Date: Sun, 20 Feb 2005 08:31:47 +1100 From: Peter Wilkins <wilkinsp_nospamnospamail.com.au> Subject: Re: 9-5 gas mileage?
On Sat, 19 Feb 2005 09:56:16 -0600, Shane Almeida <almeida.spam.is.evilnospam.is.evil.mindless.com> wrote : >How much do you think it would cost to switch all the street signs that=20 >are in miles or miles per hour to kilometers or kilometers per hour? =20 >Don't forget: you can't just the switch the units, you'd also have to=20 >physically move the signs, otherwise "Boston 1 Mile" would become = "Boston=20 >1.609344 kilometers." Is it worth spending millions or maybe even=20 >billions of dollars to switch just to synchronize our measurements with=20 >the rest of the world? A recent study I read (I think in the US, but can't remember) has shown that accidents are greatly reduced, traffic flow improved and fewer instances of road rage experienced when ALL traffic control devices (street signs, traffic lights, lane markings etc) are removed. Drivers behaved responsibly to get the most effective road use. Apparently the reason it works is that if you treat drivers like idiots, they behave that way: treat them as thinking adults and they behave responsibly. So don't replace all the signs, just remove them..... > >And aside from all the money we'd have to spend, metric isn't any more=20 >convenient for measuring distance in an automobile than the US system. =20 >The nice thing about metric in science and engineering is that the units= =20 >are all related in some way. What good does that do me when I'm = driving? Gives you a warm fuzzy feeling? I guess not, unless you are incontinent! But it does make cars a bit cheaper to build if the speedo can be delivered with just one configuration, and ditto for the manuals. Now, if only we could do something about that silly little thing of driving on the wrong side of the road (well, the right side actually, but you know what I mean) things would be much easier when I come visit. Heaven forbid that WE should change!!! > >So, really, what's the point? What exactly would we gain by switching = to=20 >metric for distances? You really need to come up with a better argument= =20 >from switching than "testosterone." Testosterone is a good reason. I love testosterone. =20 At my age, I wish I had a lot more of it. And an even better reason is that my old fella is a lot bigger in cm than in inches. But then, in our metric system, I'm not allowed to use cm - I have to use mm, so it doesn't matter what system we use, the bureaucracy will do their best to stuff it up bigtime. :-( --=20 Regards, Peter Wilkins
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