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Re: USA & metric system

To: tjhiggin@ingr.com (T.J. Higgins)
Subject: Re: USA & metric system
From: Roland Dudley <cobra@cdc.hp.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Jul 94 11:35:36 PDT
> > After a year or two about half of the service stations in this area had
> > their pumps calibrated in litres.  Needless to say this caused a great
> > deal of confusion and probably a bit of price gouging.
> 
> This reminds me of a business trip to Calgary, Canada a few years 
> into the nearest station.  38.4 Canadian cents per liter.  Hmm, how 
> much is that in real money?  I didn't have a clue how much I was
> paying.  I just filled it up, paid, & drove away in a state of
> ignorant bliss.

This seems to have drifted quite a bit from the subject of British cars,
but what the heck...

For some products sold domestically the metric system system has stuck,
for some it hasn't.  I suppose it has to do with what might get
exported.  E.g., most booze is sold in metric containers while laundry
bleach is sold in gallon (or 1/2 gallon) containers.  An exception is
beer which is typically sold in 12 oz (US) bottles or cans.  But then I
don't suppose much Bud Lite is exported.

During the transition I recall seeing gallon and 3 litre jugs of the
same table wine sitting next to each other on a store shelf.  Even
though the gallon bottles were obviously larger the 3 litre bottles were
being sold for the same amount.

Roland


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