Comments on: Metric Map: Which Countries Don’t Belong With The Others?

By: Jake B

Jake B — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 05:47:59 +0000

Uhhh…Canada was able to do it just fine, as was the rest of the world. I think it’s just plain laziness and arrogant ignorance. Remember, the USA is also guilty of never even giving itself a NAME. The “United States of America” is the equivalent of the “Confederate Provinces of America” , which is what Canada would be if people had been too lazy to name it.

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By: » Diffusion in Networks: Metric vs. Imperial » Cornell Info 2040 - Networks

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 22:12:24 +0000

[...] http://hubpages.com/hub/metric_system_vs_imperial_system http://matadorabroad.com/metric-map-which-countries-dont-belong-with-the-others Posted in Topics: Education These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can [...]

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By: Alaina O'Brien

Alaina O'Brien — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:35:18 +0000

This is continually a source of frustration for me! Especially when it comes to the weather…

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By: Kit

Kit — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:49:57 +0000

The author makes a blanket statment that the US clings to an outmoded system of measurement. Outmoded by who? By the measurement police? Or maybe it’s because the author is unfamiliar with feet, miles, and degrees fahrenheit? Maybe it’s the author that really is the idiot here, when she travels to the US?

When I travel to another country, I don’t expect them to be using my familiar ways to measure things. I make sure I understand what their ways using kilometers and celcius. That’s just the way it is. Why should I make another country bend to my way of thinking? Just because the US and a few other countries use the imperial system, why should they change? Because majority rules? Or is it a small minority that is uncomfortable with something different and want to force their way of things on others?

I think the quote “she takes what she wants and leaves the rest” in the author’s profile kind of explains a lot about her attitude towards others.

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By: Eliud Rodriguez

Eliud Rodriguez — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:06:35 +0000

Puerto Rico, as a US territory, has to use the system the US tell them to do, but also has influenced from other latinamerican countries and also used the metric system. But this issue is not limited to distances, it also influenced in speed limits (mph vs kmph), weights (lbs vs kg), heights (ft-in vs m), temperature (C vs F), land area (sqm vs sqft) and volume (g vs l) among others. As some local politicians say, “We have the best of both worlds” but personally not too proud..

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By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:04:54 +0000

Switching products and tools to the metric system shouldn’t be that big of an issue. Most tools have both systems on them already, including measuring cups, measuring tape, odometers, and maps. A gradual transition could be painless.

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By: Jared Romey

Jared Romey — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:57:26 +0000

Puerto Rico has confused things even further….everyone here uses miles, and has no idea how far a kilometer is, but all highway distance markers are in kilometers!!!

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By: Domingueiras « Batata Transgênica

Domingueiras « Batata Transgênica — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 14:26:14 +0000

[...] [Via @emersonpardo] “There are more communist countries than there are countries not using the metric system.” [Matador Abroad]. [...]

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By: Will

Will — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:06:56 +0000

Switching to the metric system is far more of a problem than the Standard system.

Let’s look at it: If it’s not instantaneous, it will cause problems in the transition. Besides that it will need to be instantaneous thought change too. You cannot change the thought process of so many million people. But I digress…

Government passes a bill requiring this change in measurement. Now let’s assume that manufacturers, publishers, or anyone who mass produces products will make the switch. Now we have metric products out there; for example, cook books, operating manuals, small engines, construction hardware, etc. What happens when the consumers of these cook books, and so on, only have Standard tools? There are roughly 240mL in a cup. A cup has 8oz, 8 x 29.57 (that is if the person knows the conversion). Or small engines that are now metric, but once required a Standard socket set? Operating manuals for the same reason. Construction of buildings in Standard system are being repaired or getting add-ons that are now in metric. As mentioned before, roadsigns and maps will all need to be changed. Odometers will be in either metric, or Standard, but drivers might need to know information in the other measurement.

Sure these are little problems, but there will be millions upon millions of little problems.

So why bother when it is infinitely easier to keep the Standard system? And who cares anyway? What really bothers me is the way this article is written. Let’s paint these countries in a bad light because they still use the Standard system. I’m pretty sure that’s not slowing any country down.

And whoever doesn’t know the Standard measurements, in their respective countries, needs to go back to school.

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By: Rich

Rich — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:19:37 +0000

The UK still uses the Imperial system too, for some day-to-day things:

Distance (road signs are in miles/yards but the roads people measure them in kms!)
Weight (shops have to sell in kg/grammes etc but people still think in lbs)

The Irish Republic moved from miles to kms a few years ago – hopefully the UK will do the same one day, but they won’t because the majority of people will think it’s some trick to get them to join the EU…

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