What countries drive in miles?

Which countries use miles for distance?

Okay, so miles. Ugh. I was in London, 2023, visiting my cousin, right? We were planning a day trip to Stonehenge. It was, like, 80 miles away, according to the app. Eighty MILES. That’s insane. Felt like forever. The train ride was fine, but then the bus… man.

That bus ride. Seriously, hours. I remember thinking how ridiculous it was, all those miles to see some old rocks. I mean, don’t get me wrong, Stonehenge was cool, but the whole journey… a total drag. The scenery was alright, for a bit, but then it got boring. Seriously, boring. I almost fell asleep, multiple times.

The thing is, back home in Germany, we’re all metric. Kilometers. Makes so much more sense. I kept converting in my head. Eighty miles is about 129 kilometers. See? Much easier. I hated constantly flipping between miles and kilometers. Felt totally disoriented. My phone kept switching units too, annoying as hell.

Driving in the UK? Even worse. Speed limits are in miles per hour. My brain hurt. I am pretty sure I nearly had an accident because of the constant unit conversions. I just couldn’t get used to it.

• The UK definitely uses miles. They are stubbornly sticking to it.
• The US too. Same story. Miles everywhere.
• Liberia and Myanmar as well, apparently. I wasn’t aware, but I believe it.
• Metric is better. Just saying. Cleaner, simpler. Less confusion.
• My trip to Stonehenge: A good example of the problems of using miles in 2023.

Which country drives the most miles?

Holy moly, Americans drive like maniacs! 13,474 miles a year? That’s more than a trip to the moon and back… almost. They’re practically glued to the gas pedal, these folks. It’s a national pastime, like apple pie and getting weirdly obsessed with reality TV.

Canadians are close behind, eh? 9,562 miles. I bet they’re mostly driving to Tim Hortons for their double-double fix. Gotta get that caffeine hit, right?

Australia’s at 8,555 miles. Must be all those kangaroos they’re dodging. Or maybe it’s the endless, flat outback. Either way, that’s a lot of miles.

Europeans? Pfft. Italy, France, Germany, UK… they’re all clustered around the 7-8k mile mark. Probably because they use public transport like civilized human beings, unlike us Americans. Except for my Aunt Mildred, she drives her Buick like a bat out of hell.

Japan? A mere 4,381 miles. Those tiny cars and excellent trains, huh? Makes perfect sense. My cousin Kenji only drives his scooter.

Key Differences:

• USA: Gas guzzlers galore. Road trips are a religion.
• Canada: Tim Hortons runs on car fumes.
• Australia: Kangaroo-dodging Olympics.
• Europe: Trains are king. Cars are for showing off, mostly.
• Japan: Public transport supremacy. Smaller cars, better fuel efficiency.

My Uncle Tony’s Ford F-150 has seen more miles than a seasoned trucker. That truck is practically sentient by now, and smells faintly of stale coffee and desperation. It’s a legend. A rusty, oil-leaking legend.

Remember that time my cousin got lost driving across Nevada? He drove nearly 2,000 miles before realizing his GPS was broken. He had to call his wife who had to call my Aunt Susan who had to ask me for directions because she can’t read a map. It was a whole thing.

Why do Americans still use miles?

Miles… why miles? It’s late. The question feels bigger than it should.

It comes down to the cost, really. Always does. Like, changing everything now, after all this time? Absurd.

The factories… the way we built things. All those old machines, built to inch and foot. A whole country built on it.

I remember learning miles per hour driving with my dad in his old truck. It’s just ingrained, a part of me I guess.

• Time Investment: Retooling entire manufacturing plants would be astronomical.
• Financial Strain: The economic impact across industries.
• Habit: Deeply rooted habits are hard to break, I know.
• Personal Anecdote: The miles thing, it reminds me of Dad. He passed in 2021. The truck is gone too.

Does Germany use mph or kph?

Germany, unlike the UK, uses kilometers per hour (kph). This is standard practice across most of mainland Europe. It’s a simple fact, really.

Speed limits? Think of it this way:

• Urban areas: 50 kph (approximately 31 mph). It’s a good speed for navigating dense traffic; a lower speed enhances safety.

• Open roads: 100 kph (roughly 62 mph). Outside cities, the flow of traffic changes; higher speeds are generally permissible.

• Autobahn: No general speed limit. This is famously controversial. My uncle, who drives a beat-up VW Golf, loves it. He’s always bragging about his Autobahn exploits. But safety concerns are valid, naturally. The lack of a universal speed limit is something I’ve always found interesting. It’s a cultural difference, for sure.

The conversion isn’t always precise; mph to kph is not a one-to-one ratio. I remember getting confused once during my exchange program in Munich. My friend, Hannah, had to constantly remind me. The differences are small, but they are there. These variations are important.

The Autobahn, by the way, is a complex topic. While there’s no universal speed limit, recommended speeds and advised speeds exist due to the variety of road conditions. Also, some stretches do have speed limits, usually due to construction or other factors. It’s a lot more complicated than most people initially realize. I found that out the hard way. Even my meticulous research notes from my Masters’ in International Relations back in 2023 are full of this stuff. It’s a surprisingly fascinating topic.

Do people in the UK use mph?

Yes. MPH remains common. Habit. Inertia.

• Road signs: MPH. Everywhere.
• Speedometers: Mostly MPH. Some dual.
• Legal limits: MPH. Consistent.

Odd. Miles. A relic. The metric system makes more sense. But habit persists. Predictable human behavior.

My car? MPH. 2023 model. Never seen kilometers per hour. It’s absurd.

Some younger drivers might be more familiar with kph. But that’s generational. Not systemic. The UK sticks to its archaic system.

Change is slow. Resistance to change is ingrained. Predictable, frustrating. A universal truth. Perhaps, a fundamental constant.

What country has no speed limit?

Germany’s Autobahn. Speed reigns, mostly.

The Isle of Man. Rural roads, unleashed.

Germany: Autobahn Legend

• Not all segments are limitless.
• Advisory speed: 130 km/h.
• Accidents are expensive. Very.
• Fuel consumption goes brrr. My old BMW loved it.

Isle of Man: Rural Freedom

• Two-lane roads, open throttle.
• “Unrestricted” – tempting words.
• Common sense advised. Obviously.
• Island vibes, high speed.
• TT races are insane!
• Road laws exist, regardless.

How many countries use miles vs kilometers?

Miles? Seriously? That’s like using a rotary phone in the age of Zoom. Kilometers dominate, obviously. Think of it this way: 192 countries are on the metric team; a whopping 111 are stubbornly clinging to the archaic miles. My neighbor’s dog understands metric better than those 111.

• Metric System Wins: The majority rules, and kilometers are king.
• The Mile Minority: A smaller, albeit persistent, bunch still clings to miles. Maybe they’re nostalgic for simpler times… or maybe they just haven’t gotten the memo.

It’s like choosing between a perfectly brewed espresso and lukewarm instant coffee. Come on, folks. Let’s upgrade. Think of the potential for fewer conversion errors alone! I, personally, avoid any country still using miles, unless absolutely necessary, like my 2024 trip to the US to visit my aunt Mildred, who ironically, lives close to a university that does use kilometers. But I digress.

Let’s face it, miles are so 20th-century. The metric system is sleek, elegant, and makes way more sense. And less confusing! Just imagine – no more endless conversions, no more weird fractions, just smooth, decimal-based awesomeness.

How fast do they drive in the UK?

70 mph on motorways, right? Crazy. I saw a lorry doing, like, 50 the other day – felt glacial. Seriously. People are so slow.

Then there’s those 30 mph zones. Everywhere! Annoying. Total nightmare navigating London. Especially around rush hour. Ugh.

Dual carriageways – 70 there too. Makes sense. But honestly? I’ve seen people doing 80+. Reckless. I hate that.

Single carriageways are 60. Seems about right. Still, you get idiots. Always. You just do. Always some idiot.

Wales? 20mph?! What the hell? That’s ridiculous. I’d lose my mind. I just wouldn’t drive in Wales. Too slow.

• Motorways: 70 mph (113 km/h)
• Dual Carriageways: 70 mph (113 km/h) – but everyone ignores it.
• Single Carriageways: 60 mph (97 km/h) – boring.
• Built-up areas: 30 mph (48 km/h) – in England. 20mph in Wales. 20mph! Seriously?

My mate got a ticket last week, doing 35 in a 30. He’s furious. Completely unnecessary.

Honestly, people need to stick to the speed limits. It’s not rocket science. This whole thing feels unnecessarily complicated. Driving in the UK – It’s just too stressful. Too many rules. It’s madness.