pavane wrote on Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:13:18 -0400:


> "brooklyn1" > wrote in message
> ...
|>
|> "graham" > wrote in message
|> ...
| >>
| >> That only happens if both systems are used together. If
| >> the US went metric overnight, i.e., with no transition
| >> period, it wouldn't be long before people thought in
| >> metric.
| >>
|> Nonsense. If you need to think about it then it's not second
|> nature... metric will never become second nature to someone
|> who grew up with English measurement from the cradle. I know
|> auto mechnics with 40 years experience who readily admit that
|> they still need to double/triple check anything metric...
|> they can eyeball the correct socket for any SAE bolt first
|> shot but with metric they have to try 2-3. An American has
|> about as much chance of having metric become second nature as
|> they would driving on the left side of the road.

> Canada made the metric conversion exactly as graham indicated,
> no transition period and did so with great success. After
> about 5 years people no longer thought about it, simply
> functioned in metric. I know because I was there, in the
> mid-1970s. Why do you babble so much about things you know
> nothing about, Shelshit?

Canada has a more arbitrary attitude to changes that the "powers that
be" consider good for the great unwashed! They did the same thing with
coins when they abolished the corresponding bills. The pols don't have
the nerve to do that in the US. However, tradition is a mighty thing;
the copper (or copper-clad) penny is still in circulation. Way back in
1913, the smallest coin was still the penny and people seemed to get
along with that, despite the fact that its current value would be about
13 cents. Abolishing the penny, nickel and probably dime would not be
any great hardship but as I said before, I'm not holding on to my hat!

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not