User:DeFacto replaced the existing text entitled "Legal Requirements" in the article Metrication in the United Kingdom with his own text. The principal source of original text was a summary of UK legislation which was published by an official UK authority complete with official summary. DeFacto, who has a track record of hostility to metrication, is insisting that his version is more accurate. When I tried to reinstate the original version ( here), DeFacto reverted with the comment: "Replaced bad-faith and unjustified restoration of poor quality, inaccurate and unsupported content with something accurate and verifiable (see talk) - more references pending" (15:13 23 February 2012) I refused to discuss the matter with him until I had received an unconditional apology for his behaviour. The best that he did was to restate why he believed his version was better - something which I rejected. After I tried again to reinstate the original version, he revoked, calling the original version "discredited" (19:48 3 March 2012). I demanded an apology, but none was forthcoming.

Immediately before this episode took place, DeFacto's proposals regarding more prominent use of imperial measure in the Hindhead Tunnel article ( here) and on WP:MOSNUM ( here) had been rejected. He then totally removed a section from the article Metrication in the United Kingdom (since restored) and added banners to four other section ( diffs here]. The dispute above was initiated when I removed the banner from the article "Legal Requirements" and reinstated the section that he had removed.

Finally, while I was preparing this argument, Defacto twice trespassed on my userspace and deleted the draft.

Martin: You and DeFacto have a long history of warring over Metrication in the United Kingdom. DeFacto does also appear to have a track record for aggressive editing and edit-wars on other subjects, judging by comments on his home page! I've had tussles with him myself. However, I don't really want to get pulled into a scrap between you and him, because (as you rightly point out) he generally seems to be pushing an anti-metric POV, and I (like you) am of a strong pro-metric POV. ( talk) 12:36, 5 March 2012 (UTC)

Crikey - I just read the Hindhead Tunnel talk page. I wish I hadn't! DeFacto (whoever he or she is) has waaay too much time on his or her hands and really needs to get out more. Indeed if he/she got out more he/she might realise that the UK isn't the same place as it was in 1955 which would appear to be the last time he/she stepped out of his/her front door! I shall revise my comment above about DeFacto "generally seems to be pushing an anti-metric POV" to "finds any excuse to use imperial measures, even if they're utterly inappropriate for the job in hand and won't listen to anyone else on the subject". Its a weird obsession - maybe there's a name for it. Steve Hosgood ( talk) 13:32, 6 March 2012 (UTC)

[...] So any comments from me on the subject are hardly likely to be seen to be impartial! However, for the good of Wikipedia I feel that 'Metrication in the United Kingdom' is beyond repair and ought to just be deleted and rewritten from scratch by a team of non-British neutral-POV editors, and then be given "protected" status so that neither you, nor DeFacto (nor I) can p*ss around with it any more! It baffles me how such a boring subject as the use (or not) of a given measurement system can raise such passions in people - the recent spat about bl**dy Asda and their strawberries must rank along with The First World War as the most pointless waste of time and effort seen on the surface of any so-called civilised planet in the galaxy!

If you reckon you have any proof that DeFacto deleted stuff from your userspace, then that would be a matter for the Wikipedia Police - take it there. Steve Hosgood ( talk) 12:36, 5 March 2012 (UTC)

That's interesting! I've just spotted that one of the administrators has protected the page! Steve Hosgood ( talk) 12:41, 5 March 2012 (UTC)

Steve Hosgood. Wash your mouth out with soap. Do not disparage DeFacto. We have here a truly remarkable editor who can read the minds of the entire UK population.-- Charles ( talk) 14:32, 6 March 2012 (UTC)

Ah - thank you for that reference, Charles. I would say "delusional editor" rather than "remarkable editor" based on that gem! I would agree that "ton" and "tonne" are pronounced the same, but "long ton the assumed default" my arse!

<CHOMP>

Hey - this soap is really delicious! :-) Steve Hosgood ( talk) 17:40, 6 March 2012 (UTC)

Good ol' User:DeFacto - you can never keep him quiet! He's just appeared on Tom Morris's talk page requesting to be allowed access to MitUK so he (or she?) might carry on "improving" it. I added a comment to that :-) .... Steve Hosgood ( talk) 00:10, 7 March 2012 (UTC)