Fined For Engineering Without A License, Oregon. Challenged Red Light Cameras

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A man has been fined for engineering without a license for challenging some red light cameras with math & science. He wrote a letter in which he called himself a good engineer. Others have been fined over the years including a activist challenging/calling out power plant noise. Even a person with a masters in civil engineering from MIT is not good enough to comment on issues that involve engineering.

https://www.usnews.com/news/article...500-for-criticizing-traffic-cameras-with-math

Oregon State Board Of Examiners For Engineers and Land Surveyors issued the fines. And the chair won't comment citing legal reasons.

Some experts says this basically puts a licensing requirement on free speech.

So in Oregon you need a license to comment on issues that affect and the public at large. After seeing the effects & impact of that project first hand???

Power hungry or Napoleon complexed bureaucrats? Snobs? What's next will taking vitamin C for a cold be practicing medicine without a license? I hope no one's toilet seat needs changing in Oregon.
 

In Europe, but strangely and IMO wrongly not in the UK, an Engineer is a professional and as such has legal status.

To claim to be an engineer without having accreditation from a recognised professional institute is an offense carrying quite serious penalties.

If this guy claimed Engineer status, which he did, without accreditation from a professional institute then that is the offence. Had he not made such a claim there would not have been an issue.
 
Perhaps I missed something in reading the accompanying article, but it appears to me that Järlström was not acting in any official capacity, nor was he pursuing employment as an engineer, under false pretenses.

He was acting within his rights, under the First Ammendment. In my view, the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveyinggreatly overstepped their authority. I hope that Järlström wins in his suit for attorney's fees.
 

aeron said:
In Europe, but strangely and IMO wrongly not in the UK, an Engineer is a professional and as such has legal status.

To claim to be an engineer without having accreditation from a recognised professional institute is an offense carrying quite serious penalties.

If this guy claimed Engineer status, which he did, without accreditation from a professional institute then that is the offence. Had he not made such a claim there would not have been an issue.
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In the US until a 'professional' tries to sell their services without the proper requirements then it's usually considered an offense. Contracting or conducting business without a license usually accompanies another crime like fraud. Like Tn mentioned it was not for personal gain or employment with the government. Where was the fraud let alone flaw in his argument.

My thing is what was the flaw in this red camera guy's argument. And he did claim an engineering degree from Sweden. It shouldn't matter he was stating an opinion which could've easily verified or disproved by another engineer if public action were to be taken.

And this same board fined a MIT graduate with a Masters Degree in civil engineering. Just as in a public forum/message board the focus should be on the argument, not the individual.
 
My husband and I were talking about this last night. I am a professional whose license is retired. I am still an X, even though I don't practice. When I talk to people, I say I am a retired X. But I don't have to say that, as far as I know. I have the education, credentials and experience to prove that I am an X, and I do not work in my profession any more. To me, that is freedom of speech, and I am still an X, whether or not retired.

If I had not passed the professional exams required to become an X, that would be a different story. I would say I had an X degree, but not hold myself out as an X.

This guy, IMO, did nothing wrong. He said that he is an engineer to lend credibility to his statements. I would hope that his first amendment right to do so would be upheld in a court of law.
 
Across the EU (except the UK) to claim to be an engineer irrespective of the circumstances is an offense. When retired the suffix "eng.rtd" is used. An engineer in Europe has the same professional standing as an MD.
 
WheatenLover said:
My husband and I were talking about this last night. I am a professional whose license is retired. I am still an X, even though I don't practice. When I talk to people, I say I am a retired X. But I don't have to say that, as far as I know. I have the education, credentials and experience to prove that I am an X, and I do not work in my profession any more. To me, that is freedom of speech, and I am still an X, whether or not retired.

If I had not passed the professional exams required to become an X, that would be a different story. I would say I had an X degree, but not hold myself out as an X.

This guy, IMO, did nothing wrong. He said that he is an engineer to lend credibility to his statements. I would hope that his first amendment right to do so would be upheld in a court of law.
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He wrongly claimed a status that he was not entitled to do.
 
aeron said:
He wrongly claimed a status that he was not entitled to do.
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Here in the U.S. being an engineer may bring some social status, but being an engineer is an educational milestone, an occupational position.

it is true that government agencies hire engineers; in such cases the engineer may have some sort of official status.
 

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