65. Twelve and a half!

Caroline and I have been in Virginia for the last few days.  We fly back to the UK tomorrow.  

I became engaged in a conversation with an American yesterday who tried to convince me that America’s refusal to adopt the metric system of measurement had absolutely no detrimental effect on life here.  

In fact, he told me, an American scientist’s ability to distinguish (by eye) the difference between say, a screw 3/4 of an inch from one 50/64 of an inch long, gave him or her a distinct advantage over the technicians of the rest of the world.  That may or may not be true.

What is true, however, is that Americans are able to judge speed to a degree of amazing accuracy.  When we came across this sign on the drive leading to a hotel in Irvington VA, I was profoundly grateful that Caroline was driving the SUV and not me:  

You will find my last regular posting on March 27th here: At the End of The day