It is reported that 60 metric distances on six sets of illegal metric pedestrian signs in Broadway and Queens Square, Crawley New Town Centre, have been demetricated, plus two signs on leaving the Northern Terminal at Gatwick Airport which formerly said: 'Give Way 90 m'.

This brings the total number of illegal metric distances or dimensions known to ARM to have been demetricated to 1,566

Tony Bennett

Suggest you revisit some of those signs in your total which have ben re-metricated.

...yes, some demetricated signs have been remetricated. Our total of 1,566 remains an accurate statement of signs known to have been demetricated up to yesterday.

It must also be pointed out that some remetricated signs (e.g. at Clacton-on-Sea and Portsmouth) have been re-demetricated. I believe at least one of these examples is on a link from the Home Page of this website

Tony Bennett

These idiots re-metricate those signs?

Can someone tell me what laws are allowed to be broken? There are some things that I'd like to do in life and for those where my viewpoint contravenes laws it would be nice if I am allowed to just ride roughshod over the law like the benefactors of my tax-pounds.

Actually that last bit is not true - Wycombe is a "metric free zone", so at least my tax-pounds don't fund illegal acts

Last Sunday (21 July) an ARM operative neatly painted over 60 metric distances on 24 finger post signs in Crawley. He had just affixed Imperial distances in 2 1/4" high lettering over four of those 60 signs when Mr Plod and Ms Plod, acting on information received, arrested him, strip searched him, put him in the cells and questioned him under PACE.

A pot of brown paint, ARM's folder of different sized white and black adhesive lettering and numbering (now worth around £800) plus ancillary items were seized and retained after the operative's car, parked nearby, was seized. Mr Plod was informed of ARM's action by an Aussie, temporarily in the U.K., who aggressively asked the operative what his problem was now that 95% of the world was happy with metric, and said that if the operative didn't stop forthwith, he would call the police. The operative did not stop, having asked the Aussie to confirm he was an Aussie not an Englishman.

Eight days later (i.e. today), and following Crawley Borough Council's Solicitor advising the Highways Engineer that his pedestrian signs were illegal, the Police have forally dropped their investigation and will return all the items seized from ARM. Meanwhile Crawley Council is allowing ARM to complete, in due course, its professional amendment of their signs.

As the Head of Lee Valley Park might well have said: 'A giant step backwards for mankind'. But then he doesn't represent the views of 90% of the English

Tony Bennett

Ahem - you mean 90% of the "British"!

It is true to say that there are a lot of idiot Aussies out there, but they are in the minority. This one was clearly a prized idiot if he's inviting himself in to the "head of state" country to moan about British things.

Idiot!

Yes, I meant British - 'English' came up in the context of my challenge to the Autralian - who after all was in England.

The survey I was referring to (the ICM Survey) covered all four 'home countries' and actually support for the mile came out marginally strongest in Scotland.

You may be interested to know that ARM Postcard No. 4 features, in nice bold colours, the Cross of St. George (top left), the Scottish Saltire (top right), the Welsh Dragon (bottom left) and Cross of St. Patrick (bottom right), under which comes the slogan: "United we Stand, Divided we Fall". On the reverse are a few lines explaining how Europe will become a 'Europe of the Regions', not of nations, and notes that England will progressively by split into nine Regional Assemblies/'Parliaments'.

Our postcards are 25p. each or £2 for 10, including postage

Tony Bennett

The re-Imperialisation of Crawley Town Centre's illegal metric signs was accomplished by an ARM team last night.

Free English wine was handed out to passers-by who had read approvingly of ARM's exploits in their local rags.

There were two interruptions.

Last year's Mayor of Crawley (Labour) challenged our right to amend the signs when we were not from the local area and it was not our property. And anyway, he could easily convert to metric.

He was challenged as follows:

* The Council's Chief Solicitor himself admits the signs are illegal;
* ARM was requested to change the signs by local Council Tax-payers;
* 86% of British people want road signs to stay in Imperial, and finally;
* 'What's your chest size in centimetres?'

He left muttering: "I haven't come down here to get into an argument".

We were also briefly halted by 4 Plods (2 in a car; 2 on mountain bikes). But after examining ARM leaflets and postcards, and being advised by the Divisional Inspector that "Crawley Council admit their signs are illegal and there is therefore no reason to arrest them", they allowed us to continue, taking plenty of interesting literature and press cuttings back to the Police canteen.

Harold Wilson: "A week is a long time in politics"
ARM: "12 days is a long time in demetrication"

Tony Bennett