Give these Jokers a millimetre and they'll take our mile

Story being covered on the BBC Six o' Clock news tonight. Sky have it on their discussion slot later this evening.
Done radio and tv today on this non-story.
One BBC reporter, on a local radio station, gave the game away. He rang up apologising for not getting a chance to come to me and said that their switchboard had been inundated. Everybody had been opposed to the change but most of them didn't have a clue and were talking about things such as sovereignty and freedom. As far as he was concerned the only realistic argument was in relation to cost. I think he believed that he was talking to the UKMA. His sneering attitude to those opposed to enforced metrication was all too apparent.
Littlejohn covering this in the Mail tomorrow as well.
It is quite clear that the Metric Martyrs Defence Fund needs to be here and funded in order to maintain eternal vigilance. Give these jokers a millimetre and they'll take our mile.

Press Release: Immediate

Metric Martyrs Defence Fund

23rd February 2006

Rebuttal by the Metric Martyrs to UK Metrication Association's preposterous Press Release urging that the country's roads go metric.


The UK Metrication Association has released this...

Road Signs to Go Metric in 5 Years?

The UKMA's proposals are supported by Lord Kinnock who states that the country should go metric on the roads within 5 years in time for the 2012 London Olympics.

Neil Herron, Metric Martyrs Campaign Director, states: "this is another desperate attempt by the UKMA to grab a headline. What they are proposing is absolutely preposterous, illogical and absurd and so far removed from reality and practicality that to imagine for one minute that any political party would attempt to hang this albatross around its neck indicates that the UKMA are not in touch with the real world.

If Lord Kinnock expects this to happen in time for the 2012 olympics he conveniently ignores the fact that the country that usually wins the most medals is the USA ... which is a non-metric country.

To make claims that we are prolonging confusion ... there doesn't appear to be a great clamour for change from a 'confused' public, just as there wasn't a great clamour to metricate shop scales.

Anyone looking at this logically will realise how ill-thought out the proposals actually are.

For the UKMA to say that there is 'irresponsible' opposition is disingenous to say the least. It is the policy of the mad house to think that there would not be massive practical, logistical and legal implications.
One just has to consider:
- The cost. For the hardware, the legal considerations for local authorities not to mention the cost of changing the imperially prominent speedometers on 35million motor vehicles. Could this be justified when we are struggling to fund the health service properly?
- The timescale. The changeover could not be staggered. It would have to be done nationally over a very short time period. There would have to be an 'M' day. At a time when there are other massive considerations and drains on the public purse, to spend billions on this idea would be political suicide for any political party proposing it. The metrication programme that various governments have undertaken for the past thirty years has failed miserably.
- The legal practicalities and implications. This is not just taking one sign down and erecting another. Traffic Orders will need to be changed for every stretch of road that has a speed restriction incurring expense which will fall to hard-up local authorities.
The potential for litigation from those suffering accidents / fines etc. from the changeover and misinterpreting for example 100 kmph as 100 mph or a bus going under a bridge and taking off the top deck because the height was signed in metric is infinite.

...and should we then win the bid to hold the World Cup in the future would Lord Kinnock propose that we revert back to imperial on the roads to tie in with the 10 yard rule and the six yard box?

Not a word from the elected or the accountable. This proposal has about as much chance of happening as me flying to the moon in a helium balloon from Poundland."

ENDS

Contact:
Neil Herron
0191 5657143
0191 5144606
0777 6202045

Please visit www.neilherron.blogspot.com and www.thepeoplesnocampaign.co.uk and www.metricmartyrs.co.uk

e-mail: metricmartyrs@btconnect.com

Notes for Editors:

The Metric Martyrs Campaign was created following the seizure of the late Steven Thoburn's scales on July 4th 2000. His, and three others were subsequently convicted of criminal offences under the Metrication Regulations.

Neil Herron along with the late Steven Thoburn were European Campaigners of the Year in 2001 with the Metric Martyrs Campaign beating Head of the European Central Bank, Wim Duisenberg, and his launch of the Euro Notes and Coins.

The Government's Metrication Programme is to continue. After 2009 it will be an offence to even use imperial measures as supplementary indications in trading transactions after 2009.
However, the mile and the pint have been allowed an 'unlimited' derogation. Perhaps for any political party to attempt to engineer their removal would be a political step too far.

A full rebuttal of the UKMA proposals can be viewed here

To read how the UKMA and its Chairman, Robin Paice, were caught out telling being 'economical' with the truth click here This also includes commentary from the Department for Transport regarding any proposals to metricate road signs.