Doctor: "Right, how high are you? - well, let's get you measured, anyway" (proudly pulls out brand new centimetres-only tape measure).
Doctor: "Ah yes, 1,685 - er, or was that 1,585, yes, 1,585"
Doctor: "Don't worry..." (breaks out into cheery bedside manner smile), "I'll convert that into Imperial for you" (runs finger up and down expensive-looking chart sponsored by multi-billion pound drugs company). "You're 5'1" (slight note of triumph)
Wife: "But I'm about 5' 6" to 5' 7""
Doctor: "Oh dear. Let me check again - oh yes, 1,685 - so that makes you, er, 5' 6 1/2". You know, I can never remember these 4-figure numbers, I'm always getting them wrong..."
You might notice that I have been saying (for weeks) that you make up false quotations! Still no comment?????
Re: 'Oh, I must have got it wrong"
February 13 2005, 8:01 PM
Now don't *you* start doing that copy and paste lark!
Beranger
Re: 'Oh, I must have got it wrong"
February 13 2005, 11:39 PM
Just hoping Tony might notice!
I suppose I'll just have to give up hoping he might answer. Anyway - I was weel watered last night - as you must have been to miss Wales last try - 33-8 indeed!!!
Andy
Re: 'Oh, I must have got it wrong"
February 14 2005, 10:29 AM
Tony, your little doctors surgery scenario illustrates perfectly the stupidity of the current situation in the UK, not any benefit of using imperial over metric.
If the doctor had a cm tape measure, why did he measure in millimetres? I have never ever heard of anyone measuring a persons height in mm.
If I was to stoop down to your level, I could say I travelled 94464 inches to work this morning
martin
Re: 'Oh, I must have got it wrong"
February 14 2005, 11:06 AM
Most doctor's surgeries (or the nurse's room) has a specialist height measurement device. You stand in front of it and the cursor is lowered onto your head. The doctor then reads the heigth off the device.
Only Mary Poppins uses a pocket tape to measure childrens heights.
Re: 'Oh, I must have got it wrong"
February 14 2005, 7:35 PM
"you must have been to miss Wales last try - 33-8 indeed!!!"
I didn't miss it.
I had left the pub after that and was busy wandering the streets of Chester.
Have you ever tried shopping with the missus whilst mildly tanked up? Put it this way, comments like "why did I buy *that*?" are common the next day.
(A reason why - I must say - they should ban QVC style channels from 11 pm on Friday nights through to Sunday evening).
Bloody "Juice Tiger" indeed....
Bud
Re: 'Oh, I must have got it wrong"
February 15 2005, 12:19 AM
Tony, if I were you I'd find another doctor.
(Only kidding.)
Re: 'Oh, I must have got it wrong"
February 15 2005, 7:19 PM
"Tony, if I were you I'd find another doctor."
If that's not food for Berenger I'm not sure what is! ;-)
BWMA
Re: 'Oh, I must have got it wrong"
February 15 2005, 7:51 PM
">>>If the doctor had a cm tape measure, why did he measure in millimetres? I have never ever heard of anyone measuring a persons height in mm.
If I was to stoop down to your level, I could say I travelled 94464 inches to work this morning"
In that case, Andy, what is the point of the benefit of being able to convert between mm, cm, m by moving the decimal point? You have conceded in the above that there is no point in converting between inches and miles; in which case, why is it a disadvantage to have 12 inches in a foot, 36 inches in a yard, etc?
Andy
Re: 'Oh, I must have got it wrong"
February 16 2005, 10:21 AM
<<<In that case, Andy, what is the point of the benefit of being able to convert between mm, cm, m by moving the decimal point? You have conceded in the above that there is no point in converting between inches and miles; in which case, why is it a disadvantage to have 12 inches in a foot, 36 inches in a yard, etc?>>>
There are many situations where it is useful or necessary to convert between units.
My point was simply that TB tries to portray metric as confusing, by using an inappropriate unit (mm instead of m) Which is no different from me describing a distance of a few miles in a ridiculous number of inches.
Re: 'Oh, I must have got it wrong"
February 16 2005, 8:08 PM
How many milometers tall are you, Andy?
DON'T HIT RESPOND!!!! I was only kilo-joking.
Re: 'Oh, I must have got it wrong"
February 18 2005, 7:09 AM
<<
My point was simply that TB tries to portray metric as confusing, by using an inappropriate unit (mm instead of m) Which is no different from me describing a distance of a few miles in a ridiculous number of inches.
>>
As far as doctors are considered, millimetres are not at all inappropriate for heights. Measuring to the nearest centimetre would not be accurate enough. I would imagine that the standard is to round to the nearest half centimetre, but I do not know. Over here it is to the nearest quarter inch.
And I can understand why doctors may want to omit the decimal point; with their sloppy handwriting, it makes sense to have as little to write as possible.
martin
Re: 'Oh, I must have got it wrong"
February 18 2005, 8:16 AM
Bud wrote
<<
I would imagine that the standard is to round to the nearest half centimetre, but I do not know. Over here it is to the nearest quarter inch.
>>
The standard here is to the nearest cm - that is universal from new-born babies upwards.
Re: 'Oh, I must have got it wrong"
February 19 2005, 1:09 PM
What 'standard' is that, Martin?
The one a few thousand doctors are forced to use behind the scenes or the one that about 60 million use day to day.
You do make me laugh sometimes!
martin
Re: 'Oh, I must have got it wrong"
February 19 2005, 7:04 PM
SteveH wrote
<<
What 'standard' is that, Martin?
>>
Maybe teh word "norm" might have been better.
Re: 'Oh, I must have got it wrong"
February 20 2005, 1:02 PM
Ok, I'll "adjust"...
Whats 'norm' is that, Martin?
The one a few thousand doctors are forced to use behind the scenes or the one that about 60 million use day to day.
Try not to think of the word "state" as you ponder over this....