How to measure things like a Canadian

[Iowa Dave]

Hi Alf,
At my age anything that’s useless to me that can be converted to a consumable (read that beer or meat) is a candidate for a new home.
Don’t need a aluminum boat that leaks do you?
Iowa Dave

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by 75thRanger

The Army went metric years ago. The Navy uses 'knots' and 'fathoms' Sailors are a little weird anyway. Given a choice of dirt or water, I'll go with the dirt.

Dirt, for sure!! RLTW

[Ron in BC]

The item that's missing from the chart is how we count. It's probably not well known but we count; nine, tenteen, eleventeen, twelveteen etc. Keeps our kids happy because they get to be teenagers quicker.

Ron

[dfandrews]

Years ago (about 1975, before calculators were in general use), I was part of a group building a museum exhibit. We needed sloped section at 3-4% slope. So, we set out busily hand-calculating the lengths of each riser, even debating whether to calculate to the nearest 16th or 32nd of an inch.
In walks the father of one of the diligent calculators. The father, originally from Austria, looked at us for a minute, then suggested: if you use metric units, then you can just about do the calculations in your head. i.e. 3-4 mm. per 10 cm.

Lesson learned.

[mcdonner]

Always wished we had switched to metric. Makes so much more sense.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by h2owmn

in 1975 I was tasked with training teachers in my California school district in the soon-to-be adopted metric system. 44 years. Guess it's not gonna happen anytime soon.

i was in grade school in San Francisco in the 60s, and we were being taught metric already by the late 60s. Most speed limit signs around the greater SFBA had metric sub-signs installed circa 1970. '80 is about when the regressives called it off because the size of a 17th century king's foot was god's units or something.

[alanmalk]

Metric in the campground:

Told some Germans the other day to carry 4 liters each on their planned hike up Emory Peak. They asked if I was converting English units to metric just for them. No, I said, any serious hiker uses liters.

And when it comes to temperatures - we try to avoid needless heat related injuries by explaining that the temperatures on our desert trails will be well over 100F. But that doesn't sink in with Europeans as well as it should, so when I get a nonchalant OK, I switch over and say it will be near 40C. Then their eyes get big and I know that the message is getting through. Maybe saves lives...

--
Alan

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by alanmalk

when I get a nonchalant OK, I switch over and say it will be near 40C. Then their eyes get big and I know that the message is getting through. Maybe saves lives...

--
Alan

You probably are. I've read that foreign visitors die in our western national parks at a disproportionate rate. The problem is twofold: (1) scale-- many foreign visitors can't grasp how far away things are; e.g. a mountain range that looks a few miles away can actually be fifty miles away. Japanese visitors are said to be particularly vulnerable to this misconception. (2) European visitors in particular seem to think that if they get lost some authority will come looking for them, as this is what would happen in their home country. Nope, not here.

I'd add a third factor: heat. Japan and most of Europe don't get as hot as Big Bend, Death Valley, etc. It's a good idea to emphasize how hot it gets in a way foreigners can understand. You're doing the right thing.

[cpaharley2008]

I also was told a lot of newcomers to the west starve/freeze to death in the winters from getting snowed in and unable to exit or get food and heat. A freezer full of food, firewood, as well as a second floor exit is common for winter snow lasting for months.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I also was told a lot of newcomers to the west starve/freeze to death in the winters from getting snowed in and unable to exit or get food and heat. A freezer full of food, firewood, as well as a second floor exit is common for winter snow lasting for months.

I stacked 5 cord of oak firewood last week so our wood bins are full ( 7 1/2 cords total)
The freezer is almost full , we’re stocking up on canned and dry goods and the wife has been busy canning . Cool weather is approaching ,so soon we will be making sausage for the winter and for gifts st Christmas .. Then it will be deer hunting and baking season .
Love the sound of gun fire in the woods and the smell of baking cookies and fruitcake filling the house
Next week it’s time to tune up the snowblower and put an edge on the snow shovels
The sumac are changing color and we are in anticipation of another glorious winter
Living in a place where you can truly experience all four seasons is one of God’s blessings !

[mcdonner]

You painted a beautiful picture of Fall’s arrival. While only in NE Ohio I also love winter, short sunlight days and a good old fashioned blizzard. Some of my family look at me like I’m crazy but Fall and winter are my favorite seasons.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Mike Lewis

You probably are. I've read that foreign visitors die in our western national parks at a disproportionate rate. The problem is twofold: (1) scale-- many foreign visitors can't grasp how far away things are; e.g. a mountain range that looks a few miles away can actually be fifty miles away. Japanese visitors are said to be particularly vulnerable to this misconception. (2) European visitors in particular seem to think that if they get lost some authority will come looking for them, as this is what would happen in their home country. Nope, not here.

Probably pales in comparison to where I live, a 2 minute walk to the entrance to trails that border a canyon and lead to many mountain trails. Foreign tourists especially read about all the grandeur of the river pools, the canyon, the mountain bike trails and the hikes to nearby mountain tops. Seems like some of them get off the plane and head to some of the attractions wearing flip flops. Or head off on a 6 hour hike that includes treacherous areas still covered in snow and ice with a couple of hours of daylight left. But, hey, that's OK because they can use the light on their cell phone.

I'm often still in my warm bed and I hear the rescue helicopter fly over my house. I think, someone spent a cold night on the mountain. I don't have lot of sympathy for them.

Ron

[Iowa Dave]

I get a weekly news feed from the New York Department of Conservation. Every week about a half a dozen hikers and fishermen need rescue assistance in the Adirondacks. Same mistakes over and over. You can get in a lot of trouble in a short time if you don’t know what you are doing.
Iowa Dave

[Mike Lewis]

Since I'm having a slow day I thought I'd give this thread a bump. Here ya go:

https://www.livescience.com/why-usa-not-metric.html


ML

[Ron in BC]

So it took a 100 years to fully implement it in France. Well then we're not doing too badly in Canada since we've only been at it for 50 years. Yes, our speed limits are metric but a lot of us still think mph and stores still put the weight in lbs. by the weight in kg. The young crowd did learn the metric system in school but with all the already adults still mostly using miles, pounds and feet they were quite slow to adapt to it.

So the US has strongly resisted the metric system yet my F150 is metric.

Ron

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

So the US has strongly resisted the metric system yet my F150 is metric.

Ron

In winter, it would be an F132. Or maybe 132F

[Jim Bennett]

Vehicle speed and distance in miles is confusing for me, as is temperature in °F. Another place metric wind big time is with surveying, where inches are a terrible battle to deal with.

I built a couple homes with metric materials, and not was that nice, until wood supplyers and governments gave into pressure from the US. No worries, I still make do. [emoji41]

[C&G in FL]

The populace of the US has resisted changing to the metric system primarily due to laziness. That statement IS NOT intended to be a slight by any means. Learning something different from that which is most familiar is somewhat of a mental challenge which is compounded by long term perceptions. What I mean is that when you have always perceptualized (visualized) in your mind the length of an inch is and you are so familiar with it that you can fairly accurately demonstrate it with your thumb and forefinger, thinking in centimeters is difficult, and you resist doing it. The same is true with all units of measure, whether weight, volume, or temperature. When 72° has always been pleasant and 32° has always been chilly, it is difficult to perceive that 22° is comfortable and 0° is not bone chilling. I have more trouble with temperature and weight than with distance and volume when it comes to metrics. The reason is that a liter is similar to a quart, and I can visualize both. My time in the military got me accustomed to meters and KMs.
Young Canadians have been exposed extensively to metrics and are comfortable with the system, yet some older Canadians still visualize measurements the way they were presented prior to the switch to the metric system. There is no doubt that the metric system makes far more sense than the English system, but until one is “forced to adapt or die (which countermands laziness),” it is likely that the US will be slow to adopt and embrace metrics. Technically, except for the quarter dollar, US currency (as is Canada’s) is really based on the numbers 1 and 10, which is the metric system’s basis.

[UncleTim]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Probably pales in comparison to where I live, a 2 minute walk to the entrance to trails that border a canyon and lead to many mountain trails. Foreign tourists especially read about all the grandeur of the river pools, the canyon, the mountain bike trails and the hikes to nearby mountain tops. Seems like some of them get off the plane and head to some of the attractions wearing flip flops. Or head off on a 6 hour hike that includes treacherous areas still covered in snow and ice with a couple of hours of daylight left. But, hey, that's OK because they can use the light on their cell phone.
Ron

This is so true. I find the danger inherent to mountains generally goes up as you go North. Colorado mountains, while still dangerous, are tame compared to Alberta or British Columbia.

The Middle Rockies are more dangerous than than the Southern Rockies. The Northern Rockies are even more dangerous. The Canadian Rockies have the most sawtooth ridge lines of the whole bunch and the dangers that goes with them. This is just a general guideline, but somewhat true. You can get into trouble or freeze on any mountain.

But the problems are not limited to tourists. There is a dirt road pass out in back (Corona pass) that locals will try and take to get back home, only to get stuck and have their car, truck or van stay there all Winter. That pass has been closed for the last 20 years. Usually these are not the sharpest tool in the shed, but it still happens. At least they could walk out.


And don't forget bigfoot!

[Mike Lewis]

Not only does the U.S. still use the foot, it has two different definitions for its length. One is about to go away:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/18/s...gy-dennis.html