More and more height (and to a lesser extent, width) signs are becoming dual
marked. The imperial is legally required, the metric is optional. But too
many EU registered trucks were becoming stuck under low bridges (often on
routes which are not usually used by big trucks - blame sat nav for that), and
so the recommendation is for dual signs. Many of them are now dual marked,
usually metric first, then imperial. Width signs are more of a problem,
especially temporary signs in road construction projects, where lanes have been
narrowed.
----- Original Message -----
From: Jeremiah MacGregor
To: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 5:57 PM
Subject: [USMA:43436] Re: Jerry's questions regarding "imperial" fuel & fish
sales in the UK.
Are the dual height restriction signs common in the UK? Haven't most of the
metric been wiped out by ARM?
Jerry
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Ken Cooper <k_cooper1...@yahoo.com>
To: U.S. Metric Association <usma@colostate.edu>
Sent: Saturday, March 7, 2009 12:05:44 PM
Subject: [USMA:43421] Re: Jerry's questions regarding "imperial" fuel & fish
sales in the UK.
Carleton
As John Frewen-Lord states, you will see imperial measurement used for
the majority of UK roadsigns.
Normally, official signs giving distances don't use an abbreviation for
miles. A sign would say "York 10" rather than "York 10 m", York 10 mi" or "York
10 miles"
You obviously spotted one of the "m means miles" signs.
"m" is also used to mean metres on some UK road-signs.. These signs are
mainly confined to signs showing restricted heights or widths & are also
accompanied by imperial measurements in feet/inches.
--- On Sat, 3/7/09, Carleton MacDonald <carlet...@comcast.net> wrote:
From: Carleton MacDonald <carlet...@comcast.net>
Subject: [USMA:43413] Re: Jerry's questions regarding "imperial" fuel
& fish sales in the UK.
To: "U.S.. Metric Association" <usma@colostate.edu>
Date: Saturday, March 7, 2009, 4:32 PM
When I was in the UK in June 2005 our friend took us driving from
Southsea to Stonehenge. On the motorway the distance to the next exit was
noted on the sign as “1 m”. Funny, even though that looked metric, I didn’t
see it all that close.
Carleton
From: owner-u...@colostate.edu [mailto:owner-u...@colostate.edu] On
Behalf Of John Frewen-Lord
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 10:53
To: U.S. Metric Association
Subject: [USMA:43410] Re: Jerry's questions regarding "imperial" fuel
& fish sales in the UK.
My local Tesco in Grimsby weighs ONLY in metric units for trade
purposes (at the deli and fish counters primarily). Yes, the customer-use
weigh scales are dual marked, with metric as the primary (outer) scale, and
imperial as the secondary (inner) scale. All our other local supermarkets
(Morrisons, Sainsbury's, ASDA, Somerfield) only retail weigh products in
metric, this is the law. Annoyingly, some counter staff insist on converting
it to imperial for me (even when I have asked for it in metric), but that is
sporadic.
Also to confirm - all fuel, whether petrol (gasoline) and diesel at
the pumps, or the fuel oil we buy for our heating system, is sold in liters
ONLY. Even aircraft fuel is calibrated in liters (a friend of mine works at my
local airport). I have NEVER seen automotive fuel in other than metric. Same
for Canada - since conversion in 1978, all gasoline can be dispensed ONLY in
liters.
The UK is primarily metric (e.g. the laptop computer I am typing this
out on is shown as weighing 3.5 kg, no imperial equivalent), and officially all
government is metric, even though there is some backsliding. Only the road
signage, and pints in the pub, are not metric. These are the sole areas that
those who resist metric conversion are holding out on.
----- Original Message -----
From: Ken Cooper
To: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 2:23 PM
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
