Weights, Measures, and distance

I should’ve realized that there was a catch to the UK being “metric.”  It certainly applies to weights and measures in the stores. Everything is clearly labeled in grams or cc without a secondary conversion to Imperial for those who just can’t comprehend or do calculations in their head.

But distance and road speeds? That is a completely other thing. I started to twig a few days ago when I saw a road sign with a “20” inside a red circle. 20km seems to be awfully slow so I asked. No, 20 miles an hour. We changed weights and measures but not speed and road distance.

This almost makes sense for a country that clings Royalty, French spellings of words adopted in the 1100-1300s, and driving on the opposite side of the road from the other 90% of the world. Just about all cars that I have seen have both scales on the speedometer.  Brits don’t do change well. Further more, they take pride. Why would you change something that is working? And seriously, when you look at the cost of replacing road signs, saving money is as good a reason as any other for stubbornly maintaining the old system.

At least there is no argument about time, or the calendar. Those seem to be in agreement, at least for the Western World.

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About Holly

fiber person - knitter, spinner, weaver who spent 33 years being a military officer to fund the above. And home. And family. Sewing and quilting projects are also in the stash. After living again in Heidelberg after retiring (finally) from the U.S. Army May 2011, we moved to the US ~ Dec 2015. Something about being over 65 and access to health care. It also might have had to do with finding a buyer for our house. Allegedly this will provide me a home base in the same country as our four adult children, all of whom I adore, so that I can drive them totally insane. Considerations of time to knit down the stash…(right, and if you believe that…) and spin and .... There is now actually enough time to do a bit of consulting, editing. Even more amazing - we have only one household again. As long as everyone understands that I still, 40 years into our marriage, don't do kitchens or bathrooms. For that matter, not being a golden retriever, I don't do slippers or newspapers either. I don’t miss either the military or full-time clinical practice. Limiting my public health/travel med/consulting and lecturing to “when I feel like it” has let me happily spend my pension cruising, stash enhancing (oops), arguing with the DH about where we are going to travel next and book buying. Life is good!
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