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Conference terri::cars_uk

Title:Cars in the UK
Notice:Please read new conference charter 1.70
Moderator:COMICS::SHELLEYELD
Created:Sun Mar 06 1994
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2584
Total number of notes:63384

2456.0. "Kilometers rather than miles" by COMICS::SHELLEY (Thats all I have to say about that) Fri Sep 29 1995 17:58

    OK so what with all the shops forced to sell in Kgs and not in lbs,
    when is the metrication going to hit UK motoring in terms of speedos
    in kph and road signs in Kms rather than miles. Is this seriously 
    being thought about right now or is it a long way off.
    
    Royston
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2456.1CBHVAX::CBHLager LoutFri Sep 29 1995 18:094
Don't know, but I seriously hope not.  It'd cause me (at least) no end
of confusion!

Chris.
2456.2CHEFS::BEATRX::WHITEHEADJGoldy in WonderlandFri Sep 29 1995 18:116
    On the A13 in East London there are already metric distance signs on
    approaches to traffic lights at major junctions. Quite confusing when
    you see a sign saying "Traffic lights - 1024 metres" (actually I can't
    quite remember the actual metres but it was some daft figure!).

    Jane.
2456.3CHEFS::FIDDLER_MThe sense of being dulls my mindFri Sep 29 1995 18:194
    I read that the road signs were not being changed, due to cost reasons. 
    I can imagine that new road signs may well be in kms or a mixture.  
    
    mikef
2456.4COMICS::CORNEJFri Sep 29 1995 18:237
    >>I can imagine that new road signs may well be in kms or a mixture.
    
    As in Ireland! (not a joke - they really are, and its confusing till
    you recognise the difference).
    
    Jc
    
2456.5Byebye mileage ?42054::JASPERStuck on the Flypaper of LifeMon Oct 02 1995 14:1810
    Maybe we can get away from the practice of quoting MPG :-).
    
    I wonder when our expenses *mileage* rate will change from 8p/m. We'll
    have to invent a new term, maybe "Kilometre Compensation".
    8 pence per km is OK by me, about time the consumer won :-) With this
    extra revenue we can all buy bar tyre pressure guages.
    
    Roll on metrication,
    
    Tony.
2456.6A lateral thoughtKERNEL::PARRYTrevor ParryMon Oct 02 1995 18:018
    Ah but...
    Normally you quote performance in Miles Per Gallon or Litres per 100
    Km.  Since expenses pay out on the first item (i.e. Miles) maybe
    they'll pay out on Litres, especially as most British Cars aren't
    equipped with an odometer which reads in Km.  An allowance per litre
    would be good for me. :-)
    
    tmp
2456.7YUPPY::BUSHAlive and KickingTue Oct 03 1995 13:318
    
    Re - a few back --Ireland.
    
    Confused the hell out of me whilst in Dublin.
    
    Signs of 50mph speed limit but signs to towns of x kilometres!!
    
    	Tony B.
2456.8Thats (irish) lifeWELCLU::SHARKEYALoginN - even makes the coffee@Tue Oct 03 1995 18:446
    yes, and you get out of the town and some signposts are miles, other
    Km. You have NO IDEA how far it is to the next town !
    
    Still, its a lovely country to visit.
    
    Alan
2456.9Doing the reverse, it's not fun45279::BARKER_EUmmm...Thu Oct 05 1995 14:4716
    Bike I'm getting is 2nd-hand , shipped in from japan so speedo is in
    km/h.  Well confusing when you glance down in town to see an indicated
    50 and immediate reaction is 50 miles per hour, not 50 km/h.  Will have
    to put a transparency to stick  over it with
    m/h shown in the right places.  If the UK signs went all km and km/h
    speed limits the confusion would be lethal, my brain hurts trying to
    work out 5/8th's of what's indicated while driving, Guess I'll get used
    to it.
    
    The other feature (not !) is a red light on the dash that lights up at
    a certain speed and above. First time this happened I thought I was in
    the process of blowing the engine ! Time to unplug a bulb methinks.
    
    	Euan 
    
    
2456.10Spots B4 the I's42054::JASPERStuck on the Flypaper of LifeThu Oct 05 1995 19:298
    euan,
    
    I stuck little SASCO Chart dots on my Km speedo, one at the equivs. of
    30, 40 & 70mph.
    I was also caught out by the speed light, slowing down always seemed to
    clear it...   
    
    Tony. 
2456.11CBHVAX::CBHLager LoutThu Oct 05 1995 22:183
The phrase `if it ain't broke, don't fix it' seems to stick in my mind...

Chris.
2456.1248789::VIPONDFri Oct 06 1995 16:048
    
    Think yourselve lucky that you only have a light that indicates your
    over the speed limit, having spent quite a lot of time in Singaporean
    taxi's where they have bells which sound when they exceed the limit a
    light seems like an easy thing to have to put up with.
    I spent a few days wondering why I kept hearing ringing in my ears
    before I found out what it was. Every taxi ride is accompanied with a
    Ding ding ding.................
2456.13COMICS::CORNEJFri Oct 06 1995 17:097
    re .12,
    
    They have the same things in cars in Saudi. It sounded more like diing
    diing diing.....no-one seemed to care though!
    
    Jc