• Iron Lynx
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    241 month ago

    Apparently the UK still uses stone as a step above pounds. Then again, the UK is a hot mess when it comes to units…

    • @then_three_more
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      71 month ago

      Yep, I’m about 13 stone 1. Which I know is about 83kg. But I have no idea how many pounds in a stone. I do know that there’s about 2 and a quarter lb to a kg. Therefore I must be about 186lb.

    • Neato
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      fedilink
      English
      31 month ago

      I know they use mph. Do they use km for distance or miles? I think they use meters for shorter distances so I’ve no clue.

      • CelloMike
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        8
        edit-2
        30 days ago

        Road distances are in miles, speed in mph, heights in feet & inches, anything else is a hot mess generally trending towards metric the younger you are (or if you’re in STEM)

        ETA: there was a dumb plan a couple years ago to “reintroduce” imperial measurements after Brexit, mainly aimed at food shops, ignoring the fact that the EU never prevented anyone using them, and then the govt quietly dropped it in December lawl

        • @Z3k3
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          English
          330 days ago

          I’m starting to hear people talk in km but nothing official

          We use lb and stone at home for weight but medical its kg

          Personally I was taught in the 80s and early 90s they trued to teach us both metric and imperial. I also did an apprenticeship in metric on imperial lathes and mills

          I have no clue how less than an inch works past 40, thou being 1mm I struggle with my weight in kg. Miles might as well be a unit of time as beyond telling you how long it takes to get somewhere miles are useless

          Bonus anecdot

          When I moved out of my parents I had to ask for help buying minced beef because growing up I learned I needed 1/2 lb of minced beef but it was packaged I’m 500 grams

        • @Aux
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          129 days ago

          Not all road distances are in miles, meters and yards are also used in the UK. Heights on signs can be in inches, meters or both.

        • Deebster
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          fedilink
          127 days ago

          Road distances are in miles if you’re driving, but if you’re running (maybe also cycling?) then it’s in km.

      • @w2tpmf
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        229 days ago

        The part I love is when you talk about the odometer in a car. They use kilometers to measure the milage. I guess kilometage just wouldn’t roll off the tongue.

      • @Aux
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        129 days ago

        Driving related measurements are a total clusterfuck. By default all distances are in miles. But distance markers along the motorways are placed at metric distances. But some markers are in yards. But then some are in fucking kilometres. And then you drive on the left, but of course there’s a fucking road in London where you drive on the right. Because fuck you, that’s why!

        By the way, the highway code is available online for free, check it out - https://www.gov.uk/browse/driving/highway-code-road-safety