# Measurement standards for real people **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 16, 2016, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681 "2016-10-16T04:59:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SantaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@SantaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SantaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/1 "2016-10-16T04:59:26Z")
Forget SI and Imperial and such. Real people use other standards for measurement. Examples: distance - laid end to end they would go around the world “N” times. “It would go from the earth to the moon “N” times” “it would stretch from New York to Los Angeles” volume - swimming pools area - the size of Rhode Island or Texas; football field/soccer field width of a hair height - Empire state building “N” items would fit on the head of a pin Also the size of a refrigerator, school bus Of course, the National Weather Service refers to hail the size of golf balls or baseball, or basketball Others? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/2 "2016-10-16T05:53:54Z")
Hail the size of a basketball? Now that I’d like to see. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/3 "2016-10-16T05:59:09Z")
Fantasy author Fritz Leiber, in his “Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser” stories, always used physical distances such as palm-widths, arms-lengths, stone’s-throws, bowshots, and the like. He measured time in heartbeats (noting the difference between a calm heartbeat and a frenzied one.) This gave the stories a kind of naturalism, and universalism, and a pre-industrial naivete. Many years ago, in a live-action role-playing-game, I was “Gnug,” the chief of a small tribe of stone-age people. I gave a particular measurement in “Gnugs.” Someone asked, so I mimed measuring from the ground up to my own height. “One Gnug.” ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/4 "2016-10-16T07:02:50Z")
Nothing beats a smoot. “The smoot is a nonstandard, humorous unit of length created as part of an MIT fraternity prank. It is named after Oliver R. Smoot, a fraternity pledge to Lambda Chi Alpha, who in October 1958 lay down repeatedly on the Harvard Bridge (between Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts) so that his fraternity brothers could use his height to measure the length of the bridge.” > **[Smoot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoot)** > > The smoot /ˈsmuːt/ is a nonstandard, humorous unit of length created as part of an MIT fraternity pledge to Lambda Chi Alpha by Oliver R. Smoot, who in October 1958 lay down repeatedly on the Harvard Bridge between Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, so that his fraternity brothers could use his height to measure the length of the bridge. > > One smoot is equal to Oliver Smoot's height at the time of the prank, 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m). The bridge's length was measured to be 364.4 smoots (2,035 ... ---
**Author:** ![ASGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@ASGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/5 "2016-10-16T12:06:41Z")
Bill: “How far is it to Santa Monica?” Sue: “About 90 minutes from here.” ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/6 "2016-10-16T12:29:43Z")
State of the economy: The number of ‘Apply here’ at fast food and retail stores. Especially if they’re offering signing and retention bonuses. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/7 "2016-10-16T14:05:14Z")
> **[List of humorous units of measurement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_humorous_units_of_measurement)** > > Many people have made use of, or invented, units of measurement intended primarily for their humor value. This is a list of such units invented by sources that are notable for reasons other than having made the unit itself, and that are widely known in the anglophone world for their humor value. > Most countries use the International System of Units (SI). In contrast, the furlong/firkin/fortnight system of units of measurement draws attention by being extremely old fashioned and off-beat at t... Sheppey is my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/8 "2016-10-16T16:09:11Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > Nothing beats a smoot. > > “The smoot is a nonstandard, humorous unit of length created as part of an MIT fraternity prank. It is named after Oliver R. Smoot, a fraternity pledge to Lambda Chi Alpha, who in October 1958 lay down repeatedly on the Harvard Bridge (between Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts) so that his fraternity brothers could use his height to measure the length of the bridge.” > [Smoot - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoot) I find it amusing that much later Oliver Smoot was chair of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and then president of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/9 "2016-10-16T16:14:44Z")
Pouring some liquid such as floor wax from a gallon jug? Behold the _glug_–“give it about three glugs.” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/10 "2016-10-16T16:17:54Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > Nothing beats a smoot. > > “The smoot is a nonstandard, humorous unit of length created as part of an MIT fraternity prank. It is named after Oliver R. Smoot, a fraternity pledge to Lambda Chi Alpha, who in October 1958 lay down repeatedly on the Harvard Bridge (between Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts) so that his fraternity brothers could use his height to measure the length of the bridge.” > [Smoot - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoot) > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I find it amusing that much later Oliver Smoot was chair of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and then president of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). I walked over that bridge a few months ago in the springtime. The smoot measurements are still there, lovingly repainted every year. Plus various other signs by frats & sororities. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/11 "2016-10-16T16:21:41Z")
In food preparation, a pinch of salt and a dollop of sour cream and a dusting of flour and a dash of lemon juice. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/12 "2016-10-16T16:24:54Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > Nothing beats a smoot. > > “The smoot is a nonstandard, humorous unit of length created as part of an MIT fraternity prank. It is named after Oliver R. Smoot, a fraternity pledge to Lambda Chi Alpha, who in October 1958 lay down repeatedly on the Harvard Bridge (between Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts) so that his fraternity brothers could use his height to measure the length of the bridge.” > [Smoot - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoot) > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I find it amusing that much later Oliver Smoot was chair of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and then president of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Smoots are a measurement option in Google Earth. ---
**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/13 "2016-10-16T16:33:46Z")
Height of buildings: Stories 20 stories tall, 100 stories tall, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/14 "2016-10-16T17:53:16Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > In food preparation, a pinch of salt and a dollop of sour cream and a dusting of flour and a dash of lemon juice. And a splash of red wine to that. It couldn’t hurt. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/15 "2016-10-16T18:52:26Z")
For measuring real people, I prefer non-negative integers. Any other measure – rational numbers, real numbers, negative integers, etc., and you run into serious difficulties: what does it mean to have 1.436 people? Or 1/3rd of a person? Or -27 people? Non-negative integers make it very instinctive and clear to most people. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/16 "2016-10-16T19:08:16Z")
You can actually buy tiny measuring spoons marked as “tad, dash, pinch, smidgen and drop” ([example](https://www.amazon.com/Norpro-3080-Stainless-Measuring-smidgen/dp/B0009X1P9S)). Apparently a “tad” is 1/4 teaspoon, and it gets smaller from there. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/17 "2016-10-16T19:11:39Z")
In places with good public transportation, distances given in subway stops or bus stops. It may even be that the distance isn’t even on an actual route, but “it would be about two subway stops away, if there was a line in that direction”. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/18 "2016-10-16T19:18:10Z")
Real estate listings in Japan all give walking distance from the closest train station, in minutes. It’s actually defined in law - it’s supposed to be calculated at 80 meter/min (3.0 mph) walking speed, rounded up to the next minute. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/19 "2016-10-16T19:37:20Z")
Traditionally in Los Angeles all driving distances were given in minutes. e.g. “How far is your commute to work? About 30 minutes. To the beach? 10 minutes.” I suspect that has declined in popularity as the place has gotten more crowded and the traffic denser and more unpredictable. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681/20 "2016-10-16T20:17:42Z")
Songs, or albums. My workout is timed by songs, my run by albums. A quick round-the-block a couple of times is _Rocket To Russia_, a decent stretch out is _Quadrophenia_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measurement-standards-for-real-people/768681.md?page=2)