Made in Britain: Not made to measure. Ronnie Cohen © 2011 Ronnie Cohen. All rights reserved. 1 Table of Contents Foreword...............................................................................................................................................5 Introduction..........................................................................................................................................6 Central Role of Measurement in Daily Life.........................................................................................7 Why Measurement Matters..................................................................................................................8 Quest for Honest Measurements since Ancient Times.........................................................................9 Measurement Facts: Did you know that....?.......................................................................................10 Description of the British Imperial System........................................................................................11 Introduction to the British Imperial System..............................................................................11 Units of Length..........................................................................................................................11 Units of Area.............................................................................................................................11 Units of Volume........................................................................................................................12 Units of Mass............................................................................................................................12 Commodity Measurements.......................................................................................................13 Other Imperial Measurements...................................................................................................14 Possible Imperial Measurements of Some Physical Quantities................................................14 No Imperial Units for Certain Physical Phenomena.................................................................15 Description of the Modern Metric System.........................................................................................16 Introduction to the Modern Metric System...............................................................................16 SI Prefixes.................................................................................................................................17 SI Base Units.............................................................................................................................18 SI Derived Units........................................................................................................................19 Non-SI Approved Units............................................................................................................20 Weights and Measures used in the UK Today....................................................................................21 History of the British Metrication Programme...................................................................................22 Aims and Objectives.................................................................................................................22 Problems and Issues with the Metrication Programme.............................................................22 Conversion of the Transport and Retail Sectors........................................................................22 Political Opposition to Metrication...........................................................................................23 What is Wrong with Two Measurement Systems?.............................................................................24 Potential for Error.....................................................................................................................24 Historical Recognition for the Need for One Measurement System.........................................24 Untidy Dual Labels and Road Signs.........................................................................................25 Inconsistent and Illogical Measurement Rules.........................................................................25 Odd Use of Measurement Units by the DfT.............................................................................25 Odd Use of Measurement Units in the Media...........................................................................26 Use and Abuse of Fluid Ounces................................................................................................26 Not Good Enough.....................................................................................................................26 British Measurement Anomalies: How does it affect us?...................................................................27 Patriotic Argument Fallacy.......................................................................................................27 Two Measurement Systems: Whom does it help?....................................................................28 Q. Does it help schoolchildren?.......................................................................................28 Q. Does it help drivers?...................................................................................................28 Q. Does it help consumers?.............................................................................................29 Q. Does it help tourists?...................................................................................................29 Q. Does it help the emergency services?.........................................................................29 Q. Does it help builders and DIY enthusiasts?................................................................29 Q. Does it help businesses, house buyers and tenants?...................................................29 Q. Does it help farmers?..................................................................................................30 © 2011 Ronnie Cohen. All rights reserved. 2 Q. Does it help chefs?......................................................................................................30 Q. Does it help dieters?....................................................................................................30 Q. Does it help holidaymakers?.......................................................................................30 Q. Does it help drinkers?.................................................................................................30 Q. Does it help car buyers?..............................................................................................31 Q. Does it help road contractors?....................................................................................31 Q. Does it help manufacturers and exporters?.................................................................31 Q. Does it help professionals?.........................................................................................32 Q. Does it help workers?.................................................................................................32 Q. Does it help newspaper readers and television and radio audiences?.........................32 Q. Does it help walkers?..................................................................................................32 Q. Does it help international travellers?..........................................................................32 Q. Does it help advertisers?.............................................................................................33 Q. Does it help retailers?.................................................................................................33 Q. Does it help other Europeans?....................................................................................33 Q. Does it help Americans?.............................................................................................33 Q. Does it help Commonwealth citizens?........................................................................33 Metrication Opposition: Not for Your Benefit..........................................................................34 Judge the Metric System on its Own Merits.............................................................................34 Need to Standardise on One System. Which One?............................................................................35 Can we go back to Exclusive Use of Imperial?........................................................................35 Factors to Consider for Standardisation....................................................................................35 Advantages of Metric over Imperial.........................................................................................36 Full Metrication and the Anti-Metric Lobby.............................................................................36 Problems with the Imperial System and their Metric Solutions.........................................................37 Too Many Names......................................................................................................................37 Too Many Multiples..................................................................................................................37 Unpredictable Relationships.....................................................................................................38