The good old pint is staying put?

Question

the EU have finally given up on trying to convert us to metric, so the Pint, mile, pound and ounce will be here forever. Is this a sign of the EU realising they can't control everything we do? is the future looking brighter for the UK? or is this a bad thing, would we be better off with the perfect EU way?

Answer 1

Lets go back to pounds shillings and pence, it was much harder to do division or multiplication and therefore kept our brains much sharper.

Answer 2

I don't know why everyone is so dead against metric.  I was taught it at school and never imperial measures.  I know that if I buy milk its a pint or multiples thereof, the speed limit is 30 miles per hour, but absolutly no idea of how many inches in a pound or hectares in a decible. Metric is soo much easier to work out in your head.

for the sake of people my age, we will have to use it sooner or later.

Answer 3

The move to metrication pre-dates our entry into the EU by nearly ten years, and the legislation behind it was originally passed in Westminster, not Brussels.

However, it does seem a sensible idea, that if we want to make trade between EU nations as easy as possible, that we all measure stuff in the same way. Hence the standardisation of lengths in metres, weights in grams and kilograms, volumes in millilitres and litres.

Should the system of units be made so as many people as possible understand it, or should we make it confusing so that traders can take advantage? The systematic and decimal nature of metric units gives them the edge over imperial units.

However, if people express a strong preference for them why not keep a few 'traditional' measures? A pint of beer or milk, miles on our roads, shouldn't cause too many problems alongside a broadly metric system.

Incidentally, you lovers of imperial units, which is bigger?

5 cables or 5 furlongs? And how many furlongs in a league? And how big is a rod? Or is it a pole or a perch? And how many chains is that?

What about gallons - how many fluid ounces in a gallon? Oh, sorry, is that an American gallon or a British one?

And how many ounces in a stone or grains in an ounce? Do I want to buy a ton of coal or a tonne? Or a short ton?

Help!!!!! It's not as simple as pints and miles!

Answer 4

missed out again.i was looking forward to a litre of worthy .sometimes us brits dont think positively about the benefits that are on offer in europe.

Answer 5

UK must went out of stone age. Measurement is one of the weakest areas. We are striving for more people to be better at math and science, yet use a system that does not facilitate this. Go metric by 10-10-2010! UK must stop being ignorant and join the rest of the civilized world.*

Answer 6

So you think?  Don't be fooled.....At the moment we have in the UK approx 80% of the population wanting a referendum on the EU. This postponement, for that is all this statement is, has only been given to try and appease the groundswell of public opinion against the EU.

As soon as the traitorous Brown, signs the "its really a constitution, but don't tell the Brits" Reform Treaty, and we are then locked into the EU,that is when we lose our miles, our pints and more importantly our right to rule ourselves...

www.iwantareferendum.com

www.proreferendumrally.co.uk

Answer 7

Metric will have to be adopted as it is the world's standard, only Liberia, Myanmar (Burma), and the United States are the three countries that have yet to adopt the metric system.  The UK cannot realistically be isolated, some goods will be imported/exported and will need to be metric friendly.  I can't see any harm though in dual-measurement for the traditionalists though for consumers.

Answer 8

Its the first sensible thing they have done.

Answer 9

We need to get out of the EU. Have no idea why we ended up in there anyway.  Was it to secure our Eurovision entry?

Answer 10

"Hey Mate, give us a third of a litre of Watney's!"

Answer 11

And does this mean the CROWN will be put back on the PINT glasses again with a proper glass with a handle.

Does this mean they will not change the wording in our passports & we get the big old blue ones back.

Does this mean i can purchase ODD shaped fruit & veg, & at christmas purchase Brazil nuts in there shells to try and crack.

Does ths mean ALL the 1600 odd Doctors & nurses (trainee) from India can come back to train in the NHS without haveing to get a work permit.( directive 2004/38 )

Does this mean i can purchase Anker butter from New Zealand & not the synthetic spreadable stuff.

But alas I don't think so..!

OH the list CAN go on for a very long time, DON'T trust them one little bit.

Answer 12

No Eurosceptic is going to stop me from buying my veg in kilos.

Answer 13

Lets just convert everything to metric, its soooo much simpler.

Answer 14

Like many people under 40 in Britain I'm "bi-lingual" when it comes to weights and measures.

I do however have a preference for metric. It is quite simply a much better system, everything is an easy multiple of ten and there are intelligent standards too such as a litre of pure water has a mass of 1kg and water freezes at 0C and boils at 100C. Imperial measures on the otherhand are all over the place with no consistancy at all and even change from one country to another such as a British gallon and an American one are different, it makes no sense!

To me the imperial system is preferred by the old who refuse to educate themselves and the just plain stubborn.

Introducing a jingoistic Britain v Europe battle into the merits of a system of weights and measures is a red herring.

Answer 15

Now if we can just get rid of metres and kilos, we'll be making real progress!

if the metric system is easier to use , why has the standard of basic numeracy in school leavers not risen in the UK since 1971.

base 12 number systems are actually easier for division than decimal. Share 10pence between 3 people some time.

Also Imperial units are easier to estimate as they closely relate to parts of the body

Inch..thumb

Yard..arm's length

foot...foot

Isn't it easier to but 1 lb than 450 g

or an ounce than 28 g

Anyone who has tried to drink beer inlitres knows that this unit is ridiculous

Do the French put a litre of wine in a bottle..Not blooming likely!