Why has the United States not yet completely converted to the metric system?

Question

Yes, you'll still hear English system units mentioned in specific areas (clothing, bar drinks), but every other country in the world is predominately metric.

Answer 1

People resist change and are very traditional.

It seems now a days in our "press 1 for English" world, that's all we have left.

Answer 2

STATES ARE MORE POWERFUL THAN THE NATION

Answer 3

Don't wanna, don't hafta, ain't gonna.  Seriously, the US considered going metric a few times, the most recently in the 1970's.  There was great public resistance, I agree it would cost money, but in my opinion public resistance was the biggest reason.

Answer 4

Bureaucratic resistance.

Answer 5

Why doesn't the UK switch over to driving on the right side of the street, like nearly every other country?  Because they don't want to, they don't have to, it would cost a lot, and one system is no more right than the other, even if some people think one is more logical and/or better.

Answer 6

I remember they tried many years ago and nobody liked it. It just feels wrong. I know the pound/ounce system is weird, but we're used to it!!

Answer 7

because it would take to much money and time to switch all of our records and stuff to the metric system.

Answer 8

Because, unlike the UK, it is a democracy.

Answer 9

We've come within an inch of going metric several times, but we're still miles away from it being acceptable to the American public.  Most Americans wouldn't touch the Metric system with a ten-foot pole.

Think of all the American traditions that would change.  What would happen to our records for the 50, 100, and 440 yard dash?  Would it take ten meters for a First Down in Football? Would the success of plays in Football be measured in total meterage? What about the expression of "the whole nine yards"?  Would bullies threaten to beat someone within 2.2 centimeters of their lives?  Would the Inchworm still be an Inchworm? Would cowboys wear 44 liter hats? (yes, I know what a "galleon" is, don't tell me).  Would smokers walk 1.6 kilometers for a Camel?  Would people need to walk 1.6 kilometers in someones shoes before judging them? Would one cautiously approach something by "centimetering up to it"?

I think America is just cautious on any incrementalism here, because as the old warning says, "Give them 2.2 centimeters, they'll take 1.6 Kilometers."

** To get an idea of the public resistance to this kind of change, one only needs to go to a horse race.  The race distances are measured in "furlongs".  How many people know what a furlong even is? I bet the percentage is low even among people that regularly bet on such races. They don't want to see a horse do the 100 yard dash, they want a race measured in furlongs, dammit.

Answer 10

cuz it would take tons of money to switch