If the current Government implement their proposals to remove the requirement to use metric units for trade, it will be the first reversal of metrication in the UK and probably the first reversal in Europe since the days of Napoleon over 200 years ago.
Continue reading “First metrication reversal since Napoleon?”Category: Views from abroad
Imperial dimensions of British exceptionalism
The British retreat on metrication from the early 1980’s, starting with the abolition of the Metrication Board, is a symptom of British exceptionalism. Ronnie Cohen looks at this issue, or should we say problem?
Continue reading “Imperial dimensions of British exceptionalism”New role for Britain’s road signs
An analysis by the Government of UK economic prospects post-Covid has identified the importance for our economic recovery of services generally and tourism in particular. Meanwhile a separate study by tourism bodies has looked into attracting foreign tourists.
Continue reading “New role for Britain’s road signs”M-days in Australia
UKMA has recently acquired two pamphlets from the 1970s Australian metric conversion programme. One about the switchover to metric units for weather reports, and one about the switchover for motoring.
Metric reminders for your holiday
As we approach the summer holiday season, Ronnie Cohen looks at the familiar metric units that we are likely to encounter wherever we go on holiday. And, yes, that includes the USA, although its exceptionalism is likely to provide us with a few problems.
Isolationist or Imperialist?
On the eve of a showdown Cabinet meeting on Brexit, one of our frequent contributors, Ronnie Cohen, asks if British attitudes both to the EU and to this country’s metric changeover are part of the same mindset.
Continue reading “Isolationist or Imperialist?”
Road traffic signs mark a soft border
The Irish Border has appeared frequently in the news as a major obstacle to a withdrawal agreement between the UK and the remaining 27 EU member states. In this article, Ronnie Cohen looks at a ‘soft’ characteristic of the current border – the change of measurement units on road traffic signs.
Liberia joins the club
We comment on reports that Liberia intends to adopt the metric system.
An Imperial Royal baby
Our post on 23 April reported briefly on that day’s addition to the Royal family. John Frewen-Lord, one of our regular contributors, now discusses some related issues.
A lesson from Sweden
We do not suggest that the UK should switch from driving on the left to driving on the right, but we ask if there are lessons from Sweden’s switch in 1967 that might be applied to the oft-postponed changeover of UK’s road traffic signs to metric.
Metric Views 