Motorway Signs

[NGHFB71]

Driving home on the m4 i noticed these small blue sign posts
M4
A
150.1
These would either go up numerically or down depending on traveling south or north..
150.2, 150.3...

[hc4361]

These?
http://www.cbrd.co.uk/indepth/dls/

[New Judge]

They are measurements, in kilometres, from the beginning of the motorway.

Never understood why they are in kilometres as it is not lawful to provide normal mileage signs in metric measurements in the UK.

[New Judge]

The UK did not "go metric" in 1971. There was not a single date when it could have been said that the country adopted metric measurements.

In 1969 the government formed the Metrication Board . The first formal White Paper proposing metrication was published in 1972 and it was suggested that EEC (latterly EU) directives would force the UK to adopt metric measurements entirely. A variety of "derogations" from these directives have followed. The use of "supplementary indications" or alternative units (generally the traditional imperial units formerly used) was one of these and was originally to have been permitted for only a limited period. However, that period had to be extended a number of times due to public resistance (remember the "metric Martyrs"), until in 2009 the requirement to ultimately cease use of traditional units alongside metric units was finally removed.

Meantime it remains unlawful to provide road traffic signs or undertake speed measurement in anything other than imperial units. It also remains illegal to sell draught beer and cider in anything other than pints, halves or thirds.

[Buenchico]

>>>Schoolwork and exams have been in metric units since 1970

My school work was totally metric from when I started secondary education in 1964!

Somewhat worryingly, I've found that the emergency services don't seem to use those location markers (or, at least, their control rooms, don't understand them). I've used a phone on the hard shoulder of the M25 to report a 15 foot aluminium ladder lying between lanes 2 and 3, causing vehicles to swerve. The control room operator said "Is this about the ladder?". When I said '"Yes", she said "Don't hang up, we need to know its exact location". So I said that "it's about 400 metres before the location of this phone, which is at Alpha 26.4" (or whatever the location reference actually was). She didn't even know which side of the motorway was 'A' and which was 'B'!

[RATTER15]

Chris, 1964! I doubt that, It wasn't even being considered then, was it?

I would be happy to drop metric and go back to imperial anytime!

[New Judge]

I began secondary education in 1961, Chris, and metrication was not on the agenda at all throughout my time.

[mikey4444]

When I was studying for my Physics O Level in 1968-1969, the curriculum had just changed over from imperial Units to SI Units :::

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_System_of_Units

Thank goodness the change happened, as it made the maths so much easier ! I think Buenchico may be mistaken in 1964.

[mushroom25]

//Most new drivers in the last forty years have not got a clue what "Miles per Gallon" means. //

methyl, pricing of fuel in gallons did not begin to be phased out until 1988, and was not abolished completely until 1994.

[hc4361]

I think every driver of all ages know what MPG mean when used as a comparison measure.

[Canary42]

Metrification dumbing down was a huge waste of money IMHO - after all you can't do it to the calendar, so arithmetical skill is still required - and the old imperial systems gave us plenty of practice.

And do the metric brigade buy everything in quantities of 10 ? And how do they cope with say 0.95kg of spuds at £1.39 per kilogram. Bring back the good old days.

What do they tackle next - 360 degrees in a circle - 60 minutes in an hour - or even numbers themselves, let's abandon decimal and go for binary with its simple 0 and 1 only (after all it's what computers use).

[boxtops]

I always understood that these signs were to assist drivers who broke down - when you call for assistance, you can tell the recovery company which road marker you're near, so they can find you.

[Buenchico]

My memory isn't as bad as some people on here seem to think it is!

On Thursday 10th September 1964 (and definitely in no other year), class 1a1 assembled for the first time together in Room 10 of Northgate Grammar School for Boys where our form teacher (and Latin master), Mr Wilding, explained how things were done at our new school (including telling us that we were part of an educational experiment so that, while other first formers would be embarking upon five years study or French, German or Russian, our class would be studying Spanish). He took particular pride in telling us that, since it was obvious that metrification was on its way, the school had taken the decision to go totally metric from that year and we'd be hearing no more of feet and inches or pounds and ounces. We didn't.

My memory of 1964 is excellent. It's just remembering where I put my mug of tea down a few minutes ago that's causing me problems ;-)

[boxtops]

Chris, your memory and mine must be of similar vintage - I remember 1964 :-)