Originally Posted By dagobert I've just browsed through the CIA Factbook and realized that they use the Metric System in all the discriptions. So is the metric system used by government agencies? When I have lived in the US, all cars we rented used both the metric system and miles. I'm sure that's because of Canada. Now I'm wondering if the metric system is more important in the US, than I've thought. Does someone know if WDI uses the metric system when designing the attractions. I'm asking, because I've listened to the Season Pass Podcast with Tim Delaney about building Disneyland Paris. He used meters a lot in the interview. Maybe because DLRP was built in France and so WDI used our system. I assumed that perhaps it's easier to copy attractions to the international Disney parks when using metres.
Originally Posted By SuperDry Space Mountain at TDL experienced a derailment in 2003 due to a US-metric measurement error: <a href="http://www.mouseinfo.com/forums/tokyo-disney-resort/13134-olc-space-mountain-accident-report-released.html" target="_blank">http://www.mouseinfo.com/forum...sed.html</a> According to that report, the ride was originally designed using US units, but in 1995 the plans were switched to metric, apparently including small changes to adjust certain parts to even metric units with all related parts being replaced at the same time to the new specifications. Then in 2002 a set of parts was ordered using the old specifications. This doesn't answer your question directly, other than to say for sure that WDI at least *used* to use US units when designing attractions. It's not really stated in the article whether the US->metric conversion was done by OLC just for TDL's Space Mountain, or if the one in California (which is essentially the same attraction) was switched by WDI at the same time.
Originally Posted By tink2680 uh yeah we totally don't use it...we learn it in elementary school and then you forget most of it. The only thing that most people know is the 2 liter soda bottle. I also know that 100kph is about 60mph...but that is because I took a trip to canada once. I also know that 5ml is one tsp because of the measurement for children's medicines. Beyond that I get confused pretty quickly. If a recipe I want to use is in metric I just don't use it...I have no idea how to measure flour in grams.
Originally Posted By markymouse I'm not speaking from direct experience, but I think a lot of scientists use the metric system in their work, including within the government. I think science is the biggest arena where the metric system is used in the U.S. Medicine and pharmaceuticals is the place non-scientists experience it the most. Lots of milligrams. The funny thing is how much we've incorporated bits of the metric system into our imperial system. We don't flinch when we see how many milligrams of sodium are in our 1 cup serving. And track and field maybe. But it seems to be only specific things like that. As for Disney, I don't know anything but it wouldn't surprise me if mechanical engineers used metric. Anyone know?
Originally Posted By TINK-MOBILE In Canada..we dislike the metric system..our products are for ever changing with the amounts they put in our cereal boxes etc.....we get less and less for our dollar..it is easier for the gas companies to raise prices as it is per liter not per gallon as it used to be...1.35 liter sounds better than 6 dollars or so a gallon...for the more precise measures..the metric system has always been used ..just never filtered down to the peons..we still use yards on our football fields and soccer pitches..it is the Govts that brought in this change....not the people who live here...they would soon turf it if they could...it becomes more of a head ache as most of the older generations do like the old system a lot better...in our daily lives...once we are gone it will be more than likely the opposite...
Originally Posted By oneyepete ^^ You can thank Quebec for that. When are they going to breakaway anyway?
Originally Posted By TINK-MOBILE Never they have lost all ambition..However BC and Alberta could break away and be very successful...
Originally Posted By Schmitty Good Vibes Way back then when they discovered fire, I had a job taking part in designing an entire new city for Columbia, South America. It didn't take long at all for me to learn the metric system. I found it much superior to the U.S.A.'s imperial system. When I joined Caltrans nearly 20 years ago, they were required by the federal government to use the metric system. I thought it was a good idea, but Caltrans had no idea how to implement it. When a dimension of 4 inches was required, we had to put 102 millimeters on our plans (although the true dimension is 101.6 millimeters). You really ought to put down 100 millimeters. There was an issue with this though. If I had a project located anywhere near Mexico, say San Diego, I had to use 102 millimeters for my pipe sizes because the contractor was likely to purchase the pipe from a supplier in Mexico and what you would get if you stated 100 millimeters was a pipe that was truly 100 millimeters. That wouldn't fit the pipe fittings from the U.S.A. which were 102 millimeters. Then they used millimeters when they should have used meters. An example of this is if we had a long distance, say that of a football field, we'd show on our plans 91440 (commas were not to be used or the notation of mm). A dimension like that should have been 91.44 m. Anyway, it was all fouled up. Finally the feds decided that the U.S.A. was just not going to convert over, no matter how superior and simple the metric system is compared to the imperial system. But for another 2 years Caltrans did not give in and we still had to prepare our plans in metric units. That was too bad, because a lot of contractors just didn't get how to use the metric system. Another typical foul up was when the architects would call for a 2" x 4". They would put on their plans 51 (2" = 50.8 mm) x 102 (101.6 mm), but a 2" x 4" is actually 1 3/4" by 3 1/2" (44.5 mm x 89 mm). 50.8 x 101.6 is what they got and nothing would fit together. The metric system seems intimidating unless you use it constantly, then it becomes very simple. I wish the U.S.A. would convert, but it's not going to happen. Too bad. BTW, I still have to use both systems all the time. Sometimes it gets confusing, like today when I have to measure something in "mil"'s. I have to remember that we are talking about thousandths of an inch when I'm sometimes thinking of millimeters. I bet this post was confusing to those not familiar with the metric system, and it has gotten too long, but I'll chime in with more later. Oh, and to this day I can still recall that a cubic meter contains 264 gallons. I learned that 35 years ago.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost Wasn't there an area in the US where they tried the metric system on road signs (other than border areas) and had the locals shoot holes in all the signs with shotguns?
Originally Posted By oc_dean I can remember back in my grade school years .. about 5th grade or 6th grade (1976)- We were told in class the country was going to make the switch to the Metric system by the 80s. Well ... what happened? Oh .. I know ... We're too backyard, and would rather come up with every excuse in the book .. than join the rest of the world! That's it! In the below link ... Shows ... the countries in green ... are on the Metric system. Except those countries or regions in gray. <a href="http://everythingishistory.com/2009/09/25/why-isnt-the-u-s-on-the-metric-system/" target="_blank">http://everythingishistory.com...-system/</a> We're right there along with Antarctica! Swell!
Originally Posted By Schmitty Good Vibes Everything in the metric system is so much supierior to the imperior system. Distances can easily be equated to volumes. Volumes can easily be converted to mass (weights). All ove the afforsaid can easily be can be converted into force So what have we got ? 12" = a foot. 5280' = a mile. Miles and acres almost relate, but there are enough errors that they can't compare to square arcres (or hectares). I think this is almost crazy. And how do you relate square feet (volumes) to distances? I have to know every day how many gallons there are in a cubit foot. Then I have to know every day how many pounds there are in that gallon. Then, depenincy on the density of that gallon of whatever, I have to do several more calculations as to it's mass, the force required to move it, etc, etc. I'm very careful in my measurements, but the multiple calculations leave the room for multiple errors. The U.SA. needs to drop the imperial system. By adopting the metric system we could save billions by avoiding errors in compliance with the rest of the world (remember the billion dollar satellite we sent out, but the conversion from imperial to metric got messed up, so the mission failed?). We would also save billions by not having to exchange our measurements for the majority of the other world's measurements to export our products. I remember one of the most frustrating things in the world was working on my new wife's car (I'm a pretty good mechanic, as well as an engineer) and I had to have bothe an imperial set of socket wrenches and a metric one. The metric system is very easy to learn, if you have to use it regularly. It is SO MUCH superior to the imperior system.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo OC Dean, that article is interesting, though I wonder how many use hybrids? In the UK, although we buy litres of fuel, and kgs of products in the grocery store, we still use miles on the road. When it comes to temperature, people talk about C when it is cold ,but F when it is hot. And in terms of weight, stones (14lbs), lbs and ounces are still very popular. So it is very mixed. Lol
Originally Posted By EmmaJayne Here we are almost 100% metric, although people will use expressions like 'oh thats miles away' etc. But most older people will still refer to weight in stones rather than exact kg ( I guess 7.5 stone sounds better than 48 kg??). But I've just gotten really into quilting and most measurements there are by inches.. which I have found really difficult. I had to get a 'quarter inch' foot for my sewing machine and all my rulers, cutting boards etc are marked with both.. I prefer metric, but only because it's what I know. And I remember looking at petrol prices in the US and being baffled, because I had no idea how many litres went into a gallon, I couldn't figure out if they were paying more or less than us!
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Lol Emma. I think the hardest thing is where they have the stupid system where you have to pay for fuel first. When you have no idea how much the rental car needs. It makes it hard. The switch to metric in the main happened after I left university so I struggle with metric more than I should, but it is more logical. But hell, the UK didn't even decimilise the currency until the 1970's and some older people still hate that over here. Lol
Originally Posted By dagobert When we rented a car in the US, I hated to pay for fuel first. I also thought, that fuel was very expensive until I found out that it was the price for a gallon. Isn't a gallon about 4 litres?
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Fuel in the US is very VERY cheap compared to Europe. Yes, it is just shy of 4 litres to the gallon. So currently I am paying about $10 a gallon in the UK, So almost 3 times more than the US. THough that is because in Europe, we have higher fuel taxes than the US.
Originally Posted By dagobert Fuel is really cheap in the US compared to Europe. Currently I have to pay 1.4 Euros for one liter fuel. I hated Fahrenheit in the US. I always had to convert it into Celsius. In my opinion that makes more sense. Water freezes at 0 Celsius and boils at 100 Celsius. Maybe one day the whole world will use the metric system in all aspects of life.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost That in itself is one of the reasons why it has been resisted so strongly in the states. We grew up with Fahreheit here. We can hear a temperature and, like you, know what it means. To us, or at least myself, I know that with Celsius 0 is freezing and 100 is boiling but everything else is a mystery. The range of temps using F is more finite. 32 degrees is freezing and 212 is boiling. 20 degrees F is time to bundle up and stay indoors. 20 degrees C is t-shirt and shorts weather. At 25 degrees F...we are still cold. At 20 degrees C...you guy as shedding clothing and sweating. Unless we start using it constantly any and everything needs to be calculated to a number we understand. Everything from how fast we are driving to how much liquid to put in a cake mix has to be mentally adjusted to translate into what we were brought up to understand. Same as you in the other direction. In a country this size can you imagine what the cost for changing roadside signs alone would be? Economics is the main reason why it hasn't happened yet. I think it will some day but I doubt I will live to see it complete.
