Comments by "John D" (@johnd8892) on "American Reacts to The Stuart Highway in Australia - Fastest road in the southern hemisphere" video.

  1. Not having speedometer and signage references to miles sped up the metric conversion process by thinking metric quicker.
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  2. The major part of metrification happened in the seventies in Australia. To quote Wikipedia ; The conversion of measurements—metrication—commenced subsequently in 1971, under the direction of the Metric Conversion Board and actively proceeded until the Board was disbanded in 1981. Lots more info in Wikipedia My memory was the 1974 model cars had metric Speedos. Earlier miles for older cars here. My new model car adjust depending on the country it is in or you can set the default in the screen menus. The Stuart Highway is rare for speed limits. The highest speed limits on the best freeway standard roads is 100 and 110 kph, so a lower limit than most of the US. The Northern Territory has the highest road fatality rate per head of population, kilometres travelled and vehicles registered by about a factor of three compared to other states of Australia.
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  3. Wikipedia confirms my memory that it was a later gradual process : The conversion of measurements—metrication—commenced subsequently in 1971, under the direction of the Metric Conversion Board and actively proceeded until the Board was disbanded in 1981. Are you thinking of currency conversion on 14th February 1966? Even the government decision was not made until 1968. Pharmaceutical products were one of the few early adopters. Road related about 1974 from memory.
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  4. Forty years ago I travelled at 140mph with no roughness or concern. On my trip to the UK in a late running HST 125 train. Easy to walk along the carriages to open the door window to stop watch time the mile posts flashing past. Faster than normal 125 mph to make up time.
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