I must say that I had a little fun in looking at the UKMA’s website www.ukma.org.uk. The amount of detail in things that they say is very honest, for example going on about Tony Bennett’s prosecution without mentioning the 1980 Highways Act whatsoever, and likewise not mentioning Article 10 of the European Convention in Human Rights when talking about the Metric Martyrs appealing.

Another thing to point out about the site is that they of course have not had many visits! They’ve only had 34,681 visits since over the last three years whilst we’ve had 11,306 UNIQUE visits in the last twenty months. The difference here is that the number of visits on the UKMA’s site goes up by one each time you visit, whilst when you visit www.bwmaonline.com, you will only be counted on your first visit (it’s pretty obvious that a lot of visitors of the latter will visit very frequently). It doesn’t take a genius to work our that we get far more visits than them, and we all know why that is! I put this to the test because when I visited the website seeing the display read 34,681 and then I leave the website, retype the address, and it read 34,682. I don’t know how they’re doing for members, but they have less patrons than the BWMA and I could not see any honorary members listed.

They do come out with some very fair things to say, like dual pricing/labeling should only be a temporary measure (on the path towards metrication) – that really imperial figures should in days to come not be shown. They also insist that non-metric figures should not only be no larger, no further up and no further to the left than the metric equivalents, but also they should be no more than 50% of the size, aiming to make the imperial figures less visible. The truth is actually that Michael Hesaltine’s dirty dictat of 1994 (updated in 2000) should be no stricter in our country than the American Food & Drug Act, which only states that metric figures must be shown (we all known that they get treated for what they are i.e. inferior).

What I am saying here is that clearly we are far more liberal than this pressure group, less representative than the BWMA. At least we are not fussed about compulsory dual labeling (though of course we do not agree with the plan for December 2009). The UKMA complain about the fact that many traders use dual pricing/labeling to their advantage (e.g. colour, spacing) inducing people to read the imperial figures (these traders wouldn’t be doing that if most of the public could see any convenience with the metric system). As I said before, we would not have a problem with compulsory usage of metric units if all we were demanded to do was use them as supplementary. These traders that the UKMA complain about, as far as I’m concerned, are doing the RIGHT thing.

May I suggest that if you’re interested you’d have a look and see what I’m talking about. Some of us have had fun visiting www.ukmetrication.com, which is amusing for its own merits.

BWMA's web-visit figures always show both unique visits and return visits.

Frederick,

you have to take into account that people who want something changed (in this case cancelling metrication) will actively look for a web page, whereas people who agree with what is happenening have no reason to do so.

I would expect the majority of hits on the UKMA website are actually from pro-imperial people (is there anyone in this forum who hasn't checked on that website ?)

Ralf

I haven't visited ukma.
replying just to help you gather information
since you asked.
I surmise the acronym is for "UK metrication association" or "UK metric association", right?

UKNA are apparently saying that imperial sizes should be 50% smaller than the metric. Is this not discriminating against people with poor eyesight? I've noticed that some of the supermarkets do this thus penalising customers, who are often elderly and used to Imperial measure. Doesn't stop the supermarkets from taking their money though.

Ralf, there are just as many rabid metricators (perhaps more) than there are rabid Imperialiers (what a word!). In fact, considering that most people know Imperial and are relaxed with it, they very well be more likely to sit back and do nothing, whereas the people who favour metrication are trying to bring something "new, fresh and superior" in, and so are more likely to actively pursue their various ideologies.

Leonard - UKMA stands for UK Metric Association.

thanks clarifying that bwma. Frederick's review is adequate so I feel no need to go check it out.

I love bulletinboards partly because I love English prose style and bwma has some very good writers.
listen:

"Can't remember exactly how BUPAS current advert goes but they do use kilometres. Maybe worth watching out for other adverts using metric measure. Maybe worth a word in the shell like of their advertising agencies giving details of people's preference regarding weights and measures."

light and breezy.
also did you notice casual alliteration?
and the ellision of a cliche made a nice touch.
a poster like that is more precious than rubies.

we used to have a very good writer here GBrown I think
was the name. it was cure for melancholy to read his posts. he had read the classic models of English prose style. this was clear. but he did not reveal which
classic models.

BTW the quote was from vicki. did you recognize.

My favorite post to date was the one that said, in reference to PowerPoint, "Put away your laptops".

that was GBrown skewering APP if
memory serves

very apt because powerpoint was how
he talked and teaching "effective communication"
was how he lived

GBrown could create mayhem in rolling, almost
metrical, paragraphs, and was never too long

>In fact, considering that most people know Imperial
>and are relaxed with it, they very well be more
>likely to sit back and do nothing, whereas the people
>who favour metrication are trying to bring
>something "new, fresh and superior" in, and so are
>more likely to actively pursue their various
>ideologies.

Err, Bryan, the UK is officially going metric since the 70's, people erecting road signs start using metric ones in expectance of a change of law.
I think the pro-metric people have nothing to fear, and something that started in the 70's can't be really called "new and fresh" anymore.

Ralf

In response to Ralf's argument that it's OK to break the law so long as there is an 'expectance of a change in the law', I hereby announce, for the record, that I expect the following legal changes:

1. Speed limit on motorways to rise to 90mph
2. Selling in pounds and ounces to be decriminalised
3. Restoration of freedom of speech
4. Banning of E.U. flags on car registration plates and public buildings

Tony Bennett