EU gives up on 'metric Britain'And now we come to the key issue:
European Union commissioners have ruled that Britain can carry on using imperial measurements such as pints, pounds and miles.
Europe's Industry Commissioner Gunter Verheugenas said: "There is not now and never will be any requirement to drop imperial measurements."
The decision will not affect current law on metric measurements, but means imperial equivalents can be used too.
It follows years of wrangling between London and Brussels over metrication.
Pint savedOne point that the metric people don't always grasp is that the Imperial system allows for very easy math and conversion of numbers. The metric people say that being Base10 is superior but that is only divisible evenly by one (of course), two and five. Having 12 inches to the foot allows for even division by one, two, three, four and six. Boat-builders use a system of measurement based on feet/inches/eighths and it allows for really easy mental calculation. When I got into that, I started using it for any woodworking and metalworking and it rocks. For metalworking (welding or blacksmithing), I'll use plus 8th or minus 8th (eg: 2/3/-4 = two feet, three inches and 7/16ths of an inch) which is as close as I need to be. With the lathe and the mill I am back to 'thous' and trying to keep it at one or two for accuracies sake... Posted by DaveH at September 11, 2007 9:36 PM
The commission has kept extending the deadline for the UK to complete the full transition to the metric system, with the most recent deadline being 2010.
This would have meant setting a deadline for ending the traditional delivery of pints of milk - and the sale of pints of beer in the UK's pubs.
Finally. It's good to see the EU folks take one in the eye, instead of the forces of civilization.
Go, britain!