Why does UK use MPH , aren't they on the metric system?
02-08-2006, 01:36 PM
#14
AudiWorld Super User
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 8,778
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My bad...absolutely UK is MPH
Don't know what I was smoking. From what I understand UK has both imperial and metric. Schools teach metric but imperial is used in everyday life due to people being "uhm" unwilling to change. I think that official scientific format is in metric though.
02-08-2006, 01:39 PM
#15
AudiWorld Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,108
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
MPH is used.
The last change in law in the UK was in 1985 and miles are still used for distance.
There is metrification happening, but it is not fully implemented in the UK.
There is metrification happening, but it is not fully implemented in the UK.
02-08-2006, 01:43 PM
#16
New Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Like many things in a country as old as ours, it's down to history...
In the past, almost everybody travelled on the left side of the road because that was the most sensible option for feudal, violent societies. Since most people are right-handed, swordsmen preferred to keep to the left in order to have their right arm nearer to an opponent and their scabbard further from him. Moreover, it reduced the chance of the scabbard (worn on the left) hitting other people.
Furthermore, a right-handed person finds it easier to mount a horse from the left side of the horse, and it would be very difficult to do otherwise if wearing a sword (which would be worn on the left). It is safer to mount and dismount towards the side of the road, rather than in the middle of traffic, so if one mounts on the left, then the horse should be ridden on the left side of the road.<ul><li><a href="http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/driving%20on%20the%20left.htm">http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/driving%20on%20the%20left.htm</a</li></ul>
Furthermore, a right-handed person finds it easier to mount a horse from the left side of the horse, and it would be very difficult to do otherwise if wearing a sword (which would be worn on the left). It is safer to mount and dismount towards the side of the road, rather than in the middle of traffic, so if one mounts on the left, then the horse should be ridden on the left side of the road.<ul><li><a href="http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/driving%20on%20the%20left.htm">http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/driving%20on%20the%20left.htm</a</li></ul>
02-08-2006, 01:51 PM
#20
New Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No problem - you've got the French to thank for you driving on the right...
Revolutionary France overturned the practice of travelling on the left as part of its sweeping social rethink. A change was carried out all over continental Europe by Napoleon. The reason it changed under Napoleon was because he was left handed his armies had to march on the right so he could keep his sword arm between him and any opponent.
From then on, any part of the world which was at some time part of the British Empire was thus left hand and any part colonised by the French was right hand.
In America, the French colonised the southern states (Louisiana for instance) and the Canadian east coast (Quebec). The Dutch colonised New York (or New Amsterdam). The Spanish and Portugese colonised the southern Americas. So the British were a minority in shaping the 'traffic'.
The drive-on-the-right policy was adopted by the USA, which was anxious to cast off all remaining links with its British colonial past.
From then on, any part of the world which was at some time part of the British Empire was thus left hand and any part colonised by the French was right hand.
In America, the French colonised the southern states (Louisiana for instance) and the Canadian east coast (Quebec). The Dutch colonised New York (or New Amsterdam). The Spanish and Portugese colonised the southern Americas. So the British were a minority in shaping the 'traffic'.
The drive-on-the-right policy was adopted by the USA, which was anxious to cast off all remaining links with its British colonial past.