I saw a lot of the speed limit signs on the highway on my recent trip to Minnesota. I knew that the U.S. doesn’t use the Metric system, as we do here in Canada. But when I first saw the “Speed Limit 55″ signs, I had to take a second look. I’m so used to seeing 100 or 120 on the speed limit signs on the highways here in Canada. It took my little brain a couple of seconds to realize that of course, it has to be 55 mph and not 55 kph. When I told Uncle Sparkie about this, I added, “That’s why it took us so long to get here in Minnesota.” And we both had a laugh. Well, if you’ve read my previous post, the road trip I took with my mother took a while longer than expected because there was a problem at the U.S./Canada Border with one of the bus passengers.

Then I asked Uncle, “If we use the Metric system in Canada, what do you call your system of measurement here in America?” I remember studying about this in school but I forgot what it’s called.

Uncle answered, “I don’t know, the American system?”

And we both laughed again.

I don’t remember it being called the American system. I knew it has to be like a standard system, or something close to that.

And of course, I had to know. When I got back home, I googled it. I found out on Wikipedia that it is now called the U.S. customary unit or the American system. So Uncle was right. But this must be something new. I don’t remember it being called like that when I was still in school. And back home in the Philippines, when I was still studying, we also used inches and pounds, instead of centimetres and kilograms. And we had to learn how to convert inches and pounds and miles to the metric units.

Upon further googling, I found this website where it calls it the Standard System of Measurement. So I guess I’m also right.