How Metric is the UK?

[KLRchickie]

Just curious...

I know that fuel is sold in litres (as it is here in Canada) & I *think* things like produce are sold in Kilograms....

Is your speed limit posting in Kilometers or Miles?  Are the speedometers/odometers on your vehicles in Kilometers, Miles, or dual scale?  I know that Europe is totally metric, I'm curious about the UK.

Inquiring minds would like to know

[vfr boy]

Fuel is in litres, but we measure consumption in mpg!
Most stuff is sold by the metre now, but we still measure roads in miles.
Beer is in pints and quite rightly so.

[Snowdog]

If you want real confusion try Ireland (the Republic that is) - distances are in kilometres, speed limits are in MPH, or at least they were when I was last there.

Here everything is metric apart from beer in pints and distances and limits in miles like vfr boy says. There have even been a couple of cases of people being prosecuted for selling stuff in pounds and ounces.

[Baron Samedi]

Sadly, the UK is not in the Euro yet. Currency is still in Pounds Sterling but in metric Pounds Sterling. £,S,D long gone now   -I used like like 240d to the £.
MPH is still with us.
It's a real mix, as our flat earthers resist change. Sometimes rightly (as in pints of beer) sometimes wrongly, as in Euros. Horses still race in furlongs and cricket pitches are still measured in yards.

[spinalator]

They weigh each other using the term stone, which I think harkens back to the 1200's. I am 19 stone in weight in case you are wondering.

[Baron Samedi]

They weigh each other using the term stone, which I think harkens back to the 1200's. I am 19 stone in weight in case you are wondering.

I can never translate Mericun pounds into stone without long mental exercise.  

[Baz]

I can never translate Mericun pounds into stone without long mental exercise.  

 

[Global Rider]

I know that Europe is totally metric, I'm curious about the UK.

Canada went metric ages ago. The US still hasn't figured it out. In fact the US and some tiny country in Africa are the few that still go by the "other" system.

Yes, I remember a combination of both systems when I blew through the UK in 1995 and 2005.

A country that came up with 5280 feet to a mile, 12 inches to a foot and 3 feet to a yard. 

Nothing Imperial makes sense.

[KLRchickie]

Canada went metric ages ago. The US still hasn't figured it out.


<>


Nothing Imperial makes sense.

Yes, we have been metric in Canada for most of my life, it is the only set of units I was taught in school.  We see plenty of Imperial units *alongside* the metric units (and originally Imperial sizes converted over --- 454g of butter, 946ml of oil), due to our proximity to the US, but things are all officially dealt with in metric.  An an Engineer in an oil & gas related business I am expected to be conversant in both, depending on what our customer customarily uses.

The schizophrenic measurements described as being in use in the UK are what I thought to be the case, but it still looks crazy as people type it out!  

[Ant]

Distance is the only Imperial measurement that is regularly used in an official (state) capacity. Never quite figured out why though. The funny thing is that I am a child of the metric system so I can't think in pounds and yards etc However I know how far a mile is to drive but I struggle to visualise a kilometre. I guess it is just how you get used to thinking when driving and seeing road signs.

Oh, and pints of course! Although the UK had to get special dispensation from the EU (damn them all) to be able to serve beer in pints (as they ought to be! And not that silly small American pint ), it is illegal to sell anything solely in imperial units.

[Global Rider]

Although the UK had to get special dispensation from the EU to be able to serve beer in pints (as they ought to be! And not that silly small American pint )

The beer I buy here comes in 500 ml bottles, but then its imported. After all, we are talking about real beer, aren't we?  

[throttlemeister]

*snicker*

Real beer and England do not fit in the same sentence.  

[Baron Samedi]

*snicker*

Real beer and England do not fit in the same sentence.  

And Dutch piss water does?  

[Global Rider]

*snicker*

Real beer and England do not fit in the same sentence. 

And Dutch piss water does?  

Well alla you guys canna fighta alla you want. I'm going where the real beer is...Germany and "some" neighbouring countries.

Come to think of it, I'll be drinking some by noon Friday your time.

[Aero]

If you want real confusion try Ireland (the Republic that is)

Rumours persist that Ireland will soon start driving on the right. A staged transition is envisaged, with cars starting to drive on the right at first, followed by trucks the next day....