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Metrication in the United States (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 week ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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In 1793, Thomas Jefferson requested equipment from France that could be used to evaluate the metric system within the United States, Joseph Dombey returned from France with a standard kilogram. Before reaching the United States, Dombey's ship was blown off course by a storm and captured by pirates, and he died in captivity on Montserrat.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (5 children)

I don't think metric will ever overtake customary units for distance in common usage in the US. The length of an inch, foot, and mile are burned into our public consciousness. Products come standard at discrete lengths defined in feet, like lumber being sold in lengths of 8, 10, or 12 feet. Our entire infrastructure is built around these lengths. Cars have both mph and kph on their speedometers, but no one ever looks at the kph. We'd have to change every speed limit sign in the whole country, as well as every highway mile marker and all the distance signs.

I feel like in the US we already encounter Celsius on a regular basis though, and it would be easier to drop Farenheit if we wanted to.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago

hey can you pick up a 2 liter bottle of pop on the way home? Thanks.

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