Britain switching to metric on the roads?

[leozwalf]

I heard a headline about this on the radio this morning but unfortunately didn't get to catch the rest of the story.

Something about the "metric society" (or similar) campaigning for distances to be shown in KM and speeds in KM/h. Apparantly this will make things less confusing for the motorist. One of the examples was calculating fuel economy.

I remember hearing something about "In the next 5 years"

If it's some 2-bit metric society then I can't see it happening QUITE so soon. I guess it is on the cards at some point though.

[dogwatch]

According to the (wife's) Daily Express - Neil Kinnock, 10 years nosing in the Brussels trough - has suggested that sticking with imperial units isn't very British. Speaking in support of a report by UK Metric Association he reckons road signs can be converted in 3-5 years at a cost (not to his pension though) of a mere £80m.

What could be simpler? All the continental lorry drivers will be happy!

Next we'll all be driving on the right.

[Sciroccology]

The UK Metric Association want all road signs changed to km in time for the 2012 Olympics, in order to avoid Britain looking "backwards" in the eyes of the rest of the world. They say it would (only) cost £80m, but the Government disagree with the proposals and they estimate the cost at closer to £800m.

British Government in common sense decision shock

[deva link]

dogwatch said:

Next we'll all be driving on the right.

The sooner the better.

[RedYellowGreen]

They (metric geeks) also suggested in the times article I read ''that this would be a chance to round up or down speedlimits'' Gee wonder which way they would be likely to go .

[RossyVR6]

Well Alistair Darling said on Question time last night that he reckoned it would be 700 million!!!!!!!!!!

He was also quite convincing at suggesting it was NOT going to happen.

He seemed genuine, but hey?

[robinhood21]

RedYellowGreen said:

They (metric geeks) also suggested in the times article I read ''that this would be a chance to round up or down speedlimits'' Gee wonder which way they would be likely to go .

I really hope that this never happens, but, if it does, then speed limits should go the same way as our currency when decimilised.

[targarama]

Sciroccology said:

The UK Metric Association want all road signs changed to km in time for the 2012 Olympics, in order to avoid Britain looking "backwards" in the eyes of the rest of the world. They say it would (only) cost £80m, but the Government disagree with the proposals and they estimate the cost at closer to £800m. British Government in common sense decision shock

So America are backwards too then ... And Japan for driving on the left.

[Twin Turbo]

On a positive note, if we do get to drive on the right at least I might consider a Mustang as my next car, rather than a Monaro

[cpas]

Probably Government spin against the evil speeders - it sounds worse saying 'driver caught doing 120' rather than 'driver caught doing 75'!
And I'm not at all cynical!

[shadowninja]

Will cost the motorist I bet. Or are they gonna pay to convert our speedos and reset the mileage? Also, I can see abuse... council resets 30mph signs to 40kph, cos nobody will notice. Or 70mph becomes 70kph...

-Mr Paranoid of Surrey

[desmo]

If Ireland can afford to put up signs with kilometres and miles on, why can't the UK. Get on with I say and get the bloody Euro in at the same time. Why is it the gouvernment will take a market trader to court for selling fruit in pounds and ounces, yet they can't decimalise the road signs because it cost's money! hippocrites!

[simonprelude]

Don't know how it's going to help working out fuel economy, would hate to work out how many miles per gallon I have done from travelling 600 km using 80 litres of fuel

[dogwatch]

Rule of thumb, multiply your Km/litre by 3. If that isn't good enough then use 2.825



Or emigrate to somewhere where they don't think Napoleon was wonderful....