Current Events > The UK going back to the imperial system like a bunch of cavemen

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/may/28/boris-johnson-set-to-bring-back-imperial-measurements-to-mark-platinum-jubilee

Joining the US, Myanmar and Liberia back in the 20th century

Sweet.

Boris gotta distract from today's 10th report of him breaking the law and having a dozen parties a day during lockdown by announcing this.

Works every time.

Get fucked brits lolololol

Britain currently uses a mix of imperial and metric measurements, with speed limits in miles per hour and milk and beer bought in pints.

The prime minister, under increasing pressure after further damaging revelations in the Partygate scandal, is expected to announce next week that British shops will be allowed to sell products in pounds and ounces to coincide with celebrations for the monarchs 70 years on the throne.
A Cabinet source told the Mirror: As the British people have been happy to use both imperial and metric measurements in their daily life it is good for the government to reflect that now we are free to change our regulations accordingly.
Since 1995, goods sold in Europe have had to display metric weights and measurements. And since 2000 when the EUs weights and measures directive came into force, traders have been legally required to use metric units for the sale by weight or measure of fresh produce, which became a recurring issue for Eurosceptics about Brussels supposed interference in British life.
While it is still legal to price goods in pounds and ounces, these have to be displayed alongside the price in grams and kilograms.

I get that it's a political move, but I honestly have no issue here.

DeadBankerDream posted...

I get that it's a political move, but I honestly have no issue here

When a large (most) of the population only knows the barest amounts of imperial measurement (miles for speed and maybe a few others...) this is clearly just something that is intended to get people angry and not talking about partygate. Also appealing to 70 year olds who refused to get with the times.

As an American, I absolutely cannot understand why theyd go away from the metric system. I get why there is resistance here in the states people are used to the imperial system, and implementing change is tough. But if youre already using metric, stick with it. Youre better off that way.

Funkydog posted...

When a large (most) of the population only knows the barest amounts of imperial measurement (miles for speed and maybe a few others...) this is clearly just something that is intended to get people angry and not talking about partygate. Also appealing to 70 year olds who refused to get with the times.

5,280 Feet to a Mile, lad.

Good. Tired of Brits making fun of Americans for using imperial when the whole thing was THEIR IDEA!

Fuck Boris Johnson the amoral mopheaded bumblefuck.

Lol

Going back? Lol, we never stopped using it.

Metric is superior in every way except temperature, and I will die on that Fahrenheit hill.

Good job, 0 and 100 are easy to remember, but literally when does any lay person need to know or care about the boiling point? You heat the water until it boils regardless. Take away that, and it's just a measure of remembering 0 vs 32 and you get much more nuance in everyday temperature differences in Fahrenheit given that it covers the same scale with twice the degrees compared to Celsius.

Or, to steal a meme:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/4/5/AABj3cAADSN1.jpg

I never understood their weight system. 5 stone?

K181 posted...

Metric is superior in every way except temperature, and I will die on that Fahrenheit hill.

Good job, 0 and 100 are easy to remember, but literally when does any lay person need to know or care about the boiling point? You heat the water until it boils regardless. Take away that, and it's just a measure of remembering 0 vs 32 and you get much more nuance in everyday temperature differences in Fahrenheit given that it covers the same scale with twice the degrees compared to Celsius.

This never stops being drivel to me.

me on lo longer being special:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/4/7/AAdlC_AADSN3.jpg

It seems like they're just doing it for fun.

Also, I've literally only ever used metric. It's basically all I know, despite being in the USA my entire life.

All throughout school and certainly in medical school, we almost never used Imperial. Metric is simply a better system, if only because it's base ten and that makes calculations vastly easier.

BUT

I do think Fahrenheit is better than Celsius. It has higher precision which makes it much easier to estimate a temperature. Granted, in the end it doesn't actually matter since they still give you the same result but on a different scale.

BUT

Conversely, if we're truly going to measure temperature with proper calculation potential, we really should use Kelvin.

Linking the Imperial system to the monarchy, interesting. I dont know which is the most obsolete and unnecessary.

theres no legitimate reason to use the imperial system over the metric system. this is a change for the worse with no benefit whatsoever

The Popo posted...

As an American, I absolutely cannot understand why theyd go away from the metric system. I get why there is resistance here in the states people are used to the imperial system, and implementing change is tough. But if youre already using metric, stick with it. Youre better off that way.

To be fair, Boris Johnson has the personality and character of a damp washcloth. This is his "Make Britain Great Again" moment.

Kloe_Rinz posted...

theres no legitimate reason to use the imperial system over the metric system. this is a change for the worse with no benefit whatsoever

There is one reason. In America it's what we are used to. We should change it but not abruptly. Start using both and slowly phase imperial out.

We already do use both to some degree. I don't buy a half gallon or whatever of soda. I buy a 2 liter. It has the imperial measurements on the bottle as well iirc but it's in smaller print. Start doing that on more stuff.

It would be a massive undertaking to just suddenly switch. Just thinking about all the speed limit signs that would need to be replaced seems massive by itself.

Lmao, I feel so sorry for the Brits that Johnson is their leader.

Sufferedphoneix posted...

There is one reason. In America it's what we are used to. We should change it but not abruptly. Start using both and slowly phase imperial out.

We already do use both to some degree. I don't buy a half gallon or whatever of soda. I buy a 2 liter. It has the imperial measurements on the bottle as well iirc but it's in smaller print. Start doing that on more stuff.

It would be a massive undertaking to just suddenly switch. Just thinking about all the speed limit signs that would need to be replaced seems massive by itself.

Meters are already the most American unit of measurement. You see, meters is abbreviated with m. And you know what is an m? That's right, M16s. So if you see someone say "oh that place is 5000m away," you can just think like it's 5000 M16s lined up end to end and all will be well.

end to end, an M16 is exactly 1.003 meters so it's actually kind of a good estimate

So they'll be on months and days like the US?

Tyranthraxus posted...

Meters are already the most American unit of measurement. You see, meters is abbreviated with m. And you know what is an m? That's right, M16s. So if you see someone say "oh that place is 5000m away," you can just think like it's 5000 M16s lined up end to end and all will be well.

end to end, an M16 is exactly 1.003 meters so it's actually kind of a good estimate

I know it's it's stereotype and all but most Americans don't own m16s or any kinda "military" rifle. The gun nuts probably do but typically Americans will have one to a few handguns a regular rifle or two and a shotgun. In my expierence anyways.

I have military rifles but they are of the old school bolt action kind.

Gonna stop myself there. I'm drunk and I tend to ramble when drunk.

Sufferedphoneix posted...

In America it's what we are used to. We should change it but not abruptly. Start using both and slowly phase imperial out.

Everything in 'Murrica! has had imperial and metric on the labels for at least forty years, apart from things that don't bother with imperial.

Questionmarktarius posted...

Everything in 'Murrica! has had imperial and metric on the labels for at least forty years, apart from things that don't bother with imperial.

Yes but it's been stagnant. I'm talking slowly pushing metric to the forefront.

And not everything. Never seen a litre of gas advertised it's always gallon. And back on speed limit signs. It's always Miles per hour

K181 posted...

Metric is superior in every way except temperature, and I will die on that Fahrenheit hill.

Good job, 0 and 100 are easy to remember, but literally when does any lay person need to know or care about the boiling point? You heat the water until it boils regardless. Take away that, and it's just a measure of remembering 0 vs 32 and you get much more nuance in everyday temperature differences in Fahrenheit given that it covers the same scale with twice the degrees compared to Celsius.

Or, to steal a meme:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/4/5/AABj3cAADSN1.jpg

Amen, brother!

glory to the empire

Objectively a worse system and will cost the UK so much to convert.

Bad enough that we're stuck with it in America.

Sufferedphoneix posted...

I know it's it's stereotype and all but most Americans don't own m16s or any kinda "military" rifle. The gun nuts probably do but typically Americans will have one to a few handguns a regular rifle or two and a shotgun. In my expierence anyways.

I have military rifles but they are of the old school bolt action kind.

Gonna stop myself there. I'm drunk and I tend to ramble when drunk.

The AR-15 is literally a civilian M16.

Tyranthraxus posted...

The AR-15 is literally a civilian M16.

A 1911 is literally the same as the military 1911.

Tyranthraxus posted...

The AR-15 is literally a civilian M16.

I'm a gun owner but I'm not a gun nut

So, if I'm understanding right, this simply allows businesses to use them, and does not affect eg. public signage, nor does it force use of imperial units?

If so, I don't really see the problem, beyond that only boomer shops are actually likely to make use of this.

This is a dead cat used to distract from him watering down the ministerial code and partygate.

Trumble posted...

So, if I'm understanding right, this simply allows businesses to use them, and does not affect eg. public signage, nor does it force use of imperial units?

If so, I don't really see the problem, beyond that only boomer shops are actually likely to make use of this.

They can already use Imperial units. They just also have to show the metric conversion.

Bringing back the Empire

Oatcakes posted...

This is a dead cat used to distract from him watering down the ministerial code and partygate.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/may/27/boris-johnson-changes-ministerial-code-to-remove-need-to-resign-over-breaches

JE19426 posted...

They can already use Imperial units. They just also have to show the metric conversion.

And now they don't have to. But they still can do so if they want. The big thing to me is that no one is being forced to use imperial.

Oatcakes posted...

This is a dead cat used to distract from him watering down the ministerial code and partygate.

Yup. All this is.

lol man why tho

SauI_Goodman posted...

I never understood their weight system. 5 stone?

I never get Americans who laugh at this. It's an imperial measurement and it is to pounds what feet is to inches.

The fact you don't use it is weirder, it's like measuring your height in just inches.

K181 posted...

Metric is superior in every way except temperature, and I will die on that Fahrenheit hill.

Good job, 0 and 100 are easy to remember, but literally when does any lay person need to know or care about the boiling point? You heat the water until it boils regardless. Take away that, and it's just a measure of remembering 0 vs 32 and you get much more nuance in everyday temperature differences in Fahrenheit given that it covers the same scale with twice the degrees compared to Celsius.

We can decimalise Celsius if we need to, and weather reports do. But its not even really necessary. It's just about familiarity.

Same as you know how to dress for certain temperatures, we do too. There's neglible difference between a few degrees. If the weather says it's going to be 30C and you go out in shorts and t-shirt and it's actually 27C you're not exactly going to be freezing, it's still pretty hot.

From what I understand, the average brit still uses/has been using imperial for a bunch of stuff. miles per hour is the how speed is measured on roads. In construction, imperial is still used quite a bit, ect...

This really summarises how pointless conservatives are.

ForsakenHermit posted...

Amen, brother!

You guys aren't wrong on paper but honestly it's not difficult to remember at all and it's completely logical and in line with other temperature measurements.

The ONLY time you can make an argument that Fahrenheit is better is when you're talking about ambient temperature outside to walk around in, and that's like...one measurement. You just need to remember that 40C is like australian summer and 0 degrees is frosty. Somewhere in the middle is pleasant. That's it.

Boris gonna be prime minister for life at this rate

pinky0926 posted...

You guys aren't wrong on paper but honestly it's not difficult to remember at all and it's completely logical and in line with other temperature measurements.

The ONLY time you can make an argument that Fahrenheit is better is when you're talking about ambient temperature outside to walk around in, and that's like...one measurement. You just need to remember that 40C is like australian summer and 0 degrees is frosty. Somewhere in the middle is pleasant. That's it.

As an Australian, try 45C

I always laugh when I see "Scottish heat wave 20C". I live in Brisbane, winter is 20C

TreyFlowers posted...

As an Australian, try 45C

I always laugh when I see "Scottish heat wave 20C". I live in Brisbane, winter is 20C

I lived in australia for 8 years mate, I know