Index: trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/NavigatableComponent.java
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/NavigatableComponent.java	(revision 3406)
+++ trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/NavigatableComponent.java	(revision 3407)
@@ -739,5 +739,5 @@
         public String getDistText(double dist) {
             double a = dist / aValue;
-            if (a > bValue / aValue) {
+            if (!Main.pref.getBoolean("system_of_measurement.use_only_lower_unit", false) && a > bValue / aValue) {
                 double b = dist / bValue;
                 return String.format(Locale.US, "%." + (b<10 ? 2 : 1) + "f %s", b, bName);
@@ -751,5 +751,5 @@
     public static final SystemOfMeasurement METRIC_SOM = new SystemOfMeasurement(1, "m", 1000, "km");
     public static final SystemOfMeasurement CHINESE_SOM = new SystemOfMeasurement(1.0/3.0, "\u5e02\u5c3a" /* chi */, 500, "\u5e02\u91cc" /* li */);
-    public static final SystemOfMeasurement IMPERIAL_SOM = new SystemOfMeasurement(0.9144, "yd.", 1609.344, "mi.");
+    public static final SystemOfMeasurement IMPERIAL_SOM = new SystemOfMeasurement(0.3048, "ft", 1609.344, "mi");
 
     public static Map<String, SystemOfMeasurement> SYSTEMS_OF_MEASUREMENT;