DBWI: Continued use of the imperial system in the US and UK

WI the US and UK had continued using the imperial system up until the present day, instead of fully converting to the metric system during the 1960s/70s? e.g stones/lbs used for mass, ft/inches used for height, mi/mph used on roads and °F used for temperature. What effects would this have on the development of both countries?
 
This would play havoc with any industry that wanted to sell internationally. I mean it could lead to things like metric and SAE fasteners being used on the same product. Possibly on the same component. Every mechanic could potentially have to own two sets of tools just to work on newer cars! I know the guys who restore older vehicles do but they for the most part have been doing that sort of thing for years. Sears would make a fortune! They'd be even bigger than they are today.

I had to learn feet, inches,pounds, ounces (weight and measure!) So I wouldn't want to saddle any kid with learning tat stuff. I mean I never did understand what a peck is. Last year I had to fix my moms vacuum cleaner and I had a hell of a time finding screws. Wound up ordering them from a specialty catalog company.

IOTL Metric has been legal for use in the US since around 1870 or so.
 
This would play havoc with any industry that wanted to sell internationally. I mean it could lead to things like metric and SAE fasteners being used on the same product. Possibly on the same component.

I'd imagine that many Americans in this ATL would be very pro-metric if this were the case.
 
I'd imagine that many Americans in this ATL would be very pro-metric if this were the case.

Not necessarily. I mean, take a look at the Russian Empire - to this day, it still steadfastly holds onto its own system of measurement, having managed to basically merge it into part of its empire. Its client states in the Balkans, be it the South Slavs or the Greeks, also enjoy widespread use of the Russian system. And, to this day, the Chinese old units of measure still enjoy some use in day to day life, especially outside the capitals.

I mean, technically, all the nations have adjusted to the metric system, but Russia has had its system of measure tied into its national identity. And long as there is a big enough internal market, it still becomes profitable to use the old system, and the conversion costs can be eaten as well.

OOC: The US and the UK both don't use the Imperial system, only the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth/Empire ever did, and it wasn't put into place until the 1800s. (1824, but just guessing. been a while since I checked) The US uses the US Customary system, which is based on the "old" English system prior to that. About 1/4 of all measurements differ because of that, roughly.
 

hipper

Banned
WI the US and UK had continued using the imperial system up until the present day, instead of fully converting to the metric system during the 1960s/70s? e.g stones/lbs used for mass, ft/inches used for height, mi/mph used on roads and °F used for temperature. What effects would this have on the development of both countries?

I hate to break it to you but many industries in both the US and the UK do use the imperial system with some slight alterations, “decimal feet” for example.
 
Top