Technically the metric system is “the preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerce” as per the Metric Conversion Act of 1975.

You’re just also allowed to use lbs and feet and stuff and most people do.

When I find a wood working video on YouTube from the states it blows my mind how anyone can not just adopt metric “This is 5” 4/57 and we need to cut it to 5” 5/45 and a half” bzzzzzzz.

In this thread: people bending over backwards to defend their insane, non-logical unit of measurement

I’ll just leave this here: https://youtu.be/iJymKowx8cY

TLDW: metric is better because all the different kinds of units were designed to work together.

Where as imperial units developed organically, within specific trades/use cases. They’re not all supposed to work together.

I use imperial because that’s what I was raised with, but I recognize metric is better in many ways. My only gripe with metric is the gap in units between Centimeters and Meters. A foot is convenient size for most things.

“Why do they use the much more complicated system?” “Nobody actually knows.”

When my American friends insist that feet and inches is just easier for them, I just nod in agreement and give them measurements using rods, chains and furlongs as well. If you’re going to go Imperial, you have to know 'em all. An acre is a chain by a furlong, totally logical as that would be 4x40 rods which is of course 43560 square feet. I guess it makes complete sense when your world is only a few furlongs across.