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Why do people who try to convince others to switch to metric focus so much on the conversions? (herbicide.fallcounty.omg.lol)

submitted 3 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) by klymilark@herbicide.fallcounty.omg.lol to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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It seems like a weird point to bring up. How often do y'all convert your measurements? It's not even a daily thing. If I'm measuring something, I either do it in inches, or feet, rarely yards. I've never once had to convert feet into miles, and I can't imagine I'm unique in this. When I have needed to, it's usually converting down (I.e. 1/3 of a foot), which imperial does handle better in more cases.

Like. I don't care if we switch, I do mostly use metric personally, it just seems like a weird point to be the most common pro-metric argument when it's also the one I'm least convinced by due to how metric is based off of base 10 numbering, which has so many problems with it.

Edit: After reading/responding a lot in the comments, it does seem like there's a fundamental difference in how distance is viewed in metric/imperial countries. I can't quite put my finger on how, but it seems the difference is bigger than 1 mile = 1.6km

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[–] btsax@reddthat.com 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

The best arguments for metric is that you get to travel slightly faster for an equivalent speed limit (100 kph > 60 mph) and only needing to own one set of wrenches

[–] klymilark@herbicide.fallcounty.omg.lol -2 points 2 days ago

I own one wrench, and it's adjustable :P

My own heathenism aside, that speed limit would likely end up being 65; speed limits that end in 0 are kinda rare here? It's usually 25, 35, 45, etc unless it's a speed trap. It's something I noticed a while ago, and can't quite figure out why, so it's stuck with me. Might actually have to look into that at some point.