Why do Brits still use stone as a measurement?
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It's very expensive to switch. It's hard enough to force everyone to learn and use, but the costs involved have made it impractical.pinkraynedropjacki wrote: »Why do Yanks still use Imperial as measurement when the rest of the world uses Metric?
As America falls further behind in industry, it will happen.0 -
pinkraynedropjacki wrote: »Why do Yanks still use Imperial as measurement when the rest of the world uses Metric?
But we don't use Imperial. A US gallon is 128 (fluid) oz., which means that a US quart is 32 oz. and a US pint is 16 oz. An Imperial gallon is 160 oz., or 20 oz. per pint. That's why British pint glasses are 25% larger than US pint glasses. But US beer these days (leaving aside the mass-produced stuff) is about 25% more potent than real ale and bitter, so it all works out in the end.0 -
pinkraynedropjacki wrote: »Why do Yanks still use Imperial as measurement when the rest of the world uses Metric?
Because we can.
Because we aren't going to let those Europeans tell us what to do, I guess.
More seriously, I think it's normal to not want to change, as the measurements you grow up with seem intuitive. Of course, back in the '70s when I was in elementary school everyone was convinced we were on the verge of change. The '70s were weird, though.0 -
BigDave1050 wrote: »I think they use it because it sounds Awesome! "Hey mate, I lost two stone!" I like that better then "I lost 28LBS." Plus, isn't a Pound a form of currency on that side of the pond?
Haha, yes saying you lost a 100 pounds here could be very depressing.
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pinkraynedropjacki wrote: »Why do Yanks still use Imperial as measurement when the rest of the world uses Metric?
But we don't use Imperial. A US gallon is 128 (fluid) oz., which means that a US quart is 32 oz. and a US pint is 16 oz. An Imperial gallon is 160 oz., or 20 oz. per pint. That's why British pint glasses are 25% larger than US pint glasses. But US beer these days (leaving aside the mass-produced stuff) is about 25% more potent than real ale and bitter, so it all works out in the end.
pretty sure they are referring to inches and pounds.
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BRING BACK BRONTOSAURUS AND PLUTO, TOO.
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I'm having fun just reading all of this.
But after living in Japan for 2 years, while I'm not accurate, I have a general idea of what the conversion would be for imperial/metric. Both are fine in their own ways. And while metric took some time to get more accurate on conversing in my head, it wasn't too hard on learning. If you see it everyday and try to learn, things get easier over time.0 -
I haven't read the replies yet...
But I ask myself all the time why Americans still use pounds and ounces etc??????
We stopped using those back in the 1960's before I was born! Welcome to the metric system guys
Also, there are other countries out there besides America, who also don't "speak American" 0 -
You guys don't use stones, though, do you?christinev297 wrote: »I haven't read the replies yet...
But I ask myself all the time why Americans still use pounds and ounces etc??????
We stopped using those back in the 1960's before I was born! Welcome to the metric system guys
Also, there are other countries out there besides America, who also don't "speak American"
I've known exactly one Australian in my whole life...and not that well, lol.
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i still use stones as its what i grew up with .. then i started work after the metric changes started up.. i used to sell yards of cable but they came on a 50m drum .. try telling an oap she wants 5. whatever metres instead of 5yrd .. lol
Having said that.. the brits confuse one another on a daily basis .. my doctor cant recognise anything but kg now when they weigh me .. i go home and convert it back to stones ..
The yanks confuse me even more when i visit there .. the supermarket shelves are a NIGHTMARE .. why put up the prices in 3 different ways? ..cant remember what they are but they confused the hell out of me..i just want the price for the box of teabags i want to buy, nit cost per bag or sack full ... lol
But ONE thing in life never changes..NO MATTER where i am in the world..i will only ever ask for a PINT of beer0 -
You guys don't use stones, though, do you?christinev297 wrote: »I haven't read the replies yet...
But I ask myself all the time why Americans still use pounds and ounces etc??????
We stopped using those back in the 1960's before I was born! Welcome to the metric system guys
Also, there are other countries out there besides America, who also don't "speak American"
I've known exactly one Australian in my whole life...and not that well, lol.
No, I think we used to back in the day. We use kilograms, litres, milligrams etc etc
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Metrics is a better system and it will eventually prevail.0
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It's very expensive to switch. It's hard enough to force everyone to learn and use, but the costs involved have made it impractical.pinkraynedropjacki wrote: »Why do Yanks still use Imperial as measurement when the rest of the world uses Metric?
As America falls further behind in industry, it will happen.
Is it? It wouldn't happen overnight, of course, but the move to switch over in a serious way would be a worthwhile expense; it seems so to me, anyway.
My husband is an engineer and he complains all the time about the customary measures and how having to mentally switch back and forth between customary and metric is extremely dangerous and always ripe for expensive screw ups on expensive machinery.
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An expense for someone else, though, right? You don't personally want to put up the billions of dollars. If you personally had to pay it, it might seem less "worthwhile." It might even seem impossible.Lourdesong wrote: »
It's very expensive to switch. It's hard enough to force everyone to learn and use, but the costs involved have made it impractical.pinkraynedropjacki wrote: »Why do Yanks still use Imperial as measurement when the rest of the world uses Metric?
As America falls further behind in industry, it will happen.
Is it? It wouldn't happen overnight, of course, but the move to switch over in a serious way would be a worthwhile expense; it seems so to me, anyway.
My husband is an engineer and he complains all the time about the customary measures and how having to mentally switch back and forth between customary and metric is extremely dangerous and always ripe for expensive screw ups on expensive machinery.
For better or worse, the people who would actually have to do the paying have not been as in favor of it as those who won't actually be ponying up the cash.
It cannot be done all at once. People will continue needing quarter-inch bolts until whatever uses them is obsolete. So, the point of adding a new system when the old one must be continued...people have long felt, "What is the point? Just to change systems?"
Millions of things - from the tiniest washer to the largest mold - and all kinds of parts have to be converted. Every drill bit that drills the holes (and all those molds), everything. It's a huge and very, very expensive thing. And the old stuff has to continue to be made to replace parts on the old stuff. Can't very well say, "Sorry that your faucet can't be turned off / car doesn't run / bridge is falling down. We no longer have those parts. We switched systems."
The entire industrial world worked on our system. Machines all over the world were designed for it.
As we fall further behind, industrially, it will change. It's already happening. But it's a long and expensive process, so the people who pay the cash are going about it as cheaply as they can.
I'm in favor of One System and metric is as good as any. It's easier to learn for kids. The whole world could work together, easily. Nobody would have to remember who they were talking to before they used a measurement.
It will be great when it happens. But I'll probably be dead before that time. So, I live with it. 0 -
pinkraynedropjacki wrote: »Why do Yanks still use Imperial as measurement when the rest of the world uses Metric?
But we don't use Imperial. A US gallon is 128 (fluid) oz., which means that a US quart is 32 oz. and a US pint is 16 oz. An Imperial gallon is 160 oz., or 20 oz. per pint. That's why British pint glasses are 25% larger than US pint glasses. But US beer these days (leaving aside the mass-produced stuff) is about 25% more potent than real ale and bitter, so it all works out in the end.
Then, when you find the right pub that only serves US and German stuff, but in UK pints... imagine it, an imperial pint of Old Rasputin.0 -
Because losing 2lb a week is infinitely more satisfying than 0.9kg. And losing a stone is a big deal.
But I use both. I know my own weight in stones/pounds and kilos and as a nurse use kilos at work so I can gauge both fairly well and can usually convert fairly quickly for the bemused looking patient in the corner who had no idea they were 70kg (11 stone). I just prefer stones for my own weight loss. For distance and measuring I prefer metric, never really able to guess a mile but a km I am ok with, same with inches/feet and cm/m. I weigh food in grammes. I can use both but prefer the metric.0 -
christinev297 wrote: »I haven't read the replies yet...
But I ask myself all the time why Americans still use pounds and ounces etc??????
We stopped using those back in the 1960's before I was born! Welcome to the metric system guys
Also, there are other countries out there besides America, who also don't "speak American"
you know i always always wonder what is it that they teach "americans" in school, i mean it's a whole freaking continent with many many countries but god help us if someone who's not from the U.S refers himself as an american, i mean if u tell me north america i'll be alright with that but apparently central america/caribbean and south america doesn't count as part of the continent, i've had many conversation with friends they're like ' nooop is only one america and that's USA'
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christinev297 wrote: »I haven't read the replies yet...
But I ask myself all the time why Americans still use pounds and ounces etc??????
We stopped using those back in the 1960's before I was born! Welcome to the metric system guys
Also, there are other countries out there besides America, who also don't "speak American"
you know i always always wonder what is it that they teach "americans" in school, i mean it's a whole freaking continent with many many countries but god help us if someone who's not from the U.S refers himself as an american, i mean if u tell me north america i'll be alright with that but apparently central america/caribbean and south america doesn't count as part of the continent, i've had many conversation with friends they're like ' nooop is only one america and that's USA'
As an "American" who travels often to Canada, and Mexico, I find the whole way we claim "America" very odd myself.0
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