Nice way of putting Geoff, from somebody who has been in two worlds.
In my own words, I purely think the reason behind the lack of will to transfer to the metric system here in the US, is purely based on the lack of will to change, and of course the acclaimed extra cost to it (for plants that have no metric involvement at all).
The lack of will to change is, being a change agent myself, something that I can't understand.
It took me less than 3 months to feel totally at home using the Imperial system when I moved to the States from Belgium 5 years ago. The plant I work in was 95% imperial based, mainly thru it's medical device customers. Now since dealing with the automotive industry so much, we are running about 33% metric, and switching over from imperial to metric and back happens as often like changing underwear.
Our metrologist never reported any issues about lack of accuracy using metric, or dificultiees with calibration. Neither did she ever reported an increase in coasts due to the metric system.
By the way, English bikes still rule ...
Wonder what Harley D. is using, they increased there quality tremendously, compared with 10 years ago.
Steven