Jim RS Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 I was brung up with metric at school and then thrust into work having to use imperial where the calculations were totally diferent, so weired balance between college and job. Personally I like imperial as measurements mean something and easier for estimating whereas metric is far easier for calculations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mole Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 3 hours ago, Kingster said: Didn’t that get NASA into trouble a few years back? https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-oct-01-mn-17288-story.html I was thinking more along the lines of asking for two pounds of mince beef and 250 grams of cheese at the butchers!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exitus Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 Very odd. We've always essentially used whatever we wanted anyway, so not sure it makes any difference at all. The medical and scientific worlds will always be metric (as it's so, so much easier). Engineering seems to be both (though dad talking about 20 meters of steel beam in mm always used to make me double-take slightly). We'll always buy a pint down the pub though. I did once thoroughly confuse a market trader by asking for 6Kg of mince. He kept offering 600g for some reason, and refused to accept that I did actually want ten times that much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 This has been happening a long time. I worked in a steel rolling mill in the late '70s and we used to roll billet for British Leyland. IIRC it was 80mm sq x 12ft long and had to be so many kgs per foot. I think it's worse in the US - if someone says 5 tons you don't know whether they mean short tons (2000lbs), long tons (2240lbs) or metric tonnes (2205lbs). Probably why they tend to measure everything that like in massive numbers of lbs. US gallon and pint are different to UK but miles and yards are the same Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve (sdh2903) Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 Aviation is a hodge podge aswell. Mainly imperial but certain bits, mainly interior stuff, are sneaking metric in. Fuel quantities can be a minefield. Some measure in pounds and some in kgs. Depending on where you are in the world fuel is delivered in usg or litres. I dont think you'll ever get one set of units. But I wish they would! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistonbroke Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 Man goes to the timber yard and asks "how much is your 2" x 1" timber ? Salesman at the counter replies "we don't have 2" x 1" any more Sir , we have 50x 25 mm So how much is the 50x 25 mm the man asks The salesman replies " Its 75p per foot " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingster Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 15 minutes ago, pistonbroke said: Its 75p per foot Bargain - you seen the price of timber lately 🤣 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted June 8, 2022 Author Share Posted June 8, 2022 I was going through the local market once when I heard a conversation between the stall holder and an elderly lady that made me stop and eavesdrop: Her: I need some curtain tape. Him: Certainly madam, how much do you need? Her: I’m not sure. Him: Okay - how big is your window? Her: Oh, it’s about average size. (He looks at me with a raised eyebrow, and I grin back - I know this should be good.) Him: Right - which window in your house is it? Her: It’s my bathroom window. (He smiles, thinking he’s cracked it.) Him: Ah, got it! Tell you what, I’ll get you 2 yards. Her: Oh no, that’s far too much! Him: Too much? Well then, how much do you want? Her: Better just give me 6 feet. (He turns his head towards me with a look of bewilderment while I suppress a laugh, then turns to her again.) Him: Right you are madam, 6 feet it is. (Grabs the curtain tape and cuts off a 6 foot length, then hands it to her.) Her: On second thought, maybe I will have two yards instead. (I thought the poor man was going to have a meltdown. I’m struggling to not burst out laughing.) Him, with a hint of patient exasperation in his voice): Madam, 6 feet and 2 yards is the same…. oh, blow it. (Goes and cuts off another 2 yards worth, shoves it into a bag and hands it to her.). Here you are love, no charge, my gift to you. Have a good day. Her: Oh thank you, young man! How nice! I’ll be sure to come here every market day in future! Him, through gritted teeth: And I’ll be delighted to see you… 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistonbroke Posted June 8, 2022 Share Posted June 8, 2022 Size matters A Texan ranch owner was in the UK and visited a local pub in a sheep farming area of Yorkshire. He struck up a conversation with a sheep farmer in the pub. After a bit of chit chat, the Texan asked the Yorkshireman a question. The conversation went thus: Texan - “So, how long does it take you to go from one end of your farm to the other”. Yorkshireman – “about 3 hours to walk from one end to the other” Texan – “If I get in my car to drive from one end of my ranch to the other, it’ll take me a day” Yorkshireman, after some pause for thought – “Aye, I used to have a car like that.” 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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