Non-metric units still in use

[LewLasher]

In the US, the Prius apparently comes with 15-inch wheels, but, in Europe, with 16-inch wheels. Do they call them 16-inch wheels in Europe, or 40.64 cm wheels?

A friend of mine in Montreal said that pizza diameters there are given in inches.

Are there other non-metric units that are still commonly used in places that otherwise use the metric system?

[Marg]

I'd love to hear from folks on the other side of the pond on this question.

Are you talking used officially, or used by everyday people in everyday life? In Canada, I expect that younger generations (those under 20) think more and more in metric, but we middle aged folk are all mixed up!
I wouldn't be surprised if Quebecers were more metric in their thinking.

To give you an idea of the mess in my own head...

Produce and meat. Prices in supermarkets are given both per pound and per kilo. I tend to look at price per pound.

Weights on cereal boxes: Listed in both ounces and grams or sometimes only grams. I prefer grams.

Volumes on tin cans: Sometimes listed in both ounces and millilitres and sometimes only millilitres. I prefer ounces.

Height and weight of people: we usually discuss these things in feet, inches and pounds. I think a doctor would record these things in metric.

Thanksgiving turkey: people talk about its size in pounds, not kilos
Pizza: inches
Liquor in shot glasses -- people talk about ounces
Beer -- its "gimme a pint!" not "gimme half a litre!"
Liquor in bottles and cans sold in liquor stores -- sold in millilitres

Farmland: Farmers are equally comfortable talking acres or hectares. Most official transactions are in hectares.

Cooking: measure are usually cups, teaspoons and tablespoons, especially if the book is written by a group of ladies from the church or similar. However, most measuring devices have both scales on them and many people know the conversions.

Temperatures on TV and radio: Celsius all the way. I don’t feel comfortable with Fahrenheit anymore

Shoes sizes. We still use 8, 9, 12 and so on. No double-digit European sizes in sight

Gas and oil in cars. Litres . I have trouble thinking in gallons.

Highway distances : kilometres -- have trouble thinking in miles

Highway speed: kilometres per hour

Socket/ratchet sets, Allen keys, bolts, screws and all that stuff -- come in metric and imperial sizes, meaning that you have to be *very* careful about what you're buying at the hardware store.

Electricity bill: units are in kilowatt hours.

Measurements of lumber: feet and inches

Paper: we still talk about 8 and a half by 11 and so on...

Fabric at the fabric store -- sold in metres.

Computer monitor sizes : inches

[skruse]

Most automobiles are made to SI (modern "metric") standards. First introduced by Thomas Jefferson in 1790, the preferred system of measurement in the United States is SI - as mandated by the Acts of 1866, 1975 (President Ford), the Omnibus Trade Act of 1988 (President Bush senior) and subsequent acts signed by Presidents Clinton and G.W. Bush. Granted the US Departments of Commerce and Agriculture to continue to drag their feet - kicking and screaming, but gladly accepting payment in metric money.

Most every day products are SI, including measuring cups for cooking, cameras and film, movies and computers, alcohol (750 mL for wine and hard liquor), xerox & printer paper (22 • 28 cm), etc. The USDA Forest Service offers timber for sale in cubic meters of wood; guns (9 mm), snow skis, Interstate highways are all built to SI units. The dairy industry will soon sell milk in 3 Liter containers (with a rounded bottom for ease of pouring). I have yet to hear anyone object to being paid in "metric" US money, working at a computer made in SI dimensions, or drive or ride in a Detroit- or Japan-built automobile.

All products for export must be in SI units effective 2010. K-12 and university teachers are expected to "teach to standards" - and there is only one standard of measurement in the US - SI. Just ask NASA who threw away $150 million on a recent Mars mission by giving a command to the satellite in pre-1866 inch-pound measuring units, when the satellite was built based on SI measuring units (off by a factor of three).

A gram of prevention is worth three kilograms of cure.

[Marg]

After sending my previous e-mail, my husband told me that there is a difference in the way wine and hard liquor is sold in Ontario, Canada.

Most bottles of wine come in 750 ml amounts. Nice round number.

However, vodka most commonly comes in 1.14 litre bottles, which is equivalent to 40 UK ounces. Most other hard liquors are similar.

[misterbleepy]

This is my middle-aged UK mess:

Food: Metric only labelling, but our milkman still delivers milk in 1 pint bottles

Height and weight of people: we also usually discuss these things in feet, inches and stones (14 pounds I think). A doctor records these things in metric.

Christmas turkey: people talk about its size in pounds, not kilos I think (actually I'm a vegetarian)
Pizza: small, medium or large
Liquor in shot glasses -- people talk about a single or double
Beer -- its "mine's a pint!" not "gimme 568 millilitres!"
Liquor in bottles and cans sold in liquor stores -- sold in millilitres

Farmland: not sure

Cooking: measure are usually cups, teaspoons and tablespoons, especially if the book is written by a group of ladies from the church or similar. However, most measuring devices have both scales on them and many people know the conversions.

Temperatures on TV and radio: Celsius all the way. I never felt comfortable with Fahrenheit (too hot!)
Shoes sizes. We still use 8, 9, 10 (but not the same as US ones). European sizes (40, 41, 42) are marked as well

Gas and oil in cars. Dispensed in Litres . I think in gallons (that's 8 pints, not 6).

Highway distances : Miles.

Highway speed: Miles per hour

Socket/ratchet sets, Allen keys, bolts, screws and all that stuff -- come in metric and imperial sizes. I find metric far easier than 11/64"

Electricity bill: units are in kilowatt hours.

Measurements of lumber: Metres and millimeters but I still think 2" x 1"

Paper: we use A4, A3, A5 etc (whitch are metric)

Fabric at the fabric store -- sold in metres.

Computer monitor sizes : inches.