The European Commission has tired of waiting for the UK to give up imperial measurements, and now says it can use some of them. In that light, English people can continue to confuse visitors with the pound, the ounce and the mile for as long as they want. Although some experts claim that the metric system was originally invented in England before being adopted by the French, English people have barricaded behind the imperial measurements, absurdly making it a question of national pride.
Some people say that that’s exactly why we love the English, because they are different.
I am not so sure I enjoyed their inclination towards peculiarity when we tried to board the ferry that was going to take us from Spain back to England this summer though. We were travelling with our dog Tim, which had to be treated against worms and ticks before what we understood was 48 hours. Having visited the vet in Santander the morning before embarking, we innocently queued on the pier until they singled us out. The dog’s Dutch passport was incomplete, and the worm treatment had to be given after 48 hours before embarking but before 24 hours before embarking. Confused? So were we. Any alternatives? Yes, you can either wait in Santander for the next ferry which will depart in a week’s time or drive 1000 kilometres to France and take the next one tomorrow, by then the treatment will be in the right time window.
Sorry, how many miles to France did you say?
8 comments:
It's an interesting idea to imply that the metric system makes us brits insecure enough to want to confuse Johnny Foreigner into making mistakes.
Anyway, I totally agree that the imperial system should be replaced with the metric one in my country. It's quite absurd that the pint and mile should be preserved to the exclusion of using litres and kilometres as a point of national pride. Surely the answer is to have both systems and allow the metric one to take over in time.
I was talking to a younger English work colleague yesterday and he said he did not know how many feet there are in a yard nor how many yards there are in a mile. That is a triumph of progress I think. (He did however know his height in feet and inches.)
yeah, jonathan,and the speed cameras flashing in kilometres rather than in miles
jonathan, anonymous, if you want to avoid speed fines simply drive around with an old battered subaru...
(Marina, are you saying your subaru cannot break the speed limit??)
I hate the speed camaras in this country. You see the sign saying maybe there is a camara ahead but NO indication of what the limit is! However this website makes it crystal clear: http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/speedmanagement/speedknowyourlimits
I love page 12 which says, 'The driver should
therefore be in no doubt of what the
speed limit is for the road being
driven on.' !!
if in doubt, drive 30 mph
fellow drivers will LOVE you
drive around IN an old subaru
we break the speed limit
and just about anything
born to be wild our motto is
leather jackets come with it
but if at the autumn of your life
you find yourself craving
for that exhilarating rush
don't hesitate, call us
you know where we are
I am just about to call
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