http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30964500

As a British citizen I am fed up of these companies trying to tell us how to run our country. I totally understand that it probably wouldn't be a great idea for us to leave at all from an ECONOMIC point. However, If there is ever a referendum I will be voting to get out. I don't actually care about the European Union... Rarely do i give the countries in the European Union a second thought.

To me I would want an economic union with the EU as they are obviously important to both our economy and theirs, however, their laws and legislation are not needed here. Originally the EU was supposed to be a trading group but has sinced turned into more of a government. I think this is what has annoyed most of us. I do not want to be controlled by a foreign entity.

The EU tries to destroy many British things e.g through metrication. I for one use both the metric and imperial systems, when it comes to the measurement of distances and body/food weights most people use the imperial system. Everyday I see the influence of the EU and the metric system, I often find people on tv talking about "kilos".. I do not measure myself in Kilos because I don't know how big a Kilo is, I cannot visualise it, I also seen an air crash documentary referring to Kilometres... Likewise I have never used a Kilometre and when I goto ROI I am always confused about how far the next town is. I am terrified that we are going to have to start using Kilometres and Kilos.

Another terrible influence of the EU has been the influx of immigrants wanting to earn money and take it OUT of our country.. But that is another issue.

To me I am British and nothing else, I don't really care about the European side of things. To me Europe is a foreign landmass and always will be. Maybe if they spoke English it would be different. But I don't see that happening anytime soon.

I really hope the government can bring this referendum to the table and get us out of the EU. We are a wealthy nation, we don't actually need to be told how to run our country. Thus our time has come to get OUT.

[Edited 2015-01-24 06:36:53]

Quoting frostyj (Thread starter): To me I would want an economic union with the EU as they are obviously important to both our economy and theirs, however, their laws and legislation are not needed here.

"their laws" are your laws, you are a member.

Quoting frostyj (Thread starter): Originally the EU was supposed to be a trading group

nope.

Quoting frostyj (Thread starter): but has sinced turned into more of a government.

political integration was the stated goal from day one.

Quoting frostyj (Thread starter): The EU tries to destroy many British things e.g through metrication.

The metric system is in official use in the UK since 1864, that slightly predates any process of the European Integration. Changing habits takes time. The Weights and Measures Act of 1985 also predates the European Union.

best regards
Thomas

The Metric system is NOT in official use, all scales and food items have both measurements.

You seem to be a young guy with old ideas, I would expect someone your age to have no problem with the metric system. If imperial is totally abandoned then you'd be the last generation to care about it.

I don't think it would be good for the UK to leave the EU, but I think it would be very good for France and the EU in general, since you're always stopping its advance, and are already out of a major thing called the Euro.

I think that if you leave it won't be 20 years before you ask to enter again, just like the first time, but this time there will be no exception for anything.

When I first came to the UK the currency System was still the Pound / Shilling 7 Pence and Kilos and Kilometers were unknown. You bought a Pound of whatever and rank a pint of beer.

Now, for me that was easy to understand and the metric System should be easily understandably, especially since it is easier than the imperial System. I admire your Point of keeping the "splendid isolation" alive, but you must indeed be very isolated to see it that way.

The Britain of today is not the britain I came to know in 1967 and I have enjoyed to experience many times over the decades. It changed already in the 80s to the extend that on a sunny and warm late afternoon, sitting outside a Pub somewhere West of London, with a pint of beer, all of us, Brits and those from overseas (continen) agreed that Europe has come together and we all learned from each others and pick the bst of life.

Agreed, I wish sometimes the Britain of the 60s would still exist, but then it would mean eating unseasoned meat coming with mashed potatoes and peas bathed in hot water and without Sauce. Now, Chicken tikka and Pizza are more common but as Long as I can get bangers and mashed and fish 'n Chips I am just fine.

Enjoy Europe,  

Quoting frostyj (Reply 2): The Metric system is NOT in official use, all scales and food items have both measurements.

It is still in official use since 1864. If you want to rant, at least get your history right. You may actually read the Weights and Measures Act of 1985 as well, it is from 1985. The European Union you hate so much didn't even exist back then.

Best regards
Thomas

Wow, I'd say that you're not a nationalistic teenager, but a xenophobic teenager which really is hard to understand. For one so young to completely close your mind to new ideas, change and progress is actually very sad.

As a Canadian, I was around your age when Canada went metric. Sure there was an adjustment but as someone alive when that change happened, I've considered myself very lucky as I completely understand both measurement systems and can seamlessly move back and forth between the two. It's actually a bit sad that the younger generations that weren't taught the old Imperial system can't do this as easily. You seem to be fighting opportunity instead of embracing it.

Quoting frostyj (Thread starter): We are a wealthy nation

Quoting frostyj (Thread starter): the EU has been the influx of immigrants wanting to earn money and take it OUT of our country

Well gosh golly gee...... and just how much of Britain's present wealth is due to YOU English (in the age of conquest) taking treasure, money, etc out of other countries? How much in the British Museum has been raped out of other countries national treasure? The Rosetta stone being one such prime object. How much wealth and treasure did England take out of India, or South Africa before YOU got yourselves kicked out? It seems you're a youngster who's simply not happy when the shoe is on the other foot.

Time for a reality check my boy........

How many immigrants in the UK are actually from the EU and not former UK colonies or other countries ? Afghans for example are in Calais desperately wanting to cross the Channel.

Although members of the EU, the UK still drives on its side of the road, still has its own money/currency not tied to the Euro, still has its queen, and labor laws not as tight as with most of the EU and you are not participants in the Schewagan (sp.) agreement so visitors and UK to the EU still need a passport.
I can understand that the EU is a pain to those in the UK. Part of it is ceding too much regulation to it's long time enemies (almost all of the rest of the EU) and some rules not relevant and indeed offensive to those in the UK's sovereignly.

Quoting Aesma (Reply 3):

I am quite traditional. I don't mind the way the system is now, I wish to have no further metrication.

Quoting tommy1808 (Reply 5):

I actually live in the UK and the last time I checked the milk bottles measured in both pints and litres. Baby bottles are measured in fluid oz and food can be ordered in pounds in some places.

If the metric system was in place we would not be using Miles, Feet, Inches, Yards or Fluid Ounces.

Quoting ltbewr (Reply 8):

Exactly. As i've said we have our own identity and a lot of us are not happy being part of the EU in its present position. I do not mind being in an economic union with Europe but the buck stops there.

Only poor and corrupt countries need to be controlled by a foreign entity.

Quoting frostyj (Reply 10): If the metric system was in place we would not be using Miles, Feet, Inches, Yards or Fluid Ounces.

if it wasn't in use, why does the milk have liters on it?

Quoting frostyj (Reply 10): Baby bottles are measured in fluid oz and food can be ordered in pounds in some places.

you can go to any grocery store here and order a pound of minced meat here, called Pfund, and get what you expect. Well, a little more since the pound we use is a little more than yours.

Quoting frostyj (Reply 10): I actually live in the UK

How about you read the laws of the country you live in?

Quote: PART VI Definitions of certain units which may not be used for trade except as supplementary indications Sch. 1 Pt. VI substituted (1.10.1995) by S.I. 1994/2867, reg. 6(5)(c) Measurement of length Mile = 1760 yards. Furlong = 220 yards. Chain = 22 yards. YARD = 0.9144 metre. Foot = 1/3 yard. Inch = 1/36 yard. Measurement of area Square mile = 640 acres. Acre = 4840 square yards. Rood = 1210 square yards. Square yard = a superficial area equal to that of a square each side of which measures one yard. Square foot = 1/9 square yard. Square inch = 1/144 square foot. Measurement of volume Cubic yard = a volume equal to that of a cube each edge of which measures one yard. Cubic foot = 1/27 cubic yard. Cubic inch = 1/1728 cubic foot. Measurement of capacity Bushel = 87 gallons. Peck = 2 gallons GALLON = 4.54609 cubic decimetres. Quart = ¼ gallon. Gill = ¼ pint. Fluid ounce =1/20 pint Fluid drachm = 1/8 fluid ounce. Minim = 1/60 fluid drachm. Measurement of mass or weight Ton = 2240 pounds. Hundredweight = 112 pounds. Cental = 100 pounds. Quarter = 28 pounds. Stone = 14 pounds. Pound = 0.453 592 37 kilogram Ounce = 1/16 pound Dram = 1/16 ounce. Grain = 1/7000 pound. Pennyweight = 24 grains. Ounce apothecaries = 480 grains. Drachm = 1/8 ounce apothecaries. Scruple = 1/3 drachm. Metric ton = 1000 kilograms. Quintal = 100 kilograms.

That is the law of the land you live in since 1985.

Quoting frostyj (Reply 9): I wish to have no further metrication

And again: The EU has nothing to do with that, the law is OLDER than the European Union.

Best regards
Thomas

Quoting tommy1808 (Reply 12):

NO you are trying to say that we are an ALL metric country when we are not. I am a British citizen born and raised here, I know what measurements people use.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.105424,-6.804967,3a,75y,162.46h,91.24t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1skMjZpvX1D0WOEYy1RdF60g!2e0
http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=254656543
http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=262479533
http://www.argos.co.uk/wcsstore/argo...images/110-8425027A75UC904440X.jpg
http://www.anythinglefthanded.co.uk/acatalog/768_z.jpg
http://www.thetapestore.co.uk/media/...siwyg/tape-with-markings-small.jpg
http://www.lightec-autostyle.co.uk/i...emo/car%20led/LAcorsab-500x500.jpg

We do have the metric measurement but we also have the imperial measurement so we have not changed over like you are implying. And please don't compare Germany to the UK, I have been to Europe a lot and the imperial system is non existent there.

[Edited 2015-01-24 09:48:59]

Quoting frostyj (Reply 13): NO you are trying to say that we are an ALL metric country

please quote where I said that.

Quoting frostyj (Reply 13): We do have the metric measurement but we also have the imperial measurement

yes. But, with few exceptions you *have* to youusetric for trade, you can add imperial measurements, but that is *ooptional*.

Quoting frostyj (Reply 13): so we have not changed over like you are implying.

of course you do, you may just be too young to notice. You made the law I quoted above just 30 years ago. That was you changing. It has also be a long time since I met a brit that couldn't readily use metric units.

Best regards
Thomas

Quoting frostyj (Reply 10): I actually live in the UK and the last time I checked the milk bottles measured in both pints and litres. Baby bottles are measured in fluid oz and food can be ordered in pounds in some places. If the metric system was in place we would not be using Miles, Feet, Inches, Yards or Fluid Ounces.

Frosty you show your general ignorance in every debate.

The UK has a legal agreement to opt out for use of mileage on signage.

However all measures where excise is applied (Taxed) must be in metric measurements by domestic law !

You need to vary your reading beyond that mischievous rag that is the Mail and that Facist political party UKIP - You understand its been heavily infiltrated by BNP and that's a very dangerous path for any one that values true liberty !

The suggestion that the EU makes 70 % of laws is a fallacy .

It includes industrial directives that set STANDARDS and Quality Assurance issues across that SINGLE MARKET to ensure competivity, however what is rarely talked about are that those standards are actually written by the said companies not the so called faceless bureaucrats.

I have personal experience in setting a trade standard and have little sympathy with the likes of Dyson declining to participate and later complaining because his vac's fail to meet the energy standards.

When trading outside the EU almost all the leading markets and China in particular require EU compliance so we can't just set our own any more.

The UK remains outside of the Euro Zone and will so for a very long time however any business (Like my own) that trades extensively would have benefitted from the significantly reduced fees and charges and price stability within the zone.
Many UK businesses run Irish subsidiaries specifically to reduce these charges and of course for Tax purposes.

The UK remains outside of Schengen and can if it wishes control the frontier and identify (Does through the requirement of airlines and ferry companies to submit passenger manifests) all entrants before they even reach the UK.

Extensive VISA requirements for non EU countries exist.

What the EU does allow is full mobility of labour -Its an intrinsic element of the free trade market place and like anywhere that labour flows to the actively Hot areas naturally.

It happens in the US and it happens within the UK (Has since the industrial revolution).

Further that migration tends to peak when you add poor agricultural areas to the market place .

Right now the UK (well actually London in the main) is a vibrant place and actually needs these migrants both domestic and international to work.

BTW Beyond the capital migrant labour has been employed in the seasonal agricultural industries for decades neigh centuries !

And the oft quoted net migration figure is a misleading half truth at best.

Finally

What is meant by this "we have our own identity" - Because right across the EU even small areas like Tuscany and heaven for fend Barrow in Furness have clear identities - the EU actually encourage and promote those differences - Protected food stuffs and active even financial support for marginal languages and traditions.

Finally finally and this is my personal opinion i am perhaps an traditional Socialist/Internationalist however i do think the last few entrants were far from being economically ready, and its little surprise that the right wing particularly the UK Conservative Party knew this.

They supported the expansion specifically to weaken the entity, and it back fired on them very very badly.
The expected allies haven't materialised other than some rather doggy Polish and Baltic state members the party should be ashamed of !

Ah, the 11-year anniversary of the absolutely epic Do We Want The Euro In The UK? thread just had to spawn some kind of echo...!   

Quoting frostyj (Thread starter): As a British citizen I am fed up of these companies trying to tell us how to run our country. I totally understand that it probably wouldn't be a great idea for us to leave at all from an ECONOMIC point.

No, you don't understand; That is why you actually believe people who are telling you this kind of nonsense.

Quoting frostyj (Thread starter): To me I would want an economic union with the EU as they are obviously important to both our economy and theirs, however, their laws and legislation are not needed here.

It is our laws and regulations – which includes british influences just as much as german, french or spanish ones (plus more). And if anything, Britain has already carved out more special exceptions and privileges for itself than any other EU member.

Quoting frostyj (Thread starter): The EU tries to destroy many British things e.g through metrication.

Metrication has been a done deal in Britain for many years already. The USA and Burma are the only two countries with the old imperial(!) system of measurement still in primary use; Everywhere else it is at most used for reference (if that!), but not for official measurement.

Quoting frostyj (Thread starter): I for one use both the metric and imperial systems, when it comes to the measurement of distances and body/food weights most people use the imperial system. Everyday I see the influence of the EU and the metric system, I often find people on tv talking about "kilos".. I do not measure myself in Kilos because I don't know how big a Kilo is, I cannot visualise it, I also seen an air crash documentary referring to Kilometres... Likewise I have never used a Kilometre and when I goto ROI I am always confused about how far the next town is. I am terrified that we are going to have to start using Kilometres and Kilos.

Education is the obvious solution here.

Quoting frostyj (Thread starter): Another terrible influence of the EU has been the influx of immigrants wanting to earn money and take it OUT of our country.. But that is another issue.

And false the way your BNP sources are claiming it.

Quoting frostyj (Thread starter): To me I am British and nothing else, I don't really care about the European side of things. To me Europe is a foreign landmass and always will be. Maybe if they spoke English it would be different. But I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Education being the deficiency again, apparently.

I am a citizen of my quarter, of my local community, of my region state, of my nation state of Germany, of the European Union, of the geographical continent of Europe and I am also a citizen of planet Earth as a human being.

And I don't have the slightest problem with any of that conflicting with each other, as different as each of these are in scope and meaning. Other places are different from mine, and that is perfectly fine. I enjoy that I don't have to exchange currencies all the time and that I don't have problems traveling, but I also appreciate different cultures, languages and behaviours which haven't just vanished just because we're all members of the EU.

I'm no less german for also being european. Both mean different things, both factually and with regard to my personal identification. Being unable to feel an association with more than one entity at the same time would make my life very poor and very restricted.

I really don't get why british people should be so much weaker and so much more limited in their capability to be who they want to be than people in other european countries which have not stopped being german, french, czech, portuguese or finnish either just because they've become EU citizens in addition to that.

Quoting frostyj (Thread starter): I really hope the government can bring this referendum to the table and get us out of the EU. We are a wealthy nation, we don't actually need to be told how to run our country. Thus our time has come to get OUT.

Actually, an isolated Britain on its own would be a rather poor country.

Britain today primarily operates as a tax and regulation shelter for foreign capital and its owners, facilitating this with its integration into the european economic area. By isolating Britain, much if not most of that would disintegrate and leave you as a minor agrarian and by now only somewhat industrialized country with relatively little influence on the global stage with the USA, the EU and probably China making most of the rules among each other according to their respective interests, with international regulations already now and further increasingly blocking the kind of tax and regulation evasion Britain had been exploiting in recent decades.

Whoever has been telling you the stuff you've been presenting here, you should probably ask yourself what they're lying about to you besides just that.

You are still very inexperienced at your young age, but you still have chances to not just fall for ready-made ideologies but to gain a more realistic picture of reality. And reality is that some people certainly have an interest in telling you all kinds of lies, but at the same time you won't stop being who you are just because some people are telling you insane horror stories.

Quoting scbriml (Reply 15): Carpet is priced by the square metre. Fabric is sold by the metre. Go to a hardware store like Wickes - everything is sold by the meter. You can't buy a 6ft length of timber, it's 2m long.

Which is quite funny, here in DK most timer comes in 30cm or 60cm increments.

/lars

Quoting frostyj (Thread starter): Another terrible influence of the EU has been the influx of immigrants wanting to earn money and take it OUT of our country.. But that is another issue. To me I am British and nothing else, I don't really care about the European side of things. To me Europe is a foreign landmass and always will be. Maybe if they spoke English it would be different. But I don't see that happening anytime soon. I really hope the government can bring this referendum to the table and get us out of the EU. We are a wealthy nation, we don't actually need to be told how to run our country. Thus our time has come to get OUT.

God. Where to start?
Don't you even think that there might be a lot of Brits in EU nations 'coming over there, taking their jobs'?
Do you want to know how many UK citizens are or have recently claimed welfare benefits in other EU nations? It's 300,000.

You moan about the EU, Europe, 'changing my country'. This can happen, I agree.
I have a great example for you on this.
Around 45 years ago there was an influx of foreigners to this country, small numbers at first, mostly criminal, often on the run from the law in their own nation. They were largely from one nation.
But as the continent opened up more, these were supplemented by tourists, some stayed and opened businesses there, the criminal element still remained however.

This influx of tourists led many later on to retire to this country, they tended not to integrate, to keep to themselves, bringing their own culture and food with them.
Which in turn became businesses. Which in many places really did change the culture of the host area.
Property was a big thing too, a real boom, a lot of these immigrants made a lot of money off it.
Turned a bit sour with the crash, made worse by many of these immigrants not speaking the language, not doing the official property paperwork, those years of being so insular really bit.

But many still remain there, the criminal element largely though not totally gone.
Many are elderly, it's still a popular retirement destination despite everything.

That country is Spain.
Those foreigners mostly British.
Maybe some in the UK need to STFU about 'immigrants', I've even heard some of them in Spain saying they went there because of immigration in the UK, without a trace of self awareness, let alone irony.

Then there is France.
We get lots of young, well educated, ambitious types, London is now in population terms the 6th French city.
France gets a much more elderly, often retired British influx seeking the 'Year In Provence' lifestyle.
I'd say as a country, we are getting the benefit here.
(If the Thatcherites of the Tories and UKIP don't like this, tough, she commissioned the Channel Tunnel. She also signed willingly the act which made the closer EU of now possible, later admitting, when ranting about it, that she had not even read the document properly).

I went to school starting in the 70's, I was only ever taught Metric.

Word of advice, ignore all the BS put out by Murdoch (ex Aussie now US citizen), The Barclay Brothers (hidden away dodging taxes) and of course the Mail Group.
They surely hate the EU but not for any reason that would ever benefit you or I.

Referendum in a Parliamentary Democracy like the UK are about fixing internal party problems, not 'asking the people'.
We had one in 1975 when Wilson's Labour government were split on the issue.
Cameron only wants one as he cannot control the loonies in his party including in the Cabinet.
Wilson's team, even the antis, accepted the result, I cannot imagine the current bunch doing the same.
He has thrown bits of meat to them but it's just made them worse.

Quoting Klaus (Reply 17):

I'm not going to argue with you on the EU EVER.

Although not wanting to get involved in this argument of polarized thinking on both sides,however whether you agree with "frostyi" or not ,perhaps you should
stick to the facts and not try to abuse the young man just for his age. After all perhaps as a very senior member here I could
say the same to many of you " come back when you have more experience of life" Many people confuse time with experience, whereas it is what you do with your time that is more important

As "Scbrimi" is a senior member also, perhaps he can remember that the standard length for prepared wood in the UK many years a go was 78 inches [ something to do with the height of doors I believe] so 2metres comes out be 78 and47/64 inches. Not much has changed

Just to finish I would like to ask our learned metric experts why I have noticed over the last few years the cars with a German influence state their power as "PS", which so I understand is the metric equivalent of Horse Power that was used in Germany, but like HP is not now a SI Metric unit.
So I understand the SI unit is the " WATT" so why is this not being used.

many thanks

littlevc10

Quoting vc10 (Reply 21): So I understand the SI unit is the " WATT" so why is this not being used.

It is.... , Volkswagen puts 055 KW (75 PS) in its Konfigurator. Which German manufacturer doesn't give the power in KW?

Best regards
Thomas

Probably manufacturers not wanting to advertise a smaller value. In France it's still horses. Well power is rarely advertized at all.

Quoting Frostyj (Reply 20): I'm not going to argue with you on the EU EVER.

I've read the entire thread. It seems you are I'm afraid!

Maybe take a broader view and do some research on the topics you are interested in or antagonised by. Then you can debate from a more informed viewpoint and, frankly, save the embarrassment.


Dan  

Honestly frosty, are you trolling? Because this:

Quoting frostyj (Thread starter): The EU tries to destroy many British things e.g through metrication. I for one use both the metric and imperial systems, when it comes to the measurement of distances and body/food weights most people use the imperial system. Everyday I see the influence of the EU and the metric system, I often find people on tv talking about "kilos".. I do not measure myself in Kilos because I don't know how big a Kilo is, I cannot visualise it, I also seen an air crash documentary referring to Kilometres... Likewise I have never used a Kilometre and when I goto ROI I am always confused about how far the next town is. I am terrified that we are going to have to start using Kilometres and Kilos.

...is quite frankly the most ridiculous reasoning I've ever heard.

Anyway, the way to overcome your fears is to confront them. So I guess it's time for you to start using metric!

Quoting frostyj (Thread starter): The EU tries to destroy many British things e.g through metrication. I for one use both the metric and imperial systems, when it comes to the measurement of distances and body/food weights most people use the imperial system.

Coming from a former imperial country NZ, metric is used for everything, metrication was completed in 1980, even my parents and grandparents are completely converted to metric.

Quoting frostyj (Reply 10): If the metric system was in place we would not be using Miles, Feet, Inches, Yards or Fluid Ounces.

Petrol is in litres, the pound is metric. The British BS1363 plug went metric in 1995. Even hospitals.



When older people die off metric will be the unit the vast majority of people will use. Metric is the norm in UK schools.

Quoting PlymSpotter (Reply 24):

Not embaressed.

Quoting KiwiRob (Reply 26):

Why then do we have cars using mph and miles per gallon?

The UK still has it own 'territories' which seem to exist mainly for tax dogging by the rich and corporations. With the possible exemptions of the Netherlands and to some extent the French, I don't know of another EU country that has such off shore colonies and territories existing mainly for tax and trade advantages.

Reminds me of my good friend Geoff in London, who, not very many years ago, bought a small item in a shop. The shop assistant scanned it and said it was 50p. Geoff looked at me incredulously and said "That's TEN SHILLINGS!".  

Quoting Frostyj (Reply 27): Not embaressed.

If you really want to be taken seriously at the very least try to use spell check.

Quoting tommy1808 (Reply 22): It is.... , Volkswagen puts 055 KW (75 PS) in its Konfigurator. Which German manufacturer doesn't give the power in KW

Do you know, you have me there as the only car manufacturer that I can find which states it's engine power up front in PS units is JAGUAR, hardly
a German manufacturer. I did enquire why this was and I was told it was due to German influence in their engine design team, but I have to admit I cannot find a reference for this now.
What I cannot understand is that I can understand us Brits hanging onto BHP for engine ratings, but I am slightly amazed that a German company still finds it necessary to quote it 's engine
power in both KWs and PS. After all the PS unit was replaced in the EEC in 1972 some 43 years ago now, so does this mean you have in Germany some stick in the muds like we do in the UK [myself included ]
Anyway my apologies and it shows you live and learn.   

littlevc10

Quoting Frostyj (Reply 27): Not embaressed.

Frankly, with some of the things you have posted, you should be...


Dan  

Quoting PlymSpotter (Reply 33):

Quoting scbriml (Reply 34):

No because Kilometres do not make sense. There are too many Kilometres in the scale!

I don't understand the hate for the metric system. It is a far easier way to calculate things.
You can do many more calculations in your head in metric than you do in imperial as everything is so neatly rounded up into whole units of 10.

Someone asks me how many metres are in 10KM I can tell them instantly 10,000.
Ask me how many feet are in 10 miles and you'll be waiting a bit.

Imperial measurements are total nonsense and have no place in the modern world.
The only thing that makes even less sense is how the US try to decimalise their imperial measurements! -"1.6 inches"- 'WTF is that??!!' I hear myself scream at Adam Savage on Mythbusters almost every episode, generally followed by "You cannot decimalise measurements that are not based on units of 10, you numpty!"

[Edited 2015-01-24 15:24:13]

Quoting Frostyj (Reply 35): No because Kilometres do not make sense. There are too many Kilometres in the scale!

I agree. The UK should definitely leave the EU because there are too many kilometers in the scale. I was under the wrong impression that the government would have bigger and more important things to consider when deciding on the EU such as the fact that the EU is the UKs largest trading partner. But now I realise I wasn't considering the problems of milk measurement.

I wish we'd dump all imperial measures and go metric. It's a ridiculous state of affairs that we buy petrol in litres but have to drive in mph.. Very British really to not do something wholeheartedly but just muddle through.

I went to school from the mid-80s and we were only taught the metric system. I agree as someone earlier posted.. We get closer to a fully metric system with every passing day.

Quoting Frostyj (Reply 20): Quoting Klaus (Reply 17): I'm not going to argue with you on the EU EVER.

Why? Because Klaus is correct?

Quoting PlymSpotter (Reply 33): Frankly, with some of the things you have posted, you should be...

Agreed. Please don't stop though. Most entertaining.

Mark

Quoting Larshjort (Reply 18): Which is quite funny, here in DK most timer comes in 30cm or 60cm increments.

Indeed interesting how long these things stick. In Singapore:

- Condo's are in sqft. Houses and flats in m2
- Airconditioning is in BTU/h, all the rest in Watt
- 3-prong plugs are British, Two-pin European
- Pipes are in inch, all the rest in meter

Quoting bananaboy (Reply 38):

Sure pet. I will waste my life entertaining you.

Quoting frostyj (Thread starter): I really hope the government can bring this referendum to the table and get us out of the EU

Greece may be interesting for you then.

The arch-cheerleaders of the EU, aka German people, seem to have a leader in Merkel who is starting to think a "Grexit" wouldn't be the catastrophe once believed. Alexis Tsipris winning elections on Sunday could get Greece away from the EU. If that happens, membership in the EU will be seen more like a club you can join and quit at will.





Pu.

Quoting Frostyj (Reply 40): Sure pet.

I see that today we're feeling a bit Geordie.  

I can't really tell if this is a serious thread or not. I've heard some valid criticisms of the EU but these reasons?

I also don't get the metric hate. I mean if you prefer imperial over metric that is your prerogative, but you're acting like a switch to metric would leave you confused for life with a bunch of measurements you won't be able to master, instead of a few weeks (maybe months) of getting used to it. As pointed out, you get silly nuances like miles per gallon when liters are used for fuel.

Without trying to sound condescending, I'd try and organize your arguments better. I've seen people come up with solid arguments that are similar to yours, but they aren't full of holes and don't sound rant-y for lack of a better word

Quoting DeltaMD90 (Reply 43): I can't really tell if this is a serious thread or not

After this:

Quoting Frostyj (Reply 35): No because Kilometres do not make sense. There are too many Kilometres in the scale!

...I truly doubt it.

Quoting Frostyj (Reply 35): No because Kilometres do not make sense. There are too many Kilometres in the scale!

well, if you go metric and adopt Kilometers, Land's End to John o' Groats is 970 km long instead of just 603 miles, so the UK would be almost 2.6 times bigger (!!!).

Ok, sucks that driving will take longer....

Best regards
Thomas

Of course the UK has issues with the EU... they can't even successfully divide powers within their own borders (see the West Lothian Question), never mind grapple with a true federalized system. How many times have the borders of counties been changed, from ceremonial to metropolitan to postal, etc.? If I'm from a Unitary Authority, am I also from a county?

Quoting frostyj (Reply 10): I actually live in the UK and the last time I checked the milk bottles measured in both pints and litres.

Even the US (which is not metric at all) has liters on most mass-produced bottles. I haven't been south of the border in a while, but perhaps one of our American posters can upload an image showing both measurements?

Here's how we do things in Canada: http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/...ge/upload/jyjm6utrgy9gxbc606ok.jpg - I'd argue that body temperature and medium-length (metres) distance is becoming metric with the younger generations though. I can tell ICBC (driver licensing and insurance) my height and weight in imperial, but they'll show up as metric on my license.

I think we should probably assess the EU as how it seems to be nowadays: the "let's get bailed out by Germany" club.

Quoting vc10 (Reply 32): After all the PS unit was replaced in the EEC in 1972 some 43 years ago now, so does this mean you have in Germany some stick in the muds like we do in the UK [myself included ] Anyway my apologies and it shows you live and learn.

habits die hard. I still order a 1/4 pound of cheese, just because it rolls easier of the tongue than 1/8 Kilo. I would not say 2 pounds though. Most people still call the folding metre stick a Zollstock (=inchstick), which is funny, never heard an English native speakers saying yard stick. My grandma used to give me a Thaler when I did a chore as a kid, and that currency hasn't been around since before her birth in the late 19th century. ...

Best regards
Thomas

Quoting tommy1808 (Reply 47): never heard an English native speakers saying yard stick.

That's interesting. It's a term used more in the abstract, although very rarely, and probably more of a generational thing:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/yardstick?s=t

Quoting DeltaMD90 (Reply 43): you're acting like a switch to metric would leave you confused for life with a bunch of measurements you won't be able to master, instead of a few weeks (maybe months) of getting used to it.

Just for fun, I can personally state that the introduction of metric measurements caused me a good deal of inconvenience! In that, as it happened, I was working as a 'chartered surveyor' at the time!

The 'imperial system' was perfect for the purposes of, as one example, getting a pretty good quick estimate of the area of a field. Given that a yard was about one pace, a foot was just about the length of a human foot, and that both measurements were divisible by one, two, three, six, twelve, etc. Perfect for roughly pacing out the dimensions of a field or building site, for example. As soon as the metric system came into use, we were condemned to having to measure all the areas out with a tape or chain, and then record the size in square metres (with copious use of decimal points).

Point is that the 'imperial' system was based on 'human' measurements - a foot was literally a booted foot, a yard was literally a 'long pace,' even an inch was close to the size of the top joint of a grownup's thumb..........

We were reduced to having to measure everything with a surveyor's chain (66 feet in those days) - and then convert it into metric, including the inevitable decimal points. The resulting measurements invariably left everyone, including the clients, absolutely bemused as to what the approximate size of a given piece of land was - as one example, an old-fashioned (but universally recognised) acre worked out as 4,046.9 square metres.  

We all 'lived through it' - but the change resulted in a great deal of confusion at the time.   And absolutely nothing was gained, as far as I know.......

[Edited 2015-01-24 23:28:27]