Signs indicating the emergency escape routes in tunnels are of critical importance to the safety of tunnel users, given the particular hazards of fire and smoke within tunnel environments. Sadly, the government’s irrational position on units of measure even extends to these safety critical signs, as illustrated by the different units being used by the same authority on adjacent tunnels.
Continue reading “DfT prefers imperial units to pedestrian safety”
There has been some media excitement over a suggestion that eggs could be sold by weight. MetricViews asked its cookery correspondent for a quick comment, and this is what she said: Continue reading “Eggs by the kilo”
There is a widely held view in the UK that we share our measurement system with the USA. True – but not in the way many believe. Continue reading “Linked by a common system of measures”
On 9th June 1977, the Queen officially opened the Silver Jubilee Walkway, a 21 km walking trail around central London to mark her Silver Jubilee, or 25 years on the throne. Thirty-three years later, work is under way to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with a new 60 km walking trail, the Jubilee Greenway, providing walkers with a kilometre to walk for every year of the Queen’s reign.
Continue reading “60 km Jubilee Greenway to be signed in imperial”
One of the main advantages of SI – the metric system – is that it can be used for any measurement task (from the kitchen to the science lab) – thus avoiding the need to learn a plethora of specific units for specific purposes. However, is there a case for making certain exceptions to this rule? (Warning: this article is for the technically-minded).
Continue reading “Is there room for non-standard units within SI?”
The new coalition Government claims to be determined to clear up the “mess” left behind by the previous Government. So it is notable that Her Majesty’s gracious speech included no proposals to tackle one of the biggest “messes” of all – the intractable muddle of incompatible measurement units with which her UK (but not other Commonwealth) subjects have to struggle.
Two recent Channel 4 Dispatches programmes entitled “Kids Don’t Count” sought to demonstrate just that. But if you saw the programmes and are a regular reader of Metric Views, you may have wondered if the programmes overlooked the real problem. Continue reading “Kids don’t count”
The makeup of the new coalition government and its policy programme are now broadly clear. How will it affect the prospects for progress on completing metrication?
Continue reading “Prospects for metrication progress under the new government”
Metric Views reported a few days ago on the mixed fortunes of some of the parliamentary supporters and opponents of a single system of measurement for the UK. This produced several comments about the prospect of a new Government.
A reader of Metric Views points out that confusion on the reporting of this disaster is not limited to the UK.
Metric Views 