OT. The futures Bright, the Futures Brexit!!!

[Andy_Faber]

[QUOTE=ramAnag;39843396]

The list is endless and, despite you apparently thinking otherwise, I wasn’t actually trying to be contentious.

I didn't think that to be honest

Metric and Imperial weights measures are equally precise but not equally simple to use - although in my brain they ARE equally simple to use, often alongside one another, just one of my few skills. More important when measuring things is not to use cheap (usually Chinese) tape measures, as the first centimetre/inch is often woefully inaccurate due to sloppy manufacturing. Thus endeth the amateur engineering lesson!

[swaledale]

[QUOTE=MadAmster;39843062]

Whether you "got it" or not isn't the point, is it? Read what he wrote. I possibly make the mistake of thinking that what people write is what they mean. However, he talks of "major incidents" not knock on effects of those major incidents. Going Metric on most things was a side effect of the major move of joining the EU.

It had **** all to do with the EU, going metric and decimalisation of the currency was needed given most of the rest of the world used those units. The fact that typically British we did it in a half arsed fashion is down to the inherent inability of governments to do things which are required but not necessarily popular at the time and the typical British compromise which suits nobody.

Still rather typical of Thicky to seize on something not down to the EU, but wholly in the hands of the UK government to use as a crtique of the EU!

But then he has swallowed all those myths perpetuated by successive UK politicians in blaming the EU for rules and regulations which in the majority of cases were put forward by the Uk in the first place or where slavishly adopted by a UK government when they weren't actually required to do so, or blaming the EU for not being able to do something when the UK government could have, but didnt want to.

Oh and the impact of Brexit will and are being felt immediately - because the economic effect of leaving the single market and customs union are immediate, just ask a fisherman! But also because the "oven ready" (more likely half baked) deal that the UK government agreed with the EU neglected a number of important trading, crime and security matters.

But then when ideological half wits are in charge, thats what one gets, a complete **** up!

[MadAmster]

Here in the EU, jeans are sold in inches for both inside leg and waist measurements. Same in the UK and USA isn't it?

One weird one is I put a 38"/40" chest waist length sheepskin up for sale. There is no size label in it. I mentioned the size in both inches and concerted to cm to avoid confusion. I got half a dozen replies asking what size it was. I replied in inches and cm. Next response was, yeah, but what size is it? S/M/L? I replied that it doesn't have that notation. I've told you how big it is and most people know how big they are... I got no further replies.

I advertised it a 2nd time, this time adding in that it is not foreseen of S/M/L size notations and the size is 38/40 or however many cm that is. I still got a couple of responses of "yeah, but what size....." No pleasing some folk

[ramAnag]

Here in the EU, jeans are sold in inches for both inside leg and waist measurements. Same in the UK and USA isn't it?

One weird one is I put a 38"/40" chest waist length sheepskin up for sale. There is no size label in it. I mentioned the size in both inches and concerted to cm to avoid confusion. I got half a dozen replies asking what size it was. I replied in inches and cm. Next response was, yeah, but what size is it? S/M/L? I replied that it doesn't have that notation. I've told you how big it is and most people know how big they are... I got no further replies.

I advertised it a 2nd time, this time adding in that it is not foreseen of S/M/L size notations and the size is 38/40 or however many cm that is. I still got a couple of responses of "yeah, but what size....." No pleasing some folk

Further confused by U.S. pints and gallons being significantly smaller than their UK equivalent, MA.

There’s also a tiny difference between the US and UK inch although I don’t think it’s responsible for the fact that over here I’m a 34 inch waist and over there I’m always a 33’’. More to do with flattering the invariably overweight US consumer I suspect.

[MadAmster]

Further confused by U.S. pints and gallons being significantly smaller than their UK equivalent, MA.

Not wanting to be too greedy they decided that pints and gallons would be the only things they have that weren't bigger and better

[Geoff Parkstone]

Further confused by U.S. pints and gallons being significantly smaller than their UK equivalent, MA.

There’s also a tiny difference between the US and UK inch although I don’t think it’s responsible for the fact that over here I’m a 34 inch waist and over there I’m always a 33’’. More to do with flattering the invariably overweight US consumer I suspect.

I thought they regularised the minor differences in US and Imperial inches back in the 1950's: or do you just have some very old trousers?

[Trickytreesreds]

[QUOTE=swaledale;39843492]

It had **** all to do with the EU, going metric and decimalisation of the currency was needed given most of the rest of the world used those units. The fact that typically British we did it in a half arsed fashion is down to the inherent inability of governments to do things which are required but not necessarily popular at the time and the typical British compromise which suits nobody.

Still rather typical of Thicky to seize on something not down to the EU, but wholly in the hands of the UK government to use as a crtique of the EU!

But then he has swallowed all those myths perpetuated by successive UK politicians in blaming the EU for rules and regulations which in the majority of cases were put forward by the Uk in the first place or where slavishly adopted by a UK government when they weren't actually required to do so, or blaming the EU for not being able to do something when the UK government could have, but didnt want to.

Oh and the impact of Brexit will and are being felt immediately - because the economic effect of leaving the single market and customs union are immediate, just ask a fisherman! But also because the "oven ready" (more likely half baked) deal that the UK government agreed with the EU neglected a number of important trading, crime and security matters.

But then when ideological half wits are in charge, thats what one gets, a complete **** up!

WTF are you on about?
I never said it was down to the EU. I said like we are discussing Brexit, something that happens doesn't get solved over night.
When we joined the EU, going metric helped no end.
My point was, even though I'd been taught metric in school. In the real world, Imperial hadn't disappeared and wouldn't for a long while. People have to adapt and let things slowly change as we learn.
When I satrted work, the older guys were very much in Imperial land and I learned in reverse.
Yet even today, it still goes on, as like RA says, MPH as an example.
At school it was M/S not Y/S.

No one can make a judgment on Brexit for years to come. What someone suffers now, may be a snotty nose for others.

[ramAnag]

I thought they regularised the minor differences in US and Imperial inches back in the 1950's: or do you just have some very old trousers?

Something against 20’’ inch flares, GP?

I believe there’s still a microscopic difference for some reason, but where gallons and pints are concerned it remains significant.

[Trickytreesreds]

[QUOTE=ramAnag;39843286]

Thanks for such a dignified and well mannered response.

I wasn’t actually trying to be a ‘smart arse’ as you put it, but ‘still an ongoing process’...really?

You’re right of course about speedometers and clothing sizes, they are produced with dual methods of measurement but honestly, when was the last time you saw a metric road sign in this country and when was the last time you used the metric part of your speedo over here or actually bought your clothes measured in centimetres rather than inches?

I’ve never taught maths, for which the world should be eternally grateful, but as long ago as 1975, when I completed my final teaching practice, those who did were warned to expect to fail if they referred to imperial forms of measurement.

So almost half a century ago the educational directives from government and educationalists were clear as regards transfer to the more logical and precise metric system, but your ‘real world’ resisted it leading to a generation of numerically confused school leavers. All in all then it’s rather more complex than you make out, and as for ‘nothing is a straight switch for the better/worse overnight’...you possibly won’t remember it...but decimalisation certainly was.

Nope don't remember decimalisation.
But I certainly do use continental units in clothing, if and when I have to. Shoe sizing in particular, as my last pair of Timberland boots acquired in Munich can testify.

[Trickytreesreds]

[QUOTE=Andy_Faber;39843321]

More precise? Really? I've got to hear this one

the thing about currency decimalisation though was there was no choice for the public. Where there has been a choice there's been less success, even when pushed hard by whatever government happens to be in the hot seat at any given time, metric weights and measures being probably the most well known but not the only one, a good more recent example being DAB radio

I agree currency decimalisation was a change for the better but other 'progress' has thwarted its benefits, notably the rise of easy consumer credit and of 'virtual' money

If you have ever had to do any fabricating Andy, you'd understand.
Marking out a sheet of 15mm x 3000 x 3000 steel, for a profile cut by acetylene, means you get it right. 1/4 , 1/8, 1/16, 1/32 of an inch isn't good for guaranteed marker guy, where as a mm, is still a mm.