Metrics...

[presta]

How come the transition to degrees C in the UK went so quietly. Why didn't we have ninnies calling themselves thermometer martyrs protesting?

Probably because nobody rattled anyone's cage with announcements about having an official switchover.....

 

[SpokeyDokey]

How come the transition to degrees C in the UK went so quietly. Why didn't we have ninnies calling themselves thermometer martyrs protesting? And when did it happen?

I remember that our thermostat at home in the 70s was in F. 70 being warmish. So F was in widespread use back then. But at some time since then Farenheit has completely disappeared. I don't recall the last time I heard it mentioned other than by Americans. No one bothers to qualify what kind of degrees (F or C) they are talking about. And when did it happen?

C makes more sense with zero being in the right place.

 

[Profpointy]

Mate of mine got a bottle.

(Bottle and glass ...)

Me too I'm ashamed to say. A bit of a poor show after magnificent A levels. Nearly dropped out entirely after my second year, but hey ho.

Ironically spent much of my reading in the next forty plus years on the maths and physics I lost my way with at the time

 

[Ming the Merciless]

How come the transition to degrees C in the UK went so quietly. Why didn't we have ninnies calling themselves thermometer martyrs protesting? And when did it happen?

I remember that our thermostat at home in the 70s was in F. 70 being warmish. So F was in widespread use back then. But at some time since then Farenheit has completely disappeared. I don't recall the last time I heard it mentioned other than by Americans. No one bothers to qualify what kind of degrees (F or C) they are talking about. And when did it happen?

Nowt stopping you reviving it. This is the Met Office app.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Probably because nobody rattled anyone's cage with announcements about having an official switchover.....

There was a time when the headlines found it useful

In winter we had headlines saying it would be MINUS 5!!!

then in summer the headlines would be "temperatures in the 90s!!!!!!

so for a while the media liked it - so left off the bad headlines

and Brexit was in the far distance - so the people who would have said it was the evil foreigners taking over the country with their evil ways
were not around yet

 

[MadMalx]

Me too I'm ashamed to say. A bit of a poor show after magnificent A levels. Nearly dropped out entirely after my second year, but hey ho.

Ironically spent much of my reading in the next forty plus years on the maths and physics I lost my way with at the time

Now that (probably all) degrees are modularised and grading is much more formulaic, it’s really difficult to get a third. You have to consistently average 40 something without getting below 40 in very many units.
When I began my academic career (a long time back) grading was much more in the gift of the examiners. Being nice but dim could be very helpful in a viva.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Australia switched to metric between 1971 and 1981 (it was phased), so I'm old enough to be equally comfortable with measuring my height as just under 6'3" or 1.9 metres, but with all other measurements I use metric. The UK imperial measurements, with all their odd multipliers to get from one unit to the other, make my head hurt.

 

[freiston]

WRT temperatures, same as others have commented, I remember not only talking cold weather in Centigrade and hot weather in Fahrenheit, but also remarking on it at the time - it made sense - zero °C is freezing and 100°F is very hot. Some time since then, I started to talk hot weather in Centigrade too, but I do not remember when or even recall the transition.

Fahrenheit now is difficult for me to put in perspective and I usually have to go to a converter. Particularly annoying when looking at sleeping bags/camping quilts aimed at the American market.

 

[sevenfourate]

I plan, calculate and rides in miles. But post on Strava in KM - because for the unwary: it makes me look better than I actually am…….

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Australia switched to metric between 1971 and 1981 (it was phased), so I'm old enough to be equally comfortable with measuring my height as just under 6'3" or 1.9 metres, but with all other measurements I use metric. The UK imperial measurements, with all their odd multipliers to get from one unit to the other, make my head hurt.

Google knows way too much! Just out of curiosity I searched for Australian male average height by birth year, and found (as I expected) that I'm well over that average. I then revisited Cyclechat a few minutes later, and found an ad for Heights Cycling in North Sydney at the top of the page.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

How come the transition to degrees C in the UK went so quietly. Why didn't we have ninnies calling themselves thermometer martyrs protesting? And when did it happen?

I remember that our thermostat at home in the 70s was in F. 70 being warmish. So F was in widespread use back then. But at some time since then Farenheit has completely disappeared. I don't recall the last time I heard it mentioned other than by Americans. No one bothers to qualify what kind of degrees (F or C) they are talking about. And when did it happen?

No internet and no fake names to hide behind to moan during the transition.