In his recent article “Why I …”, Ronnie Cohen looked at the present to explain why he believes the UK should complete the transition to metric units. However, some of those who commented on his article also looked back. In this article, I take another look into the past and then ask if the fading of such memories might prolong the measurement muddle.
FAQs about the transition to metric signs on UK roads
Readers have commented recently on the obstacles to the transition to metric-only signs on Britain’s roads. This has prompted Metric Views to offer answers to some Frequently Asked Questions on this subject.
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Why I became involved with measurement matters
One of our readers has written to explain why he became interested in the campaign to complete Britain’s prolonged metric changeover.
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DfT rejects industry view on metric signs
The Department for Transport (DfT) has given in to anti-metric lobbying and backtracked on its earlier proposal that imperial-only height and width restriction signs should be replaced with dual metric/imperial signs within four years. This climbdown is despite the responses to its own consultation, which revealed widespread support within the industry for the proposal. It also flies in the face of its own cost assessment. The article concludes with a challenging question. Continue reading “DfT rejects industry view on metric signs”
Battle of the dinosaurs
Metric Views marks the end of 2011 by drawing attention to a recent exchange of letters in the Irish Times, one looking backwards, the other with a message to take into 2012.
The Ten Days of Christmas
One of our regular readers, John Frewen-Lord, offers this contribution to the festive fare:
Which? sees the light – and Panorama joins in
By an odd co-incidence both “Which?” magazine and the BBC’s flagship “Panorama” programme have recently run stories on the scams employed by the big supermarkets to prevent customers from comparing “value for money” in their weekly shopping. However, despite their good intentions, neither of the articles nor the tv programme quite identified the most obvious and effective remedies. Continue reading “Which? sees the light – and Panorama joins in”
Heading for the exit?
Problems of sovereign debt in the eurozone have seen the UK side-tracked in EU decision making, and, say some commentators, headed for the exit. Is this situation likely to impact on the UK’s stalled metric changeover?
Outlines of Pacific trade deal announced
On 12 November, Voice of America reported as follows:
“President Barack Obama has announced that the United States and eight other Pacific nations have reached the broad outlines of an agreement to create a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to liberalize trade.
Christmas approaches so reach for a mail order catalogue
One of our regular contributors has submitted a comment about mail order catalogues, even though he admits there is no Metric Views article to which it relates. We are happy to respond by reproducing part of one of several articles on this subject that have appeared over the years in UKMA News, the newsletter of the UK Metric Association.
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