EU and Metrication

Post by **Mick F** » 12 Feb 2007, 8:58pm

I read some time back, that in 2008(?), it will be against EU laws to manufacture, export or import anything that has any quantity or measurement that is described in anything other than Metric.

This is at odds with US Federal law. The US say that you can have anything writen on it, as long as it has Imperial/US Imperial measurements as well!

This means that EU/USA import/export will end!

Now, how will bike frame manufacturers get on? Will this be the end of "English" threads?

A friend of ours runs an engineering firm specializing in refurbishment and manufacture of steam locomotive boilers, they're all completely imperial! That's the way they work! And they export throughout the world! How are they going to get on?

It's a mad, mad world out there!

Mick F. Cornwall

hubgearfreak · Post by **hubgearfreak** » 12 Feb 2007, 9:04pm

where did you read this mick?
the anti-EU daily :lol:

i would imagine that it means any chilli sauce maufacturer will be required to print 355ml, or whatever the US size 5oz equates to, and similar things like this. if they also write 5 us fl oz on the label also, then it means nothing to me anyway, is there 17 of them to a funny 31/47 sized pint?

it is so we the consumer can compare prices easily

a 11&3/4inch con-rod for a steam engine can't be affected, surely?

thirdcrank · Post by **thirdcrank** » 12 Feb 2007, 9:52pm

There could be a lot of milk bottles to replace in the next twelve months. (To be on the safe side, I will practice quoting gear sizes in development [metric] rather than hypothetical wheel size {inches])

They're all the same these foreigners: give them two and a half centimetres and they'll take 1.6093 kilometres...... :roll:

hubgearfreak · Post by **hubgearfreak** » 12 Feb 2007, 10:55pm

sorry, did i put my foot in it?
i'd like to post a link but can't fathom out how to do it
i hope you're not offended mick, i will show more respeck in future :lol:

Post by **Mick F** » 13 Feb 2007, 8:48am

Can't remember which newspaper it was in. May have been Sunday Torygraph of last autumn.

We don't buy papers, but get given loads to light the fires with! When I was lighting the lounge fire a few weeks ago, it just caught my eye, I've been thinking about it ever since. Was chatting to "locomotive-mate" the other day, and we discussed all sorts of measurements - BSP, UNC, UNF, SWG, BSW, etc.

Also, that they've ordered some copper (for boiler manufacture) in 9/16 inch thick, but it comes as 2x3 metres size!

Our local wood yard will sell 4x2, but at 1.8m long!

Mick F. Cornwall

ThomasDylan · Post by **ThomasDylan** » 13 Feb 2007, 10:02am

Whilst I would be more than happy for the UK to adopt metric measurements; i.e. road signs in kilometres; and to adopt the Euro as soon as possible; I would strongly resist the urge to cull the pint.

Those extra 68 millilitres are what make Britain great.

Say no to beer in half-litre glasses!

reohn2 · Post by **reohn2** » 13 Feb 2007, 10:16am

This thread reminds me when metrication first came in.I was in the local greengrocers when an old lady in front of me asked Syd the said g/g for "5lb of spuds" "its all metric now Nellie there kilo's" says Syd,"aew reet then Syd give us 5lb o' kilo's then", then looked at me with wink, collected her "spuds" paid and left.
Pricless!

Post by Si » 13 Feb 2007, 10:16am

Si's all in one theory of metrication and road safety:

The problems:
To change all of our speed limits to km would require a massive program of repainting road signs that would take ages and cost loads.
The speed limits on many of our roads are stupidly high and thus cause a danger to road users.

The solution:
Leave all speed limit signs as they are but treat them as km per hour rather than miles per hour. Thus, we swap over to metric at no cost and road safetly is increased at no cost.

Simple solutions are the best :wink:

Dai · Post by **Dai** » 13 Feb 2007, 10:21am

Fine theory Si except the speedos are in MPH so by the time driver bloggs looked at his speedo and then translated it into KPH he will have flattened half a dozen metric pint cyclists

Post by Si » 13 Feb 2007, 10:23am

Ah, but drivers would have to have their speedos converted (although most newer cars have both), thus driving up the cost of motoring and giving more inducement to use nice cheap bicycles :wink:

pigman · Post by **pigman** » 13 Feb 2007, 1:26pm

Si wrote:
to use nice cheap bicycles

sorry mate, nice try, but as soon as the bike becomes popular or necessary they won't be cheap (except maybe for us can recycle cycle bits and do our own mechanics).

Anyway, my mate's DeRosa King with Record throughout cost him about four grand - cheap at twice the price! :roll:

Post by **Mick F** » 13 Feb 2007, 2:15pm

Just done a bit of Google-ing and Wikipedia-ing.

It appears that the chop-date is 31st Dec 2010, but this date has continually been put back for years, from the 70's to the 80's and latterly to 1999. It expected to be put back yet again, and even 'relaxed', leaving UK able to use dual systems for domestic use and export to the US.

Perhaps the newspaper I read was sensationalizing! Well I never!

Mick F. Cornwall

Deckie · Post by **Deckie** » 13 Feb 2007, 8:27pm

The big problem with the proposed new law is that it will be illegal to display anything for sale bearing non metric measurements... OK so us dinosaurs will have to abandon the delights of base 12 calculation (so much easier for division!)

The big problem is with none EU products, for example american. It is illegal to produce anything in the USA without it's size shown in Imperial...

So, We will no longer be able to buy american frames or tyres or anything else that we might like the look of. Nor will any EU manufacturers be able to sell to the USA...

Crazy, but true...

Can I suggest some gentle lobbying...

thirdcrank · Post by **thirdcrank** » 13 Feb 2007, 9:06pm

We are back to the metrication martyrs selling bananas in lbs and oz. Where I have difficulty is that there seems to be so much dishonesty that trading standards people could be dealing with that the prosecution of honest people using admittedly unlawful weights and measures but not defrauding anybody is OTT. From where I stand (and I have no views on the merits or otherwise of metrication) it just makes trading standards officers look petty.

gerry36 · Post by **gerry36** » 13 Feb 2007, 10:19pm

When I was working, my EU colleagues used to say "You English- you're going metric inch by inch!"

Another of their jokes was "Why do English car owners want a sun roof on their car? So that if summer happens when they are out in their car, they don't miss it."