Comments on: A call to legalise distance signage in metres on UK roads

By: Andy

Andy — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:26:51 +0000

Surely the system IS broken! Everyone under the age of about 40 has been educated in metric. It is ludicrous to begin the changeover and give up halfway through!

The problem is that metrication has long-term benefits and short-term cost. The politicians only care about the short-term.

By: George Carty

George Carty — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 11:39:59 +0000

I buy my petrol in multiples of 4.5 litres (approx 1 imperial gallon) so itâ€™s easy enough to work out.

I thought the vast majority of people in Britain bought their petrol in units of pounds sterling…

By: Chris Alchin

Chris Alchin — Wed, 30 May 2007 13:07:13 +0000

Dave Brown alleges I use a calculator to work out my mpg as I buy my petrol in litres. Poppycock, sir! I buy my petrol in multiples of 4.5 litres (approx 1 imperial gallon) so it’s easy enough to work out. I have also known that 250cc = approx 15 cubic inches since I was a teenager.

By: Peter K

Peter K — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 16:38:04 +0000

Tabitha, the article you have commented on is about metres, not kilometres. Having said that, are you really saying that you think people in this country don’t know that a kilometre is 1000 metres?

“Why change something that isn’t broken?”, you ask. Well, the article tells me that the use of the yard on road signs in Wales is, if not broken, certainly in need of change.

By: Tabitha Jones

Tabitha Jones — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 19:03:23 +0000

The majority of Britons like the yard and mile. We are used to mph. Why change something that isn’t broken? It doesn’t make sense, seeing as many people object to the kilometre. The UKMA’s absurd idea that the kilometre is known by everyone is absolute rubbish. The UKMA should interview people all around the country, then think about what they are saying.

By: Robin Paice

Robin Paice — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 14:11:05 +0000

Chris Alchin’s comment doesn’t really relate to the article he is commenting on, but we let it go because it gives an opportunity to refute a viewpoint which we sometimes come across.

Anybody brought up in the UK has to cope with two incompatible systems of measurement. Some, like Chris Alchin, may think they cope perfectly well, but many others, including many journalists, struggle to cope. This particularly disadvantages people with minimal education, limited ability to calculate, or poor eyesight. They are vulnerable to being misled and ripped off by unscrupulous traders. Why make it difficult when it would be so much simpler to standardise on a single system?

Every country needs a system of weights and measures. Nobody needs two systems.

For further discussion see UKMA’s website at this link

By: Dave Brown

Dave Brown — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 18:59:51 +0000

Chris Alchin may well be quite happy to describe his motorcycle in those terms. However, when his American aquaintance says that his engine is 24 cubic inches, and his Asian aquaintance says that his seat height is 75 cm, and his African aquaintance says that his vehicle consumes 5 litres per 100km, will the conversation have served any real purpose? (Of course Chris will be the only one who has had to use a calculator to compute his miles per gallon figure, as he buys his petrol in litres.)

By: Chris Alchin

Chris Alchin — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 03:48:34 +0000

I grew up educated in metric units but thankfully had a primary school teacher who explained imperial measurements to us as well. Imperial measurements are part of the everyday culture of this country – I see no incongruity whatsoever in using and being allowed to use both systems. I have no problem using imperial measurements and find them much more pleasing to speak than metric units – we should never overlook the power of poetry. What I will not do is allow other people to force me to think differently about the physical world in which I live – if I choose to visualise the world in feet and inches, gallons and miles and write these words into any documents I create then it is my business and not anyone else’s. Live and let live. I am quite happy to say that my old bike is 500cc, has a 29 inch seat height and does 75 miles per gallon. Confused? Not really. Just individual.

By: Phil Hall

Phil Hall — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 18:05:49 +0000

In response to John’s question I would say the main problem is that Mr Leigh (like many others) is looking at the issue in too narrow a context.

UKMA do not claim that the change-over to the metric system will dramatically improve safety, at least not in a manner that will be immediately obvious.

We do claim though that it stands to reason that if motorists are having to absorb information in a mixture of incompatible units it is likely to make life more difficult than it need be. Safety implications could well flow from that.

The case for change is well made on the UKMA web site which involves taking a broader perspective than that shown by Mr Leigh.

If politicians resolve to make the change based on common sense reasoning then they will have to exercise proper leadership and be prepared to make the case on its merits instead of being driven by the shallow, ill-informed and reactive nonsense such as we got from the media last February, fueled by disinformation about cost published by the DfT.

The real agenda I’m afraid is populism and the lack of courage to stand up for what is right for Britain.

By: John Frewen-Lord

John Frewen-Lord — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 20:14:13 +0000

I received a reply from my MP, Mr Edward Leigh, in response to my request that road signs in the UK be converted to metric. His reply was: “I have not seen compelling evidence to suggest that changing road signs to metric would improve highway safety. I am afraid I cannot, therefore, share your view that road signs should be altered to metric.”

Very sad again, and I wonder what the real agenda is when so many MPs seem to be against the move.