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Oregon Man Fined $500 for Criticizing Red-light Cameras

He should challenge it under Art 1 Sec 7 of Oregon's constitution, after all the Oregon supreme court ruled porno and strip clubs were protected legal speech under the state constitution.

However let's not confuse the topic, this is related to him presenting himself as a professional who requires a license, and I can't find anything showing he has an engineering license. In fact I lookup him up on the Oregon engineering board's license locator which says he has no license. so the issue may be not his research, but calling himself an engineer when he has no license to be one.
 
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If things happened the way that video says it happened there is no way it would hold up in court. But most people probably wouldn't bother fighting it, though.

Now prepare yourself. I am about to practice unlicensed traffic engineering. Here it goes: traffic lights suck.
 
Skeptic Bob said:
If things happened the way that video says it happened there is no way it would hold up in court. But most people probably wouldn't bother fighting it, though.

Now prepare yourself. I am about to practice unlicensed traffic engineering. Here it goes: traffic lights suck.
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According to the local Oregon paper, Oregon has a law that you cannot claim to be an engineer, unless you are licensed by them. He is not licensed, he called himself an engineer in making his claims, sounds guilty to me.
 
Redress said:
According to the local Oregon paper, Oregon has a law that you cannot claim to be an engineer, unless you are licensed by them. He is not licensed, he called himself an engineer in making his claims, sounds guilty to me.
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Which I think is a violation of his rights, as he did not apparently recieve any compensation for the work he was doing an "engineer"

like if I go to Oregon and try to impress a woman in a bar by saying I'm an engineer and make a lot of money can the engineering board fine me for that?
it's like the stolen valor law, it was found unconstitutional as applied to people who didn't seek financial or tangible benefit for the lie. you can't be charged for impersonating a cop merely for saying you are one, you have to be attempting to act as an officer. What if you are a licensed engineer in a different state?

so really unless he attempted to seek employment or compensation for his study based on being an "an engineer" or was presenting falsified documents showing him licensed, I don't see this holding up.
 
Redress said:
According to the local Oregon paper, Oregon has a law that you cannot claim to be an engineer, unless you are licensed by them. He is not licensed, he called himself an engineer in making his claims, sounds guilty to me.
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That's a pretty silly law. If someone has an engineering degree...they're an engineer.
 
Redress said:
According to the local Oregon paper, Oregon has a law that you cannot claim to be an engineer, unless you are licensed by them. He is not licensed, he called himself an engineer in making his claims, sounds guilty to me.
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THAT needs to be challenged then as well. It should only be illegal if fraud is involved.
 
EMNofSeattle said:
Which I think is a violation of his rights, as he did not apparently recieve any compensation for the work he was doing an "engineer"

like if I go to Oregon and try to impress a woman in a bar by saying I'm an engineer and make a lot of money can the engineering board fine me for that?
it's like the stolen valor law, it was found unconstitutional as applied to people who didn't seek financial or tangible benefit for the lie. you can't be charged for impersonating a cop merely for saying you are one, you have to be attempting to act as an officer. What if you are a licensed engineer in a different state?

so really unless he attempted to seek employment or compensation for his study based on being an "an engineer" or was presenting falsified documents showing him licensed, I don't see this holding up.
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Does the form have a truthful to the best of my ability and so on clause?
If so he misrepresented himself on a legal document
 
JANFU said:
Does the form have a truthful to the best of my ability and so on clause?
If so he misrepresented himself on a legal document
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What form are you talking about?
 
EMNofSeattle said:
Which I think is a violation of his rights, as he did not apparently recieve any compensation for the work he was doing an "engineer"

like if I go to Oregon and try to impress a woman in a bar by saying I'm an engineer and make a lot of money can the engineering board fine me for that?
it's like the stolen valor law, it was found unconstitutional as applied to people who didn't seek financial or tangible benefit for the lie. you can't be charged for impersonating a cop merely for saying you are one, you have to be attempting to act as an officer. What if you are a licensed engineer in a different state?

so really unless he attempted to seek employment or compensation for his study based on being an "an engineer" or was presenting falsified documents showing him licensed, I don't see this holding up.
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So, as an example, it would be ok for some one claiming to be a doctor to offer free medical advice as a doctor?

And either way, the thread title is still a flat out lie. The reason for the fine was not criticizing red-light cameras.
 
EMNofSeattle said:
He should challenge it under Art 1 Sec 7 of Oregon's constitution, after all the Oregon supreme court ruled porno and strip clubs were protected legal speech under the state constitution.

However let's not confuse the topic, this is related to him presenting himself as a professional who requires a license, and I can't find anything showing he has an engineering license. In fact I lookup him up on the Oregon engineering board's license locator which says he has no license. so the issue may be not his research, but calling himself an engineer when he has no license to be one.
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I watched the video. In what context did he present himself as an engineer that would rise to the level requiring professional accreditation?
 
Redress said:
So, as an example, it would be ok for some one claiming to be a doctor to offer free medical advice as a doctor?

And either way, the thread title is still a flat out lie. The reason for the fine was not criticizing red-light cameras.
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Depends upon what the advice is and if it was reasonable for the other person to believe you were a doctor and take your advice.

I don't share your opinion, I think this is an example of the state being embaressed and spending hours pouring through codebooks to find something to fine him for.
 
Tanngrisnir said:
I watched the video. In what context did he present himself as an engineer that would rise to the level requiring professional accreditation?
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I have already addressed that. I don't think the man actually broke the law, and if he did to where this is a violation, the law is constitutionally defecient
 
1) There are several kinds of engineers. Electrical, mechanical, software, civil, traffic, and on and on and on.

2) If you are licensed as any type of engineer, anywhere, you are an "engineer", generically speaking. You may not be legally able to PRACTICE your engineering in a particular location where you are not licensed, but you are still an engineer.
 
Skeptic Bob said:
If things happened the way that video says it happened there is no way it would hold up in court. But most people probably wouldn't bother fighting it, though.

Now prepare yourself. I am about to practice unlicensed traffic engineering. Here it goes: traffic lights suck.
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I would disagree, poorly placed traffic lights suck, traffic lights that are not needed suck, poorly timed traffic lights sucks, but as a whole traffic lights are between "necessary evil and a live saving piece of kit".
 
Peter King said:
I would disagree, poorly placed traffic lights suck, traffic lights that are not needed suck, poorly timed traffic lights sucks, but as a whole traffic lights are between "necessary evil and a live saving piece of kit".
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Yeah, but that wouldn't have been as pithy. ;)
 
I think it is wrong for them to fine him, but it is likely sedition for me to say so!
Thankfully I am not in Oregon.
 
EMNofSeattle said:
Which I think is a violation of his rights, as he did not apparently recieve any compensation for the work he was doing an "engineer"

like if I go to Oregon and try to impress a woman in a bar by saying I'm an engineer and make a lot of money can the engineering board fine me for that?
it's like the stolen valor law, it was found unconstitutional as applied to people who didn't seek financial or tangible benefit for the lie. you can't be charged for impersonating a cop merely for saying you are one, you have to be attempting to act as an officer. What if you are a licensed engineer in a different state?

so really unless he attempted to seek employment or compensation for his study based on being an "an engineer" or was presenting falsified documents showing him licensed, I don't see this holding up.
Click to expand...

Yep they have no case. However Oregon is screwed up from the neck up in liberalism so he will probably lose.
 
Redress said:
According to the local Oregon paper, Oregon has a law that you cannot claim to be an engineer, unless you are licensed by them. He is not licensed, he called himself an engineer in making his claims, sounds guilty to me.
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Horrible crime, eh? Claiming to be an engineer without being licensed by the locals? What happens if an engineer from Dallas moves to Oregon but does not get licensed and does not practice?

But he is a school trained engineer who did not get the local license.

Is this an authoritarian society we have, or what?

Yes, the red light cameras deliver huge injustice and revenue.
 
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