OK, try and quarter both those numbers. Quickly.

If I just need an approximation then it's pretty quick to get 400mm. And an exact figure doesn't take all that much longer. 5'6"1/2 I have absolutely no idea where to start. Not only am I dealing with fractions, but I'm also having to deal with different bases.
I guess it comes down to what you're used to, and you would develop various mental shortcuts if you worked with these lengths everyday. But switch to weight and you now you need a whole new set. With everything in decimal those hacks need to be developed just once and they get used everywhere and hence become much more efficient.

It might not seem a bit deal but quick mental approximations are essential for spotting mistakes.

Tell me about it; experienced brokenness caused by central control yet again today.

Recent surgery has resulted in a painful infection, so I needed to go see a doctor today to get prescribed something to deal with it. My home practise had a walk in session but not starting until 10.30, so my options were either skip work for the morning to go there, or go into work and try and find something near work.
So I went to work figuring I could see someone at the practise near there. They can't see me because I'm not registered with them, and at 20 miles away I'm too near to where I'm registered for them to be able to see me. So my options are go back home or go the emergency ward of the hospital! Worked out the timings and realised going back home and back again would take about the same time as queing at the hospital, and the transport was easier anyway, so ended up doing that. 4 hours out of work just to go see a doctor for 1 minute.

I really miss the Australian system. It's far easier to just go to any practise you want if you need to rather than this sorry, can't do that attitude. Every practise actually competing with other also makes them far more eager to try and get your custom too.

It's more expensive in the UK too. For much the same reasons.

Whilst I'm not really expecting it to last, at the moment it remains very much a hands-off ownership. Having been with them since about 2002, not much has changed since BT bought them out. The moment it does, I'm out.

Don't discount Plusnet just because they're owned by BT, the two consumer divisions are run quite differently.

Sorry... Germany has hypermarkets and France doesn't? Carrefour pioneered the hypermarket concept in Europe, decades before they appeared elsewhere in other European countries.

The obesity difference between the two is more to do with one countries preference for potatoes and beer, and the other's for salad and wine.

Ah, the tradition never fails.

American grammarians yes. British English has diverged and commas are outside the quotes. A recent development is the full stop (period) has moved back within the quote if it ends the sentence, having previously been outside - both forms are often encountered though.

Our school system is much less anal about grammer over here, so changes do occur much quicker.

It's not widely used.

Most of the world uses L/100km.

37p per min? Where the hell are you getting that figure from. Vodafone is currently 20p/min payg.

And even then vodafone's a bad example. There are cheaper payg providers that'll place your 130 minutes at less than £15 per month.

Not in England. One Imperial pint = 20 imperial fl.oz or 568ml.

Yes, it's an EU requirement. Like most EU requirements though some countries ignore it...

And it looks like someone fails to understand GMT... ;)

Yes, it seems it does.

Where I am, at the moment of writing it's 14:23 UTC.