This is what happens when politicians get too scared to do what is right, think only of the next election, and listen only to the whiners. It's also what happens when you let the process get stuck (like in Canada too, though they did get the roads) and then lose the backbone to finish the job. Multiply this attitude toward road signs in the UK by a factor of 100 and you have the USA.
I was in the UK last June and thought the motorway signs had already metricated: "A34 Oxford 1 m" - however, I looked one meter beyond the sign and saw no exit. Carleton -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Philip S Hall Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006 13:27 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:36110] RE: Fw:BBC E-mail: Call for metric road sign switch I'm not in the least surprised at the public reaction to this. Why should they, when asked completely out of the blue, react favouably, when they know nothing of the rationale behind it? Certainly the magnitude of the change is a significant factor but another one is the irresponsible reaction of the Department for Transport, trotting out a bloated and totally unsubstantiated figure for the cost, deliberately to rubbish the idea. Ask yourself this question. If a pressure group had published a report back in the sixties calling for decimal currency at a time when the government of the day weren't interested what sort of reaction would that have got? Decimalisation only happened because politicians were prepared to lead on it and promote it. There aren't many people today who would wind the clock back on that one. Make no mistake. This is only round one. Regards Phil Hall ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Humphreys" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006 9:07 AM Subject: [USMA:36107] RE: Fw:BBC E-mail: Call for metric road sign switch > Regardless of "which side of the fence one is on" this newsitem rather > backfired in the UK. > When the general public were questioned about it there was an almost > consistent hostile reaction. > It actually took me by surprise (the reaction, that is). I never thought > roadsigns were such an emotive issue - I thought, like the general subject > of metrication/Imperial, that it was only of intrest to those who find the > subject of interest - if you get what I mean. > > >>From: "H. Maenen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> >>Subject: [USMA:36105] Fw:BBC E-mail: Call for metric road sign switch >>Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2006 20:58:57 +0100 (CET) >> >>I got this e-mail from my brother. >> >>Han >> >> > Datum: 23/02/06 11:53 >> > Van: "Michel" >> > Aan: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > CC: >> > Onderwerp : BBC E-mail: Call for metric road sign switch >> > >> > Michel saw this story on BBC News Online and thought you >> > should see it. >> > >> > ** Message ** >> > Zou het dan toch ooit goedkomen op dat eiland??? >> > >> > groet Michel >> > >> > ** Call for metric road sign switch ** >> > Britain should set an early date for converting its road signs from >>miles to kilometres, a report says. >> > < http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/uk/4741894.stm > >> > >> > >> > ** BBC Daily E-mail ** >> > Choose the news and sport headlines you want - when you want them, all >> > in one daily e-mail >> > < http://www.bbc.co.uk/dailyemail/ > >> > >> > >> > ** Disclaimer ** >> > The BBC is not responsible for the content of this e-mail, and anything >>written in this e-mail does not necessarily reflect the BBC's views or >>opinions. Please note that neither the e-mail address nor name of the >>sender have been verified. >> > >> > If you do not wish to receive such e-mails in the future or want to >> > know >>more about the BBC's Email a Friend service, please read our frequently >>asked questions. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/4162471.stm >> > >> > > >
