# U.S. Intention to Convert To Metric **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 25, 2004, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954 "2004-04-25T20:25:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![citrus\_x\_paradisi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@citrus\_x\_paradisi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/citrus_x_paradisi)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/1 "2004-04-25T20:25:25Z")
While pondering over a box of [Pocky](http://www.alde.com/anime/pocky1.html) not long ago, I came to wonder: Has there been any support for an American conversion to metric? Besides the initial cost of converting hardware, what difficulties could it concievably present to domestic industries? It seems odd to me that in this era of a globalized or globalizing economy, we don’t facilitate it in such an obvious way. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/2 "2004-04-25T20:37:22Z")
We’ve been _going_ to do it at least since the 1970s, as people who were in school then can attest. Some industries have, at least in part, like the automotive, and some people have always been metric, like scientists and, to some extent, physicians. But as for the rest of the US? Nah. I don’t see it happeneing within my lifetime because there’s no reason. It’s a huge initial expense to fully retool everything, remark all the roads and such, and there’s no overrriding reason for us to need to. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/3 "2004-04-25T20:45:05Z")
Official government action will only be effective after the US has converted out of necessity. Industry will convert because they have to. It will be just too expensive to maintain two different systems, one for sale abroad and one for domestic. It will take a long time to convert the general public for use in ordinary conversation but it will happen. Our British members should be able to give us info on how much metric is used in ordinary conversation there. When speaking of how far someplace is from here do most people use kilometers or miles? ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/4 "2004-04-25T20:45:24Z")
as **Derleth** said we all learned in school back in the 70’s that the conversion was coming any time so be prepared! Since then we’ve realized that there is a serious problem with the Metric system: It’s not American. USA Best! We don’t need no stinkin’ commie, pinko meshren system we got our good ol’ confusin’ Merkin one. Screw the French! YEEEEE–haaa! ---
**Author:** ![citrus\_x\_paradisi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@citrus\_x\_paradisi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/citrus_x_paradisi)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/5 "2004-04-25T20:53:42Z")
**I Love Me** , your post reminded me to be thankful that, circumstances being as they are, we haven’t yet converted all systems of measurement to how patriotic something is. Perhaps my concern about the matter is just an offshoot of my irrational distaste for the number twelve. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/6 "2004-04-25T21:17:14Z")
My car gets four rods to the hogshead and that’s the way I like it dammit!! ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/7 "2004-04-25T22:24:20Z")
Re the OP: The economic impetus for swithcing, at least in manufacturing, is gone. I deal with high precision drawings and (as long as I don’t work for NASA) conversion between the two systems is a flip of a software switch. I do remember, however, the signs at college in the seventy-lates reading 25/40, for mph and kph. I think I may have dated myself, there. The idea of a universal system is attractive to the anal retentive types, but once you kick the financial stool out from under them… My brother works in small motor design. The designers there are using nice, round decimal fractions of inches in drafting. That is, instead of 3/16" centers, or some such, they make their drawings on .200" centers. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/8 "2004-04-25T22:24:34Z")
I hate to break it to all your patriots out there, but the U.S. is officially on the metric system and has been since 1875 when we were one of the 17 original signatories to the Convention of the Meter. [http://www.bipm.fr/en/convention/](http://www.bipm.fr/en/convention/) > [@](#): > > The Convention of the Metre is a diplomatic treaty which gives authority to the General Conference on Weights and Measures (Conférence Générale des Poids et Mesures, CGPM), the International Committee for Weights and Measures (Comité International des Poids et Mesures, CIPM) and the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (Bureau International des Poids et Mesures, BIPM) to act in matters of world metrology, particularly concerning the demand for measurement standards of ever increasing accuracy, range and diversity, and the need to demonstrate equivalence between national measurement standards. > > The Convention was signed in Paris in 1875 by representatives of seventeen nations. As well as founding the BIPM and laying down the way in which the activities of the BIPM should be financed and managed, the Metre Convention established a permanent organizational structure for member governments to act in common accord on all matters relating to units of measurement. > > The Convention, modified slightly in 1921, remains the basis of international agreement on units of measurement. There are now fifty-one Member States, including all the major industrialized countries. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/9 "2004-04-25T22:39:18Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > It will take a long time to convert the general public for use in ordinary conversation but it will happen. Our British members should be able to give us info on how much metric is used in ordinary conversation there. When speaking of how far someplace is from here do most people use kilometers or miles? In conversation, at least in my generation (I’m 36), many imperial measurements are still mentioned, but some of that is because these are still used; a person’s height will nearly always be given in feet and inches - their weight will often be quoted in pounds (or stones and pounds - a stone is fourteen pounds), distances are given in miles (but the roads are still marked in miles anyway), pints and pounds are still conversationally very common for consumable items, even though most of these must now be sold in metric measures by law (they can still be priced to show the equivalent pounds, but they will be _sold_ by metric measure). There’s been a fair bit of resistance all the way with the UK conversion to metric, but it isn’t opposition to metric measure, it’s just plain old resistance to _change_ - the same thing happened with decimalisation of currency, the same thing happened with privatisation of services and so on- the public protested. The only trouble is that we don’t actually protest very effectively - English protest seems to consist of complaining to your neighbours, to people you meet on the street and to media reporters, rather than addressing a complaint to any relevant authority. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/10 "2004-04-25T22:44:18Z")
**Exapno** ’s right, and I know it 'cause my US car has km/hr in its speedometer. What? ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/11 "2004-04-25T23:16:49Z")
The automotive industry went metric years ago, but most other industries have resisted. We buy soft drinks in 2 liter bottles, but that’s something of an anomaly, and most other liquids are measured in gallons and fluid ounces. Oh yeah, and the illegal drug trade is all done in metric 😃 Other than that, we still use the old-fashioned units. Length and height are measured in feet and inches, distance is measured in miles (and in many cities, the major roads are laid out on 1 mile[sup]2[/sup] grids), weight is in pounds, and temperatures are in Fahrenheit. And frankly, most Americans are perfectly happy that way. There really isn’t any “economic necessity” to convert. These days, nearly all math is done with compters anyways, and converting between units isn’t as big a deal as most metric users imagine. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/12 "2004-04-25T23:25:22Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > Official government action will only be effective after the US has converted out of necessity. Industry will convert because they have to. It will be just too expensive to maintain two different systems, one for sale abroad and one for domestic. > > It will take a long time to convert the general public for use in ordinary conversation but it will happen. Our British members should be able to give us info on how much metric is used in ordinary conversation there. When speaking of how far someplace is from here do most people use kilometers or miles? Don’t know about Blighty , but up in Canada it really depends on the age of the person. Above a certain age , very little interaction with metric beyond speed limits and gas being sold in liters. Below a certain age , it looks like the metrification has taken root , just god help those kids when we switch back to the american system. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/13 "2004-04-25T23:25:53Z")
_Clarification:_ When I said that “the automotive industry went metric years ago,” what I meant is that engineering is all done in metric (mostly millimeters). Speedometers still read miles per hour (MPH), however, and fuel economy is calculated in miles per gallon. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/14 "2004-04-25T23:26:36Z")
Might help to distinguish between hard and soft conversions. Changing a property in a CAD drawing to display dimensions in metric is a soft conversion. It’s no different than a steel supplier selling 15.875mm cold rolled bar stock instead of half inch. They didn’t do any conversion they just changed the catalog entry. Changing the dimensios of products to they are now at standard, even sizes in metric units is a hard conversion with soda pop bottles being one of the few. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/15 "2004-04-25T23:54:05Z")
**Padeye** , some pop bottles are metric and some are US-style. 1-2 liter big bottles, 20 oz smaller bottles, and 12 oz cans. Sodas usually aren’t sold in such large quantities, but once you go larger than 2 liters you get to the gallon, favored for milk and fruit juices. (1 gallon is 3.78 liters. All US food products are cross-labeled like that. Of course, that’s a semi-soft conversion, and the metric units are usually rounded decimals that aren’t a nice to do math with or as easy to say.) ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2004, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/16 "2004-04-26T00:07:50Z")
Actually, it’s only in the US that the 20 oz and 12 oz sizes are used. I don’t know about Europe, but in the Caribbean they’re well to metric measurements on the various consumer goods. I know that we’d always get 333 mL soda cans on board when we stocked up down there. ---
**Author:** ![Oglomott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oglomott/32/3543_2.png) [@Oglomott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oglomott)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2004, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/17 "2004-04-26T01:14:39Z")
I work for a state highway dept. In the last 30 years, we have “switched” to the metric system twice, and then switched back to english again, most recently a couple of years ago. At one point years ago we installed speed limit signs in dual units, miles per hour and kilometers per hour. The metric signs have since been removed. Recently, all of our standards books and plans were written in metric. It lasted less than a year, and now we’re back to english again. The reason we were given is that while the state was ready to change, most of the private contractors and businesses we deal with weren’t going to. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2004, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/18 "2004-04-26T01:23:47Z")
We were “going to any day now!” when I was in school in the 80s and 90s. The only time I even remember seeing metric was on one of the interstates outside Atlanta, when they had, like, 2 signs with kilometers for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2004, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/19 "2004-04-26T01:31:06Z")
A foolish consistency and all that, said Emerson. I see no reason to purge the system of these old measurements. Why can’t a few systems coexist? In Japan too there are remnants of the old system. Gou and shou are still used for sake units, and the tsubo is regularly used for area (3.3 m square, or something like that). For measuring room interiors, the jyou or area of one tatami mat is used. There are others, too. These units work just fine for their purposes. So do pounds, gallons, feet, inches, and miles. Unless one just _has_ to have everything metric, I don’t see what the problem is. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2004, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954/20 "2004-04-26T01:47:05Z")
I believe the **US Military** has been metric for some time now. And it seems that the Imperial System (aka the 'Merican System) is alive and well and hence the prevalence of all those conversion calculators on the 'Net: [www.1728.com/indexcon.htm](http://www.1728.com/indexcon.htm) [www.megaconverter.com](http://www.megaconverter.com) [www.convertalot.com](http://www.convertalot.com) [http://www.digitaldutch.com/unitconverter/](http://www.digitaldutch.com/unitconverter/) Some of those sites are better than others. For example, megaconveter and digital dutch have poor rounding routines whereby if you convert .00012665 mm to meters you get an answer of _zero_. The first site listed [www.1728.com/indexcon.htm](http://www.1728.com/indexcon.htm) has a much better rounding routine and does _not_ require you to do that “From” “To” nonsense. Oh, that “1728” site is mine but I believe I have judged all those conveters objectively. 😃 Here’s something no one’s mentioned - the **watt** is a metric unit and I guess it’s been used in the US ever since electricity came on the scene. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intention-to-convert-to-metric/241954.md?page=2)