The Industrial Revolution happened in Imperial measurements. The Second World War was won in Imperial measurements - the Spitfires, Hurricanes, Typhoons etc were better planes than the metric Messerschmitts etc. Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon in Imperial measurements - the European Space Agency tends to blow things up on the ground a lot.

Perhaps the problem is that Europeans have to count on their fingers while the British, Americans, Australians etc are able to think in things like feet, pounds etc?