Metrics...

[SteveH80]

Thoughts while peddling away on the old analogue bike this morning.
Since getting back into cycling I noticed a tendency to mix metrics, for example ebike range given in kilometres (because it gives a bigger number), elevation change given imperial (possibly for the same reason) but distance ridden given in miles (because that's how most of the UK judges distance).
For today's ride I'm adopting the BBC Nonsense metric; over 615 Olympic swimming pools and nearly 2 Eiffel Towers.
I'm not sure what the bike weights in London buses...

 

[EckyH]

Here in Germany the usual square measures are "football stadium" and "Saarland", for weight elephants seem to be quite popular.

E.

 

[All uphill]

Any financial decision in our household is related to cups of coffee.

Our new window blinds, mail order, cost 40 cups of coffee. Having them put up by the blind man ( who has excellent vision, btw) would have cost 120 cups of coffee!

Ms AU judges that a few hours of my time, to order and fit, is well worth an extra 80 cups of coffee for her.

Hmmm.

 

[fwgx]

Yes, as a British, I find it annoying when things five the options of Metric or Imperial and it applies to all units. No thank you, I want both in very particular situations. Cycling I think in miles and mph. Running I think in km and min/km. Temperature=metric, height=feet and inches, weight=metric, smaller lengths=metric and imperial (sometimes at he same time: 4" 2mm).

 

[All uphill]

Yes, as a British, I find it annoying when things five the options of Metric or Imperial and it applies to all units. No thank you, I want both in very particular situations. Cycling I think in miles and mph. Running I think in km@ and min/km. Temperature=metric, height=feet and inches, weight=metric, smaller lengths=metric and imperial (sometimes at he same time: 4" 2mm).

I wanted to buy a can of paint this morning; chose a colour and asked for one litre. The assistant bashfully told me it comes in quarts or gallons. What?!?!

Turns out it's an American product and that I've become metricated.

 

[tyred]

I'm waiting for the cubit to make a comeback.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Thoughts while peddling away on the old analogue bike

Arghhhhhh

 

[TheDoctor]

I'm still waiting for the widespread adoption of the Furlong-Firkin-Fortnight system of measurements.

 

[geocycle]

We have a small mug supplied by Yorkshire tea. Half a Yorkshire tea mug plus two of boiling water is perfect for rice and porridge. So I propose the Yorkshire tea mug as a unit of volume.

 

[markemark]

My beeline can mix n match. Distances are in miles and sub miles (ie to next junction) are in metres. I don’t have a preference other than that’s how I always internally measure distances. I understand 5miles more than 8 km and I can feel metres not yards.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Possibly a sweeping statement but I have noticed Americans (mainly on youtube) using km's instead of miles for a more impressive numerical value.

Typical of the 'biggest and best' culture that permeates their psyche, imo. No offence to any Americans on the site, intended.

 

[Shearwater Missile]

Yes, as a British, I find it annoying when things five the options of Metric or Imperial and it applies to all units. No thank you, I want both in very particular situations. Cycling I think in miles and mph. Running I think in km and min/km. Temperature=metric, height=feet and inches, weight=metric, smaller lengths=metric and imperial (sometimes at he same time: 4" 2mm).

Sounds like pick and mix in a sweet shop ! I feel the same as you but never gave it much thought. I suppose it is an age thing. Going through the metrification process whilst at school we were in two camps. I guess that never left. I`am in mph, feet and inches but use metric if it suits, like cutting wood etc. If mm or cm is nearer than so be it. Even aircraft use feet whilst talking of altitude or runway length.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Distance should always be measure in Angstroms-per-century

 

[EckyH]

Distance should always be measure in Angstroms-per-century

In other words: The speed is so low that it is sufficient that it counts as distance?

E.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

As I used to system manage the system I need to mention that on VMS - later called OpenVMS - there is a startup paramer called TIMEPROMPTWAIT

This is a system parameter which sets the amount of time that the system waits for you to answer the prompt "enter date and time" when it starts up

it is a simple number - and the time interval it uses is microfortnights

up to one point there was a note in the manual saying that "in this release of the operating system a microfortnight is approximated to 1 second"

in one release that I implemented later I found - deep in the Release Notes - a mention that this problem has now been fixed and the system uses the correct time units

Which I love