Do people not know how SPEED is Measured?

This is a rant. I am absolutely amazed at what I hear when people - trained professionals - describe how speed is measured!

I'll be listening to the radio on the way to work, and the weather guy comes on my local station. He tells us what the temperature is going to be, whether it's going to be sunny or rainy, and then he tells us that the wind will be gusting up to "20 MILES AN HOUR!"

I thought the abbreviation was MPH, not MAH! It's "MILES PER HOUR!" I cringe every time I hear it.

I watch a lot of golf, and it amazes me how many times I hear "miles an hour" when the commentators are talking about the wind speed and how it will challenge the golfer's next shot. I realize some of these TV personalities are former players and don't have a degree in journalism or broadcasting, but I hear it from the career sportscasters also.

I don't watch a lot of NASCAR or Indy car racing, but when I have, I have heard "miles an hour" throughout these broadcasts also. You would think that a sport that revolves around speed would know how to describe the concept!

I think it's maybe just an American English thing. I don't believe I've ever heard someone say "kilometers an hour" during a British Open golf telecast or during Wimbledon.

We all know that American English is not as proper as UK English, and that's probably the reason. The Brits take their language seriously and treat it with a little more respect than us Yankees.

What's funny is that some of you probably haven't even noticed when someone says, "miles an hour." BUT YOU WILL NOW!!! SORRY! I don't want to be the only one on the planet that cringes every time I hear it!

I'm not sure if there's a solution. We can try to politely correct a person if the opportunity arises, but most of the time, it's beyond our control, and we have to live with it.

Hope you enjoyed my little bitch session. And remember...together we can Kill Jargon!