Almost all cases of local authorities erecting metric signs have ended. It is no coincidence that this final 'drying' up of the flow of illegally-erected metric road signs occurred after Mike Talbot, Head of the Traffic Signs Policy Unit at the Department for Transport, circulated his 16 July 2002 letter to the Chief Executives of all local authorities in England and Wales, reminding them in clear terms that metric distances and dimensions on road and pedestrian signs were not permitted.

However, a number of construction and transport companies are still breaking the law.

The most recent to do so was a company called Subterra. Recently they planted six illegal road signs at Howlands, Welwyn Gardeb City, saying: " Caution: Site Entrance. Lorries Turning. 100 M ", or similar.

Bizarrely, these alternated with triangular 'Danger - Men at Work' traffic signs with *Imperial* distances on them e.g. " 200 yds ". This was also done by Transco in the 'Kent Road Signs' case, but denied by them. This time, photographs have been taken.

The six signs were professionally altered to yards over the weekend by an ARM supporter and also relocated since they were not placed correctly. The " 200 M " sign was only 30 yards up the road from the " 100 M " sign and, strangely, a " 200M " sign was placed 20 yards *nearer* the road works than the " 200 yds " sign! There were further errors in the siting of these signs which showed that, all round, a slapdash piece of work had been carried out.

Residents of Howlands were curious at the repainting of the signs and affixing of " yds " lettering at the weekend. When told it was an unofficial action designed both to enforce the law and preserve English measurements in use, they gave the usual 100% support. A number of ARM postcards were handed out free and were well received.

The County Council has been informed and the Department for Transport has been asked to take Subterra off its approved contractors list.

Total number of demetricated road and pedestrian signs known to ARM to date: 1,995

Tony,
How will you mark the 2,000th demetrication?

I bet he will celebrate it with a huge 75 centimetre diameter apple pie, made of 1 kg of apples, 500 g of sugar,...

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" Caution: Site Entrance. Lorries Turning. 100 M ",
>>

Thi ssign is non-sensical - it soule read "100 m", not "100 M" - "M" is a prefisx signifying a million of something, while "m" is a unit in its own right - a metre.

rules rules rules eh?

Conrad - don't be such a sweet-tooth! I'd tuck into a half pounder with cheese!

Half pound applie pie with cheese?

Yuk

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rules rules rules eh?
>>

I am currently working on a computer program, which displays both "m" and "M" and in which it is important to know the difference. The program displays reading which can be in milli-ohms or in Mega-ohms. I dare not mix the two up.

I am currently living a life......

So you are a gentleman of leasure then?

I work for a living and in part of my work I must ensure that milli-ohms and mega-ohms do not get mixed up.

but when you leave work.....?

Four signs in Chingford, north London, pointing to 'Chingford Park', and giving an illegal distance of '800 metres', have today been professionally amended to read a more user-friendly, and legal, '1/2 mile'.

The total number of known demetrications in the U.K. now stands at 1,999.

Any suggestions for amendment No. 2000 gratefully received by the Council of ARM

So would this be the...


get ready for it...


ready?


"mile ennium"?




I'm REALLY REALLY sorry for that.
No seriously, I hang my head in shame!