- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
0
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:17 pm to tigercross
quote:so he isnt an engineer. the question is "Is he claiming to be an engineer?"
He has an EE degree, just isn't licensed
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:17 pm to LNCHBOX
quote:
Uh, there are so many field engineers in construction that aren't licensed engineers. I don't see any of them getting fines.
Depends on who they work for and what they are doing. Companies that do not sell engineering services can call their employees whatever that want. If a company sells engineering services or if a person sells engineering services, the title of engineer is only allow for persons with a proffesional engineering license.
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:17 pm to tss22h8
quote:
Mats’s work was generally met with interest and praise, but when Mats e-mailed the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying, things took an abrupt illegal U-turn. The Board told Mats they had no interest in hearing about his ideas. Fair enough. But the Board didn’t stop there. They launched a full-blown investigation, alleging that he’d engaged in the unlicensed “practice of engineering.”
After a two-year-long investigation, the Board fined him $500. According to the Board, “critiquing” the length of yellow lights and talking about his ideas with “members of the public” made Mats a lawbreaker because he’s not an Oregon-licensed professional engineer.
The Board also told Mats that he couldn’t refer to himself using the word “engineer” either. Most people would probably agree that “engineer” is a sensible way to describe Mats, given his education, experience, and skills. (He has a degree in electrical engineering from Sweden, and he’s worked in a range of technical fields for decades). But in Oregon, none of that matters; the word “engineer” is off-limits to everyone who is not a state-licensed professional engineer.
quote:
According to the Board, Mats illegally practiced engineering without a license every time he “critique[d]” the existing traffic-light system and shared his ideas with “members of the public.” Even his e-mail to the creator of the original formula was ruled illegal. So was his correspondence with local media. The practice of engineering is defined to cover “any . . . creative work requiring engineering education, training and experience.”[2] And the law is just as sweeping as it sounds. Even the Oregon Attorney General’s Office has admitted that it’s “a broad definition which may have a particular meaning to those persons trained and knowledgeable in engineering but may be unclear to anyone else.”[3]
The board is not only stifling improvements to the poor red light system, but they are stifling free speech at the same time. Absurd.
LINK
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:19 pm to CarRamrod
quote:
so he isnt an engineer. the question is "Is he claiming to be an engineer?"
I dont know many EE's who have a PE...
Unless they are in Power Systems.
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:20 pm to mdomingue
quote:
He referred to himself as an engineer in regards to the study he did.
I'm still not seeing this in the article. Where in any of this does it say he misrepresented himself as a licensed engineer?
quote:
He started his investigation into traffic lights after his wife got a ticket for turning right on a yellow light back in 2013. He wanted to know “how how exactly yellow lights are timed.”
Järlström found out that the formula used in traffic lights was deficient, and invented his own one, while corresponding with one of the formula’s original creators.
He took his research and started reaching out to people in the scientific community, government authorities and the media. His new formula ended up at the state’s Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying. But rather than appreciating his findings, the Board fined him $500 because he engaged in unlicensed “practice of engineering.”
According to the Board, Järlström had no right to criticize the length of yellow lights and talk about his ideas with “members of the public” because he’s not an Oregon-licensed engineer. The man was also told to stop referring himself using the word “engineer”, despite having a degree in electrical engineering from Sweden.
And if this is the precedent, why did I not get fined when I presented my senior project to a bunch of engineers? It's essentially the same thing.
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:24 pm to tigerpimpbot
If the guy reached out to local media with his research and findings, and called himself an engineer to garner credibility, I'd say the fine is probably legitimate.
Whether the law is dumb is a different discussion, not to mention the fact that a 2 year investigation was launched to yield a $500 fine.
Whether the law is dumb is a different discussion, not to mention the fact that a 2 year investigation was launched to yield a $500 fine.
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:25 pm to tigerpimpbot
quote:
He's going to win his suit. He has a degree in electrical engineering and, oh yeah, first amendment, like the very first one.
No, he won't. He voluntarily turned down his chance at arbitration.
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:26 pm to Jester
quote:
No, he won't. He voluntarily turned down his chance at arbitration.
Probably because it's not worth the hassle. That doesn't mean he thinks the fine is legit.
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:26 pm to LNCHBOX
quote:
And if this is the precedent, why did I not get fined when I presented my senior project to a bunch of engineers? It's essentially the same thing.
I guess it depends on where you went to school and the laws in that state. I'd also suspect that you didn't market yourself as an engineer.
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:27 pm to Jester
quote:
No, he won't. He voluntarily turned down his chance at arbitration.
wait
why would he choose arbitration over a lawsuit?
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:27 pm to GRTiger
quote:
I guess it depends on where you went to school and the laws in that state. I'd also suspect that you didn't market yourself as an engineer.
I see nothing in this article saying he misrepresented himself.
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:29 pm to LNCHBOX
quote:
I'm still not seeing this in the article
That article is piss poor. Go read the Motherboard article from Vice. It provides much more substantiation of the situation. They still misrepresent the situation a bit, though.
You really think the ENGINEERING BOARD just decided to stifle a guy who was arguing a red light ticket? Yeah, lets inject ourselves into a battle on behalf of red light tickets that in no way affect the board....
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:30 pm to LNCHBOX
quote:
The man was also told to stop referring himself using the word “engineer”
My assumption is this directive came from a part of the investigation where it was determined that he was referring to himself as an engineer to the people he reached out to.
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:31 pm to Jester
quote:
You really think the ENGINEERING BOARD just decided to stifle a guy who was arguing a red light ticket? Yeah, lets inject ourselves into a battle on behalf of red light tickets that in no way affect the board....
I've seen some absurd things from licensing boards, so until I see more, I'm not taking their side.
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:31 pm to SlowFlowPro
quote:
wait
why would he choose arbitration over a lawsuit?
I may be slightly misusing the word, but there is a well-defined procedure for arguing against board findings. He elected to forego those procedures. As such, he relinquished his legal right to argue it. It's like taking a small claims case straight to the Supreme Court. It just doesn't work like that.
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:32 pm to Jester
quote:
He elected to forego those procedures.
Probably because after 2 years, it isn't worth any more hassle.
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:33 pm to Jester
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:34 pm to Jester
If "I'm an excellent engineer" is it, that fine is bullshite.
Posted on 4/27/17 at 1:35 pm to LNCHBOX
Or maybe he thought $500 was a good deal for all the publicity his idea is now getting. 
Page 2 of 5
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News