The "Tonne"

[p.dath]

To me, the "Tonne" is signified as doing 100 mph. I was talking to an "old fella" and he was telling me me thought the term originated from some measurement of force. Aka a tonne of pressure is experienced while doing 100mph.

The best I can come up with is that a "Tonne" is simply British slang for 100.

Anyone know?

[gunrunner]

This is also what it can cost if you crash with no insurance at this speed .

[vifferman]

Nup.
100 mph is "The Ton".

[sinfull]

Nup.
100 mph is "The Ton".
So if a metric ton is also known as tonne, if my speedo reads in KM and i do 165 kph (roughly) am i doing the ton or the tonne
Or if my vehical puts out 2204.62 FP of torque does it have a ton of power or a tonne of power

Ahhhh the tonne is 2204.62 avoirdupois pounds
2. Avoirdupois = Informal. bodily weight: He carries around a lot of excess avoirdupois.

So the tonne is a fat fuck doing the ton !

[Mikkel]

This really shouldn't come as any surprise:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonne

As for slang... dunno:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=tonne

More discussions here:
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1141373

[MSTRS]

The Ton is the correct term for 100mph. It is an abbreviation for 'Ton Up Club' who were the predecessors of the Rockers of the late 50s-early 60s.
Wikipedia does not give an explanation for the meaning behind this reference to the speed.

[gwigs]

Bring back MPH I reckon....161kph doesnt have the same ring to it as "The Ton"....:yes:

[MSTRS]

Bring back MPH I reckon....161kph doesnt have the same ring to it as "The Ton"....:yes:

The other benefit is that at 100 you are miles away from 'walking'. My speedo is in MPH. That'll be why cops just wave to me...

[Skyryder]

To me, the "Tonne" is signified as doing 100 mph. I was talking to an "old fella" and he was telling me me thought the term originated from some measurement of force. Aka a tonne of pressure is experienced while doing 100mph.

The best I can come up with is that a "Tonne" is simply British slang for 100.

Anyone know?

If memory serves me correctly 100mph was ton. Tonne is the metric of 100kph. I don't think it has the same connotations as the mph ton. Well not for me anyway.


Skyryder



Skyryder

[Skyryder]

Double post edited.

Skyryder

[Ixion]

Ton. It's ton. Not tonne. The ton is 100 (mph). Nothing whatsoever to do with ton, 2240 lb, or tonne the metric not-quite-eqivalent. Totally different word.

Originally from Romany , 100 (of anything)

[Skyryder]

The Ton is the correct term for 100mph. It is an abbreviation for 'Ton Up Club' who were the predecessors of the Rockers of the late 50s-early 60s.
Wikipedia does not give an explanation for the meaning behind this reference to the speed.

Yep that rings a bell. It must be rembered that not all production bikes could do 100 mph. In fact at the time very few so the Ton Up club was exclusive.

[Hitcher]

The best I can come up with is that a "Tonne" is simply British slang for 100.

Anyone know?

Yes. And it's "ton" in that context, not "tonne". Nobody travelling at 100mph would dare use a metric weight to describe their speed.

[McJim]

Bring back MPH I reckon....161kph doesnt have the same ring to it as "The Ton"....:yes:

MPH never went away. Just all these French-loving europhiles that insist on talking in kilometres and stuff. Ignore them and go for a 250 mile ride.

[SPman]

MPH never went away. Just all these French-loving europhiles that insist on talking in kilometres and stuff. Ignore them and go for a 250 mile ride.Hear hear!
Bloody metrics.........
Frenchmen - an excuse for a sound drubbing!
161kph is just another number on a speedo, 100mph is REAL speed!

A ton wouldn't be cock a knee rhyming slang for a 100, would it?

[Winston001]

Ton. It's ton. Not tonne. The ton is 100 (mph). Nothing whatsoever to do with ton, 2240 lb, or tonne the metric not-quite-eqivalent. Totally different word.

Originally from Romany , 100 (of anything)

Sounds right. East London wide boys refer to 100 pounds (sterling) as a ton.

[cave weta]

I have a badge somewhere for cracking 'The ton' on water. Karapiro, 1997 I think.

[BoristheBiter]

1 tonne = 1000kg

[boomer]

Sounds right. East London wide boys refer to 100 pounds (sterling) as a ton.

A ton is reference to a 100, so what ever your referring to when you use a ton its a hundred of. It's not just east london southern shandy drinkers who use the term(s); I think you were trying to refer to cockneys but never mind.

A ton is used commonly throughout the UK

[boomer]

The Ton is the correct term for 100mph. It is an abbreviation for 'Ton Up Club' who were the predecessors of the Rockers of the late 50s-early 60s.
Wikipedia does not give an explanation for the meaning behind this reference to the speed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ton
Informal tons



Ton is also used informally, often as slang (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slang), to mean a large amount of something (material or not), for example, "Man, I just ate a ton of french fries back there". It can also be used as a highly derogatory meaning for very overweight persons, e.g., "look at that ten-ton Tess".
In Britain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom), a ton is colloquially used to refer to 100 of a given unit. Ton can thus refer to a speed of 100 miles per hour e.g. "Lee was doing a ton down the motorway"; to money e.g. "How much did you pay for that?" "A ton" (£100); to 100 points in a game e.g. "Eric just threw a ton in our darts game"; or to a hundred of pretty much anything else.
A ton is 100 runs in the game of cricket (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cricket) (more commonly known as a century).

[Motu]

1 tonne = 1000kg

Wow - so a Tonne is 1,000kph? I could do that easy.

[peasea]

I did the ton (100mph) twice in two days, once in the car on Sunday and once on the bike yesterday. Felt good both times but got snapped in the car just after slowing down. He pulls me over and reckons he got me at 116kph, I nearly kissed him. Coulda been car, license and a bag of cash all at once. Palpitations I tell ya!

[BoristheBiter]

Wow - so a Tonne is 1,000kph? I could do that easy.

like not

kg is weight, kph is speed not the same

[McJim]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ton
Informal tons



Ton is also used informally, often as slang (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slang), to mean a large amount of something (material or not), for example, "Man, I just ate a ton of french fries back there". It can also be used as a highly derogatory meaning for very overweight persons, e.g., "look at that ten-ton Tess".
In Britain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom), a ton is colloquially used to refer to 100 of a given unit. Ton can thus refer to a speed of 100 miles per hour e.g. "Lee was doing a ton down the motorway"; to money e.g. "How much did you pay for that?" "A ton" (£100); to 100 points in a game e.g. "Eric just threw a ton in our darts game"; or to a hundred of pretty much anything else.
A ton is 100 runs in the game of cricket (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cricket) (more commonly known as a century).


My question would be where did it originate from? Since it can be 2,000 or 2,240 lbs it doesn't readilly refer to 100. And a hundredweight is only a part of a Ton. So who was the first person to say "Ton" and mean "One Hundred"....and more to the point why?

[peasea]

like not

kg is weight, kph is speed not the same

A kg of speed would be good.

[MSTRS]

My question would be where did it originate from? Since it can be 2,000 or 2,240 lbs it doesn't readilly refer to 100. And a hundredweight is only a part of a Ton. So who was the first person to say "Ton" and mean "One Hundred"....and more to the point why?

Which was my point...
Lot's of references to the ton as 100 (something) but not why the term exists.

[BoristheBiter]

A kg of speed would be good.

and costs the same as getting a ticket for 1000kph

[boomer]

Ton. It's ton. Not tonne. The ton is 100 (mph). Nothing whatsoever to do with ton, 2240 lb, or tonne the metric not-quite-eqivalent. Totally different word.

Originally from Romany , 100 (of anything)


My question would be where did it originate from? Since it can be 2,000 or 2,240 lbs it doesn't readilly refer to 100. And a hundredweight is only a part of a Ton. So who was the first person to say "Ton" and mean "One Hundred"....and more to the point why?


Which was my point...
Lot's of references to the ton as 100 (something) but not why the term exists.


Ixion has more knowledge than any Wiki

[peasea]

and costs the same as getting a ticket for 1000kph

I'd rather pay a fine for 1,000kph actually. There's a lid to all that crap and you can drip it up after pleading not guilty and dragging through the courts. Try dripping up a kilo of toot.

[peasea]

Which was my point...
Lot's of references to the ton as 100 (something) but not why the term exists.

Yes there is; 100 of ANYTHING! 100 miles per hour, ton, easy.

Well, for some it is.

[BoristheBiter]

I'd rather pay a fine for 1,000kph actually. There's a lid to all that crap and you can drip it up after pleading not guilty and dragging through the courts. Try dripping up a kilo of toot.

i would like to see the vehicle that gave you the ticket, then you could say "i was doing the tonne"

[peasea]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s__36MxVoA8

and even better.............

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to9A1nJoCgM

[peasea]

i would like to see the vehicle that gave you the ticket, then you could say "i was doing the tonne"

I'd like to see the judges' face mate! that'd be gold.

[MSTRS]

Yes there is; 100 of ANYTHING! 100 miles per hour, ton, easy.

Well, for some it is.

Well, duh...yea, easy. But short of Ixion's claim that it is a Romany term, WHY use the word 'ton' for 100 (anything)? There appears to be nothing on the net that clarifies where the term came from.

[boomer]

Somethings are just 'cos. Don't let it eat you up :D

[Ixion]

My question would be where did it originate from? Since it can be 2,000 or 2,240 lbs it doesn't readilly refer to 100. And a hundredweight is only a part of a Ton. So who was the first person to say "Ton" and mean "One Hundred"....and more to the point why?

"the ton" is nothing whatsoever to do with weight. Note that it is always referred to as "the ton"; or, earlier "a ton" (D H Lawrence uses it thus). They are two complete different words that are spelled the same.

As to who first used it to mean 100 - some random Romany 1000 years ago. Because that's what it meant in his language. As well to ask who ws the first person to stick a chiv into another and why , also a Romany word, with which a Glaswegian should be familiar.

Probably imported into English vernacular through use as part of Cockney slang, as the Churchillian gentleman notes.

[Winston001]

Probably imported into English vernacular through use as part of Cockney slang, as the Churchillian gentleman notes.

Salud. :D

Romany sounds good to me. To find the etomology would require some expertise in that language and culture. I haven't tried Google Scholar but haven't found any ancient source for ton = 100.

As for the regular avoirdupois ton, that dates from the 13Cen being the space taken up by a "tun" (cask) of wine. By the 15Cen it was firmly established as a measure of weight.

[bogan]

Also applicable is the metric tonne speed threshold, though it is rarely truly acheived. The speed is derived from the equation of momentum, in this case an easily available roughly standardized unit of measure (the deuce) shall contain a momentum with equivalent impact force to that of a tonne (metric 1000kg) weight.

Some Noteworthy Notes:
1) To truly achieve the metric tonne, the vehicular operator must release said unit of measure whilst traveling at such a speed as to impart the necessary momentum.
2) The discrepancy in the weight of the unit of measure used give rise to a range of speeds at which the tonne can be achieved, however >160kmhr is enough in most cases.
3) The method of releasing the standardized measure of weight makes a motorcycle a far easier vehicle choice for achieving the tonne.

[Big Dave]

Cwt.

(20) Hundredweights (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundredweight) to the Ton.

Derives to 100mph = a Ton.

[gatch]

A kg of speed would be good.

A tonne would be better.

More so, if the police knew you had a tonne, you would have reason to achieve the ton.

[FJRider]

From Wikipedia...


In Britain, a ton is colloquially used to refer to 100 of a given unit. Ton can thus refer to a speed of 100 miles per hour e.g. "Lee was doing a ton down the motorway"; to money e.g. "How much did you pay for that?" "A ton" (£100); to 100 points in a game e.g. "Eric just threw a ton in our darts game"; or to a hundred of pretty much anything else.
A ton is 100 runs in the game of cricket (more commonly known as a century).

[Brian d marge]

<dl><dt class="highlight">ton (http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=ton) http://www.etymonline.com/graphics/dictionary.gif (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=ton)</dt><dd class="highlight">1379, tonne, unit for measuring the carrying capacity of a ship, originally "space occupied by a tun or cask of wine," thus identical to tun (http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=tun) (q.v.). The two words were not differentiated until c.1688. The measure of weight is first recorded 1485; the spelling ton is from 1538, and became firmly established 18c. Tonnage (1422) was originally "tax or duty on wine imported in tuns." Modern tonne (1877) is the Fr. form of the word, adopted for Eng. use to denote a metric ton (1,000 kg.).</dd></dl>
from the Internet so must be true

Stephen

[BMWST?]

20 hundred weight to the ton.....that makes sense now(not)

[cowboyz]

So if a metric ton is also known as tonne, if my speedo reads in KM and i do 165 kph (roughly) am i doing the ton or the tonne
Or if my vehical puts out 2204.62 FP of torque does it have a ton of power or a tonne of power

Ahhhh the tonne is 2204.62 avoirdupois pounds
2. Avoirdupois = Informal. bodily weight: He carries around a lot of excess avoirdupois.

So the tonne is a fat fuck doing the ton !

holy crap sinful...... you fall over a book or something?

[LBD]

ello sailer....if there was any here which it does not seem.....

1 registered ton shipping term since the beginning of naught,,,,nautical history is a volume measurement equal to 100 cubic feet....

Began back when excise was charged on wine imported/exported, and was charged bythe TUN.

1 TUN = 8 barrells. 8 Barrells stack in a volume of 100 cubic feet.

100 feet then became 1 net registered Ton (TUN) and was a volume measurement

Measure the volume of the cargo hold of wine barrells in cubic feet, divide by 100 and you have the number of Tuns on board.

Interesting to note a tun of wine is 210 gallons and a tun of beer 283 gallons which meant a higher charge was levied on wine per volume.

[tri boy]

Try dripping up a kilo of toot.

You'd use a lot of needles.

[McJim]

Sounds right. East London wide boys refer to 100 pounds (sterling) as a ton.

Most East Londoners speak Urdu or Hindi. You haven't visited London on the past decade have you? :rofl:

[SPman]

Interesting to note a tun of wine is 210 gallons and a tun of beer 283 gallons which meant a higher charge was levied on wine per volume.

Which is as it should be........