Working out miles per litre of petrol

andrewf75

Joe_Horner wrote: »

It'd be fiercely resisted by people like me. I'm socialist, I was (just about) around when we decimalised and I spent a good part of my growing up / education in Australia, where they were fully metricated.

But I don't see why we should ever have adopted an impractical, indivisible and inflexible system of poorly sized units just because the French found that they only had 10 fingers to count on :j

These are the kind of myths that resistance to change is based on.
Its not only the French who invented metric. Brits were involved as well. And the imperial system is also partly French, partly Roman. Fahrenheit? Doesn't sound very british to me
You might find metric impractical and inflexible but for the vast majority it is WAY easier and it makes sense to use what everyone else does.

Joe_Horner

andrewf75 wrote: »

[...]for the vast majority it is WAY easier [...]

I'm sorry, you're right. A system designed because the vast majority of Frenchmen found they only had 10 fingers to count on

AdrianC

Joe_Horner wrote: »

I'm sorry, you're right. A system designed because the vast majority of Frenchmen found they only had 10 fingers to count on

Except, obviously, Agincourt survivors...
<flicks Vs>

Joe_Horner

That's where we went wrong, y'see, leaving survivors - everything went downhill from there

WTFH

andrewf75 wrote: »

Fahrenheit? Doesn't sound very british to me

No, Kelvin would sound better.

...just off to heat some water to 373K to make a cuppa...

Iceweasel

Joe_Horner wrote: »

I'm sorry, you're right. A system designed because the vast majority of Frenchmen found they only had 10 fingers to count on

How many fingers have you got Joe?

How big is the king's thumb? Or his foot?

Remember it's not size that counts - it's what you do with it.

Let's bring back pecks, bushells and let's not forget the roodes or is it rudes or roods - Oh I give up - hooray for Napoleon.

AdrianC

andrewf75 wrote: »

Fahrenheit? Doesn't sound very british to me

Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit.

Born in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, to a German family, and lived most of his life in the Netherlands.

So we can persuade Nigel Farridge that it's the EU's fault.

WTFH

Iceweasel wrote: »

Oh I give up - hooray for Napoleon.

If it wasn't for him, the rest of Europe (and indeed the world) would still be driving on the correct side of the road. He was the one who got it wrong.

Joe_Horner

WTFH wrote: »

If it wasn't for him, the rest of Europe (and indeed the world) would still be driving on the correct side of the road. He was the one who got it wrong.

Not so much wrong as (in typically French style) the opposite of everyone else - a bit like a stroppy teenager will always go against the flow.

Besides, they say that driving / passing on the left was historically linked to keeping your sword hand available. Why on earth would they want to do that?

Iceweasel

WTFH wrote: »

If it wasn't for him, the rest of Europe (and indeed the world) would still be driving on the correct side of the road. He was the one who got it wrong.

No, No - that can't be correct - we are the ones who are on the wrong side of the road - we must be - as the rest of Europe use the 'right' side. :rotfl: