We're all screwy
Sir: I'd like to congratulate Robert Haeger (`Screwed by Brussels', 26 September) on his sense of humour, which is not the case with most Americans. My great pleasure when I am in Britain is to find that every- thing is different. Driving on the left is the first thing I enjoy — and I'd like the yard to be less close to the metre and the pound not to be almost half a kilo.
Unfortunately, and I am sure that as a journalist Mr Haeger is well aware of it, whether we like it or not, we now live in a world led by international business. If everybody does not use the same measure- ments it makes things very difficult — even impossible. However, I am under the impression that Mr Haeger takes for granted the fact that there is a boring uniformity all over conti- nental Europe, and that Britain is the only country trying despairingly to retain its originality.
Does he know that the engines of the Eurostar are devised so that they are able to use three different types of electricity? The powers used by the English, Belgian and French railways are all different and it makes these engines a marvel of modern technology. The bulbs in France have always had bayonet fittings and there is no such thing as a 'European-style screw-in bulb'. Celsius is never used here for tem- perature, it is always centigrade (they are actually the same thing).
Christian Hurel
L'Ajoucadou, Promenade des chenes verts, La Valette, France
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