Is there a reason as to why America still uses Fahrenheit and the Imperial system?

Question

Being in Europe we use metric.

In my work I import a lot of plans from the US, however as the materials list is in Imperial, the materials here are supplied in metric.

Now that "EU type approved" is being moved in and labled on everything, due to a factor of safety when it comes to ocean going vessels in some cases the nearest equivelent is, or will soon be not acceptable. Looks like my purchases from the US will suffer because of it.

Answer 1

because it works

because we are stubborn

because we do not want to switch

because we can

because we do not want to use metric.

it has been tried, it failed!

Answer 2

I guess the us are happy to plod along with imperial it seems to work for them....unless you are trying to build a space station....lol...plus when they tried to change a few decades ago, it got the stigma of a communist\socialist idea in certain parts of the USA. although it makes no sense, the metric system, is far superior, and i know many people who grew up with imperial, and although it was difficult for them at first, everyone i know can't believe they used to cope with it...but it's about time we in the uk took things a bit further, all our road signs are still in old money due to cost...but why is it we always refer to our fuel economy in mpg when we buy our fuel in litres?

Answer 3

We're stubborn. Plus we tried to change in the 70's and everyone said it was too hard.

Answer 4

We do not like to change what we already know. I have used Fahrenheit and all of that since I was taught it in school [I am 16] and I do not feel like being taught another system. It would be too difficult in my opinion.

Answer 5

There isn't a good reason, no.

It's just lethargy, and it's a great embarassment to the United States, Liberia, and Myanmar, which are the only countries left who don't use the standard metric system.

Answer 6

really? i work in the US and use standard international units.

why i think people here don't use SI units is because they just continue to use what they learned in their primary education.

as to why businesses continue to use lbs-in^2, there is no incentive to change to N-mm^2

Answer 7

because it works. duh!!

Answer 8

Cause we're America! And America is always right. America is the ONLY country in the world, and everyone else is wrong.