# Things that are measured in metric/imperial in imperial/metric countries? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 12, 2016, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-measured-in-metric-imperial-in-imperial-metric-countries/742910 "2016-01-12T06:23:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-measured-in-metric-imperial-in-imperial-metric-countries/742910/41 "2016-01-20T20:47:38Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Yeah the UK is quite a hodge-podge of metric and imperial units. > And schools have been gradually phasing out out the imperial units, so you could almost guess someone’s age by the degree to which they’ve shifted over. > > I was probably right in the middle of this transition growing up, as I sometimes even mix units in one sentence: “It’s about a mile away and 50 metres tall” And temperature. Use Celsius if it cold and Farenheit if it is hot. Hell, I remember when you used to get both when the weather came on the telly. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-measured-in-metric-imperial-in-imperial-metric-countries/742910/42 "2016-01-20T20:52:22Z")
[quote=“OldGuy, post:34, topic:742910”] > [@msmith537](#): > > It’s a lot easier if you think 1.73 meters. 2 meters is a bit over 6 feet 6 inches (or 78 inches) This is a bit under 7/8 of that so a bit under 70 inches (5’ 10") so it’s pretty average for a man and a bit tall for a woman. And us Brits got very used to 12 inches being approximately 30cm as all our rulers in school had both on them. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-measured-in-metric-imperial-in-imperial-metric-countries/742910/43 "2016-01-20T21:24:12Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Coincidence between two words of completely different origins. > > A _robada_ is the area which would give you a _robo_ of cereal (a volume of 28.13cl, which of course isn’t its original definition). And yes, _robo_ in its most usual aception means robbery. But in this case it comes from the Arabic _rub_ (don’t know how to spell it in Arabic), meaning quarter, rather than from the Middle Ages Latin _raubare_, to steal. > > [Robo 1 vs 2.](http://dle.rae.es/?id=WYGycUZ%7CWYHC5ED) > > [Robada.](http://dle.rae.es/?id=WXPDmJ8) > > [Arroba](http://dle.rae.es/?id=3ljwHF8) has the same Arabic root. > > [Robar](http://dle.rae.es/?id=WXknmzC) is from a Germanic root via Latin. And [Robata](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robatayakihttp://) is delicious no matter how you spell it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-measured-in-metric-imperial-in-imperial-metric-countries/742910/44 "2016-01-21T00:29:19Z")
What about land area of measure? Does any other country still use acres? StG ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-measured-in-metric-imperial-in-imperial-metric-countries/742910/45 "2016-01-21T00:38:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **Hari Seldon** : > > Is 1000 Km a Mm? Yup. You don’t see it used much here on Earth, but solar physicists use megameters all the time for measuring features on the surface of the Sun. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-measured-in-metric-imperial-in-imperial-metric-countries/742910/46 "2016-01-21T00:38:11Z")
I’ve been taking cough medicine for two weeks now, and the same measuring cup has lines for milliliters, ounces, drams and teaspoons. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-measured-in-metric-imperial-in-imperial-metric-countries/742910/47 "2016-01-21T00:54:54Z")
I think nearly all fasteners on all US-manufactured automobiles are now metric. I believe (correct me if I’m wrong) that when you buy a metric socket set pretty much anywhere in the world, the ratchet will be either 1/4", 3/8" or 1/2". ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-measured-in-metric-imperial-in-imperial-metric-countries/742910/48 "2016-01-21T02:47:40Z")
Skis are measured in centimeters. Motorcycle engines are measured in cubic centimeters. Pretty much everything else is inches, feet and yards around here. On a side note, why are people who try to sell skis on craigslist and ebay so fuckin’ stupid as to NOT list how long skis are in the ad? Its like shoes, people! If I wear a size 11, a size 7 ain’t gonna work! Pisses me off! ---
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-measured-in-metric-imperial-in-imperial-metric-countries/742910/49 "2016-01-21T04:23:22Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > yeah, but I like to imagine a bank robber stopping in his tracks to measure himself. 🙂 > It sounds like a Monty Python skit. FYI, the height measures in banks long pre-date security cameras. They are actually quite useful, being positioned by the doorway any robber has to pass within close proximity as they enter/exit the bank, which provides staff and other witnesses an objective estimate of the bandits height. If you think on it for a minute, in describing a bandit what height estimate would be given by a bank teller who was 5’2" as opposed to an estimate by a 6’ tall teller? With the height strip you can at least get closer to an objective description. ---
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-measured-in-metric-imperial-in-imperial-metric-countries/742910/50 "2016-01-21T04:31:14Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > As I understand it, Australian beer sizes are a hodgepodge that varies by state, and not always obviously referring to a specific size. Pre-packaged beers are all standard in millilitres, buying a glass of beer over the bar is where it gets interesting, and sizing is all to do with type of glass you get it served in. The three most common are: Pot (called a Middy in some states) - 10 fl oz (285 ml) Schooner - This is by and large the default beer size throughout most of Australia and I believe would be understood by bartenders everywhere - 15 fl oz (425ml) Pint - Again a common term all round Australia - 20 fl oz (570 ml) ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-measured-in-metric-imperial-in-imperial-metric-countries/742910/51 "2016-01-21T04:47:24Z")
> [@GreedySmurf](#): > > Pre-packaged beers are all standard in millilitres, buying a glass of beer over the bar is where it gets interesting, and sizing is all to do with type of glass you get it served in. The three most common are: > Pot (called a Middy in some states) - 10 fl oz (285 ml) > Schooner - This is by and large the default beer size throughout most of Australia and I believe would be understood by bartenders everywhere - 15 fl oz (425ml) > Pint - Again a common term all round Australia - 20 fl oz (570 ml) Yeah, sorry, I meant in bars. In the US, schooner isn’t a common term, but is usually a term for a [type of glass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schooner_%28glass%29) irrespective of size. It’s usually a Newcastle Brown Ale marketing term. 1/2 pint seems much more tiny than I remember, though. That page also says that in South Australia, pots are called schooners, which is what I was referring the variability by state. ---
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-measured-in-metric-imperial-in-imperial-metric-countries/742910/52 "2016-01-21T09:25:34Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Yeah, sorry, I meant in bars. > > In the US, schooner isn’t a common term, but is usually a term for a [type of glass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schooner_%28glass%29) irrespective of size. It’s usually a Newcastle Brown Ale marketing term. 1/2 pint seems much more tiny than I remember, though. > > That page also says that in South Australia, pots are called schooners, which is what I was referring the variability by state. I didn’t know that. Although I’ve only been in SA once. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-measured-in-metric-imperial-in-imperial-metric-countries/742910.md?page=2)