Why Can't We All Just Use Meters?

I have been wondering about this for some time. I hope I'm not
getting into any 'sore' areas. Just wondering why we (as surveyors)
don't use meters.

When I first started out as a rodman, tenths of a foot was as hard,
or harder, to conceptualize as a cm. I did quite well, quickly doing
the math in my head from inches to tenths. It would have been just as
easy to convert to meters at that point though.

Unfortunately I'm ignorant in survey history pretty much. Not good.
I know the older terminology of rods and such is measured with the
English system, so that may effect a smooth transition (right of
ways)??

I can do the conversion from US Survey feet to inches pretty quick
in my head now, but it would be nice to just use a nice clean
conversion fator for the construction guys using the English system
instead of doing it in my head.

In contrast this is what I do in my head (which may be rough) when
someone wants inches intstead of tenths:
1. 0.25=3"
2. 0.50=5"
3. 0.75=9"
4. 1.00=12'
5. 0.01'=1/8' (roughly)
6. Add or Subtract by 1/8" to the closest quarter interval.
-Example: Contrator asks how many inches is 1.40'. I'd quickly
quickly do the math in myhead.(1.25-1.40=-0.15,
or 1.50-1.40= +0.10')
7. Add/Subtract the 1/8ths off the nearest estimate of the quarter
foot. ( I know inches to the nearest tenth of a foot now, but it
still sucks converting)

I've learned to add and subtract by 8 very quickly in my head :P

In conclusion, I guess I don't understand why surveyor's in the US
divided the foot into tenths. Why not just use the meter at that
point? I understand that we still use miles (which may effect
townships), but why not get in sync with the international standard
like the rest of the scientific world?

Not looking for flames. I'm just curious.

Thanks.



.

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