling an
"8'-2x4" a "2.4384m-50x100cm board".

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kevin_thibedeau
> Plywood still comes in 5/8" and 3/4"

You might see it signed as 5/8 and 3/4 but usually it's 15mm and 19mm.

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helthanatos
Yes and no. Scientific measurements should definitely use metric. Home
measurements and measurements that don't matter are perfectly fine using the
American system; they're more understandable in a way.

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helthanatos
Looks like someone disagrees but couldn't contest me with a comment. Stop down
print _without_ reason

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chrisan
Not going to happen under the current administration. It would seem "un-
american" to adopt "evil/unfair european ways"

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gwright
Down voting because this comment has nothing to do with the article in
question. It is just a gratuitous injection of political opinion.

