Dear Bill, I am right handed, so it is convenient for me to hold the tape measure casing in my left hand so that I can mark � along the top edge of the tape � with my right, writing, hand.
Perhaps many tape measures are being made for left handed people, tee hee. In any case, I don't have this problem at all as I buy tapes that are marked in millimetres � only. Cheers, Pat Naughtin LCAMS Geelong, Australia Pat Naughtin is the editor of the free online newsletter, 'Metrication matters'. You can subscribe by sending an email containing the words subscribe Metrication matters to [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- on 2004-07-10 02.08, Bill Hooper at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > I have often wondered about dual-unit tape measures with Ye Olde English > inches along the top edge and nice SI-metric centimetres along the bottom > edge. I hear it said that this arrangement favors inches to the detriment of > metric. Here is a typical quote form "A Very British Mess" publication of the > UKMA: > >> metric-only measuring tapes are very hard to obtain in the UK. The >> commonly-available dual tapes have imperial on top and metric on the bottom - >> making it awkward to use the metric edge. > > Could some of you amateur carpenters out there explain to me why it is easier > to use the markings on the top edge of the tape measure than the ones on the > bottom edge? If there is a reason, why can't the tape be turned left to right > so that the metric edge is on top (although the numbers would be upside down). > That might also help left handed carpenters, I should think, since the tape > would now extend from right to left instead of from left to right. > > Or is this just another one of those "that's the way we've always done it so > it's impossible to do it any other way" situations that really has no solid > reason behind it? > > Regards, > Bill Hooper > Fernandina Beach, Florida, USA > <><><><><><><><><><><><> > Make it simple; Make it Metric > <><><><><><><><><><><><>
