Metric versus Imperial System for Diving?

[dfx]

My post was not ment to be off topic. It just does not matter if one system is somehow a bit better than the other. We will continue to have both systems in scuba and in other areas because a change is not economically beneficial. As long as Europeans keep providing good beer in 11.2 ounce bottles, who care?

We will not continue to have both systems. You will. Most of the world has moved on a long time ago.

 

[Storker]

So, to summarize 11 pages of discussion, my impression is that it all boils down to:

The metric crowd: Metric is objectively better, because all of the rest of the civilized world uses metric, and conversions and calculations become super-easy.

The non-metric crowd: It's a hassle to change, we're familiar with the old system, it works, and besides, who cares about the rest of the world?

Have I got it about right?

 

[victorzamora]

So, to summarize 11 pages of discussion, my impression is that it all boils down to:

The metric crowd: Metric is objectively better, because all of the rest of the civilized world uses metric, and conversions and calculations become super-easy.

The non-metric crowd: It's a hassle to change, we're familiar with the old system, it works, and besides, who cares about the rest of the world?

Have I got it about right?

Why would you add that sentence? The rest was accurate, that was simply ignorant and inflammatory.

 

[Nirvana]

Why would you add that sentence? The rest was accurate, that was simply ignorant and inflammatory.

That sentence may have been written in a bit of inflammatory way, but it does touch on a relevant topic: by choosing to retain the imperial system, the United States chooses to keep itself apart in regards to its measuring system.

 

[Kevrumbo]

That sentence may have been written in a bit of inflammatory way, but it does touch on a relevant topic: by choosing to retain the imperial system, the United States chooses to keep itself apart in regards to its measuring system.

No . . .for Scuba the lesson for the American Diver that wants to use smarter -not harder- more intuitive easier arithmetic for vital Gas Consumption Planning for both pre-dive, and real-time-on-the-fly during the dive --Learn how to use bar & meters rather than the cumbersome confounding math of feet & psi. . .

 

[drrich2]

...who cares about the rest of the world?

I don't believe most U.S. citizens spend much time concerned about what measuring system much of the rest of the world is using, true, and for practical purposes, it seems the U.S. is able to engage in foreign trade fine as is.

Put another way, it doesn't concern me that the Japanese aren't speaking English (aside from as a 2nd language in some cases), and many cultures over the Earth are considerably different from us in many ways. So it doesn't bother me that some give their weight in pounds, some in kilograms.

Richard.

 

[Mike]

The non-metric crowd: It's a hassle to change, we're familiar with the old system, it works, and besides, who cares about the rest of the world?

Have I got it about right?

It depends on what you mean by "who cares about the rest of the world?" Obviously being well documented as the most generous country on the planet when it comes to donations and help in times of emergencies in foreign countries the US cares quite a bit about the rest of the world.

In regard to the metric system instead of it reading "Who cares about the rest of the world" it should read "Why does the rest of the world care?" Obviously the US using metric isn't hurting anyone else in the world, so why should the world care what system the US uses?

As I said before that keeps getting deleted for no reason, I dived with the French using metric, it took about 40 seconds of my full week of diving to confirm a couple of things with a couple of questions and then being American using imperial all my life, diving under metric had no negative effect my diving for the entire week.

Maybe if you're a tec diver there is some merit to using metric, but I certainly don't see any effect positive or negative for a recreational diver to use metric when it's easy to understand bar when required.

 

[Storker]

Why would you add that sentence? The rest was accurate, that was simply ignorant and inflammatory.

I see now that it may well be seen as inflammatory even though it wasn't intended as such.

My apologies, and let's not go down that road again. OK?


--
Sent from my Android phone
Typos are a feature, not a bug

 

[victorzamora]

I see now that it may well be seen as inflammatory even though it wasn't intended as such.

My apologies, and let's not go down that road again. OK?


--
Sent from my Android phone
Typos are a feature, not a bug

Fear of that road is why I was so upset by it. I understand what you meant now, but it certainly didn't read that way.

Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is. I dove imperial but am perfectly capable of diving in metric. However, it's just not as intuitive for me. I don't think in meters and kilos in my diving. Others do, and that's fine for them. Metric is easier math for sure, but I have never needed to do math that slowed me down while underwater. Underwater math shouldn't be hard regardless of the units.

 

[drbill]

Metric to imperial conversions for depth/distance, pressure and weight have generally not been an issue for me because I've used the metric system for decades as a scientist so when I travel I find conversion fairly easy using simple multipliers. However, even as a scientist I find temperature conversions to be a real PITA! I just remember that 0 C = 32 F and 20 C = 68 F (and hope I never reach water that is 100 C!)