My car, a Citroen C5 for the UK market, can calculate in imperial (mpg) or in
metric (L/100 km). I keep it in metric, especially as I got used to metric in
Canada, where both distances and fuel are given in metric values. My C5, over
the last 7000 km, is averaging 7.5 L/100 km, not bad for a 2.2 L twin turbo 129
kW (173 hp) diesel, with 6-speed tiptronic automatic, driven, how shall say,
rather sprightly. But then the French always were rather good at diesel
engines.
I would think that the majority of cars sold in the UK in the last three years
have on board computers - even basic cars today have them, and most likely all
are capable of displaying in metric or imperial for the UK market.
----- Original Message -----
From: Jeremiah MacGregor
To: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 4:48 PM
Subject: [USMA:43416] Re: Jerry's questions regarding "imperial" fuel & fish
sales in the UK.
Thank You Ken for the enlightenment. I'm curious about the use of the mpg
when fuel is dispensed in liters. The calculation is complex and I can't see
most people going through the bother. So, in your opinion how does the average
person come to know his/her mpg?
I was told a few weeks back about the car computer doing it, but how many
people have such a device? Do you calculate your mpg manually or do you use a
mixed unit like miles per liter? How much do you think L/100 km is used?
Jerry
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Ken Cooper <k_cooper1...@yahoo.com>
To: U.S. Metric Association <usma@colostate.edu>
Sent: Saturday, March 7, 2009 9:23:48 AM
Subject: [USMA:43401] Jerry's questions regarding "imperial" fuel & fish
sales in the UK.
As you suggest, Jerry, one individual on one website seems to believe
that liquid fuel in the UK is dispensed in "air miles" rather than litres. I
think that his views can safely be ignored.
I can assure you that UK law still states that litres MUST be used
whenever liquid fuels are sold by retail in the UK.
My view of the law is backed up by my own experiences in filling my car
at pumps in dozens of filling stations throughout the UK, and in passing
hundreds of other filling stations with large roadside price displays marked
solely with prices per litre.
UK petrol pumps normally have 3 active displays at any one time. One
tells the price per litre, one tells the number of litres dispensed and one
tells the total price to pay. Some pumps omit the price per litre & a few omit
the price to pay.
In every case, however, there is a requirement that the pump shows the
number of litres dispensed.
I'm sure that other UK contributors to this site can confirm my
findings.
With regard to Tesco's supposed return to using imperial scales at
their fish counter in their Loudwater store, I would point out that this
information is provided by the same individual on the same website I mention
above. This tine, he makes a claim that Tesco are using dual scales for trade
purposes in this store.
Unfortunately, he refuses to provide any meaningful detail about the
scales, making it impossible to verify whether he is telling the truth or not.
I've never been in the Loudwater Tesco, so I cannot comment on that particular
store.
However, during the last 12 months or so, I have visited Tesco stores
in Dundee (4), Edinburgh (3), Glasgow (2), Helensburgh (2), Arbroath, Ayr,
Budapest(non-UK!), Campbeltown, Dumbarton, Dublin(non-UK!), Inverness,
Lochgilphead, London, Oban, Perth & Stirling.
None of these stores use dual-marked weighing equipment for any trade
purposes (a few have dual non-trade customer checkweighers in the F&V aisle).
Each and every one of those stores had weighing and/or measuring equipment in
use for trade. Without exception, the equipment indicated in metric units only.
Again, I would ask other UK contributors to post their experiences in
Tesco stores. I'm pretty sure that only one person will claim to have seen such
a scale, yet will prove to be surprisingly reluctant (or perhaps unable) to
provide any real proof that it exists.
--- On Sat, 3/7/09, Jeremiah MacGregor
<jeremiahmacgre...@rocketmail.com> wrote:
From: Jeremiah MacGregor <jeremiahmacgre...@rocketmail.com>
Subject: Re: [USMA:43385] Re: USC units spread to the UK - and no-one
notices!
To: k_cooper1...@yahoo.com, "U.S. Metric Association"
<usma@colostate.edu>
Date: Saturday, March 7, 2009, 1:48 AM
Ken,
I've heard a rumor recently that the UK no longer uses the liter for
dispensing gasoline but has instead switched to a new unit called "air miles".
Can you provide some further information on this?
I also understand that some super markets are now re-introducing
scales in pound units that are being used to weigh goods asked for by
customers. I believe that a Tesco located in the town of Loudwater has already
changed over. Can you provide some further information on this reversion?
Jerry
