Why is USA still use the old imperail system not metric??? (plse no politics here)

[major-mark63]

3 countries in the world  still use the old system of inches pounds miles and others .

Why USa didnt switched to metric like 99% of the world did it???

Since i know Reagan reversed the conversion what is the main reason??

 

[Timmah!]

I suppose, because industry was built-up around imperial units since colonial times & the cost would be considerable to change over.

I like metric in that the base units of each are proportional: 1 cubic centimeter = 1 gram = 1 milliliter. 

And, of course it all being based on units of 10, making scientific notation a lot nicer when performing operations & calculations in Algebra or Calculus, etc.

Edited March 6, 2025 by Timmah!
Shitty spell incorrect...hey you were spelling that right, lemme fuck it up for you

[J3st3r]

I'de like to know where the hell all of the missing 10mm sockets end up. I never loose the 3/8 and 7/16 sockets but every thinking time I need a 10mm socket, it's MIA.

 

[major-mark63]

Yes Indeed its costly most countries did it.

i know  American car industry is metric for long time ive worked in a GM factory 20 yrs ago was all metrics.

[major-mark63]

I just want to know the logic on why 12 inches in a foot , why 5000 more feets in a mile why not 5000 even , who decide ounces in a pound, and the worst Fareinheit zero corresponds to what and the 100 degree, like metric 0 is freezing point and 100 boiling point of water....

i was around 10 or 12 when metric came ,

Now im almost all converted temperature , kilos , KM,  but we still use inches in construction we order 2 x 4 studs 8 feet long

[major-mark63]

Ho i forgot the  fucking screws 8-24 or 10-32 and others all mixed up vwhat is size 6 or 10 wood screws im pretty confused

all mixed up in my drawer with the M6 M8 M10 metric the number says the actual size in MM but imperial is what??

[major-mark63]

12 minutes ago, major-mark63 said:

Ho i forgot the  fucking screws 8-24 or 10-32 and others all mixed up vwhat is size 6 or 10 wood screws im pretty confused

all mixed up in my drawer with the M6 M8 M10 metric the number says the actual size in MM but imperial is what??

I think ill sit back and have a beer or two...

[BlackRose]

hubby is tool and die and vehicle tech and he uses metric,,in canada of course,,but I hate metric I use inches,,hahahaha

[GandR]

Here's your answer!  Ha

 

Edited March 6, 2025 by GandR

[Merlin007]

In reality though, we don't just use metric in Canada either, it's still a mix.  In automotive design, it's metric, when you go buy lumber, it's imperial.  Depends on what it is.

Personally, I've always used imperial and to be honest, I don't even own a measuring tape that is metric.  it's on my tool list but haven't the need yet. haha

[TBB]

6 hours ago, major-mark63 said:

I just want to know the logic on why 12 inches in a foot , why 5000 more feets in a mile why not 5000 even , who decide ounces in a pound, and the worst Fareinheit zero corresponds to what and the 100 degree, like metric 0 is freezing point and 100 boiling point of water....

i was around 10 or 12 when metric came ,

Now im almost all converted temperature , kilos , KM,  but we still use inches in construction we order 2 x 4 studs 8 feet long

We have 12" to the foot so subway's Foot Long is accurate!!!

[TheCheeseyCrusader]

 

[Timmah!]

11 hours ago, major-mark63 said:

I just want to know the logic on why 12 inches in a foot , why 5000 more feets in a mile why not 5000 even , who decide ounces in a pound, and the worst Fareinheit zero corresponds to what and the 100 degree, like metric 0 is freezing point and 100 boiling point of water....

i was around 10 or 12 when metric came ,

Now im almost all converted temperature , kilos , KM,  but we still use inches in construction we order 2 x 4 studs 8 feet long

Ancient Roman definition of a foot being the average length if a human foot. 

Although credited to the Babylonians by some, 360 degrees in a circle originates with another ancient Mesopotamian civilization: The Sumerlans.  

They would use their thumb to count each of the three segments on the four fingers, arriving at 12.

They would then keep track of these multiples of twelve with the other hand's five fingers, arriving at sixty, their base numerical system.

Hence the subdivisions of 60 minutes, 60 seconds, 12 months in a year, roughly 360 days in a year, 360 of those days for the earth to complete its circle of 360 degrees, etc.

I imagine the contemporary Akkadians would have also used this system. 

 

Edited March 7, 2025 by Timmah!

[lTplkey336]

19 hours ago, Merlin007 said:

In reality though, we don't just use metric in Canada either, it's still a mix.  In automotive design, it's metric, when you go buy lumber, it's imperial.  Depends on what it is.

Personally, I've always used imperial and to be honest, I don't even own a measuring tape that is metric.  it's on my tool list but haven't the need yet. haha

LOL , my son that just got laid off from sumatoma rubber in the states just gave me a metric  tape measure from his tools when he cleaned out his locker. First one I ever had or seen And I'm 72.

[lTplkey336]

15 hours ago, Timmah! said:

Ancient Roman definition of a foot being the average length if a human foot. 

Although credited to the Babylonians by some, 360 degrees in a circle originates with another ancient Mesopotamian civilization: The Sumerlans.  

They would use their thumb to count each of the three segments on the four fingers, arriving at 12.

They would then keep track of these multiples of twelve with the other hand's five fingers, arriving at sixty, their base numerical system.

Hence the subdivisions of 60 minutes, 60 seconds, 12 months in a year, roughly 360 days in a year, 360 of those days for the earth to complete its circle of 360 degrees, etc.

I imagine the contemporary Akkadians would have also used this system. 

 

Some how I knew that you would know that Timmah lol!

[Timmah!]

10 minutes ago, lTplkey336 said:

Some how I knew that you would know that Timmah lol!

Western Civilization was one of my absolute favorite courses in college. 

The YouTube channel 'Fall Of Civilizations' is absolutely amazing, & I can't recommend it highly enough!

The fact that channel's content is free is astounding. 

[WldPenguin]

Sometimes, inches sound better than centimeters

[TBB]

4 hours ago, WldPenguin said:

Sometimes, inches sound better than centimeters

As long as the number is big enough!!

[DragonVVV]

A lot of people in the US are used by the old imperial system so the switch between that and the metric would take a while so I can understand not wanting to switch.

[major-mark63]

3 hours ago, DragonVVV said:

A lot of people in the US are used by the old imperial system so the switch between that and the metric would take a while so I can understand not wanting to switch.

Why others did well too..?