Why still miles?
in [UK Drivers]
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From: Nkosi (ama-ecosse) on 21 Jul 2010 07:53 On 20 July, 22:07, Adrian <toomany2...(a)gmail.com> wrote: > "Knight of the Road" <nos...(a)nospam.com> gurgled happily, sounding much > like they were saying: > > >>> A mile is a far better measurement of length > >> Would that be a statute mile (1609.344m), a survey mile (1609.3472m) > > As we are talking about Imperial measurements here, could you express > > the difference between those two figures in feet and inches? > > Start -> Run -> Calc I'll amswer it for them, 0.0032m = 3.2mm = 0.125984" = 0.010499' or "approximately just over" 1/8" Measurement is not the exact science some of us seem to think it is. there are too many variables to consider the least of those expansion and contraction due temperature whether in ºC, ºF or ºK not to mention the accuracy of the measureing equipment. Having worked with both imperial and metric systems all my working life in engineering, mechanical and civil, and architecture my personal opinion is the metric system is far superior to the imperial system. As a P.S. we Brits don't rule the world any more, so get over it. Nkosi
From: Brimstone on 21 Jul 2010 09:25 "Nkosi (ama-ecosse)" <minankosi(a)googlemail.com> wrote in message news:11c52e04-f189-4d9c-8206-1784bf48287e(a)i31g2000yqm.googlegroups.com... > On 20 July, 22:07, Adrian <toomany2...(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> "Knight of the Road" <nos...(a)nospam.com> gurgled happily, sounding much >> like they were saying: >> >> >>> A mile is a far better measurement of length >> >> Would that be a statute mile (1609.344m), a survey mile (1609.3472m) >> > As we are talking about Imperial measurements here, could you express >> > the difference between those two figures in feet and inches? >> >> Start -> Run -> Calc > > I'll amswer it for them, 0.0032m = 3.2mm = 0.125984" = 0.010499' or > "approximately just over" 1/8" Measurement is not the exact science > some of us seem to think it is. there are too many variables to > consider the least of those expansion and contraction due temperature > whether in �C, �F or �K not to mention the accuracy of the measureing > equipment. Having worked with both imperial and metric systems all my > working life in engineering, mechanical and civil, and architecture my > personal opinion is the metric system is far superior to the imperial > system. As a P.S. we Brits don't rule the world any more, so get over > it. > No, but the Americans do and they use Imperial measure (sort of).
From: Nick Finnigan on 21 Jul 2010 18:23 Mortimer wrote: > > Computing uses base 16, but at least it's consistent in that *every* > digit is worth 16x the digit on its right - no mixed bases - and it uses > letters to represent numbers greater than 9, so there's always *one* > character. There are 377 kinds of people in this world; those who use PDPs, and those who use other computers.
From: Nick Finnigan on 21 Jul 2010 18:26 Mortimer wrote: > "NKTB" <north_korean_tourist_board(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message > news:ff49cbf5-8f43-4cac-876e-d305ad586cff(a)l14g2000yql.googlegroups.com... >> The Irish, who are >> probably our closest neighbours culturally now, have long since gone >> metric. > > When I was last in Ireland, in the mid 90s, I noticed that the cars had > speedos calibrated in mph (presumably because they were right-hand > drive) and the speed limit signs were in mph. However the distance signs > were in km. It made it very difficult to work out how long it would take > at the speed limit (eg 60 mph) to cover a certain distance (quoted in > km) But it is pointless assuming you can average anywhere near the speed limit in Ireland - a journey takes about 60% more time than you think it should.
From: Mortimer on 22 Jul 2010 03:18
"Nick Finnigan" <nix(a)genie.co.uk> wrote in message news:i27s60$l7j$2(a)news.eternal-september.org... > Mortimer wrote: >> "NKTB" <north_korean_tourist_board(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message >> news:ff49cbf5-8f43-4cac-876e-d305ad586cff(a)l14g2000yql.googlegroups.com... >>> The Irish, who are >>> probably our closest neighbours culturally now, have long since gone >>> metric. >> >> When I was last in Ireland, in the mid 90s, I noticed that the cars had >> speedos calibrated in mph (presumably because they were right-hand drive) >> and the speed limit signs were in mph. However the distance signs were in >> km. It made it very difficult to work out how long it would take at the >> speed limit (eg 60 mph) to cover a certain distance (quoted in km) > > But it is pointless assuming you can average anywhere near the speed > limit in Ireland - a journey takes about 60% more time than you think it > should. Normally I'd agree with you, if it were not for a journey made from Wexford to Dublin in record time to catch a plane. I was driving a hire car and the guy I was working was in his own car. I could remember my way to the outskirts of Dublin but didn't know how to get to the airport so Brian suggested I follow him. And he set off at a hell of a pace. I hung back, hoping that he'd get the message and slow down, but he didn't, so I had to try and keep up with him as best as I could, though I drew the line at overtaking on blind bends like he did. Somehow we did the journey in about an hour less than when I'd driven down to Wexford a few days before. Suddenly on the outskirts of Dublin he turned into a hotel car park and yelled "Get into my car". So, in a scene that must have looked like a robbers-change-to-a-new-car scene from a Crimewatch reconstruction, I grabbed my case and leapt into his car: he'd worked out that we'd make better progress in one car so he didn't need to keep checking that I was keeping up with him in heavy traffic. Somehow I made it onto the plane with a few minutes to spare! But not a journey I want to do again at that speed. |