Talk about EE problem and get a $500 fine.

[Geek-9pm]

Apparently free speech does not include the right to prove your are right by using Enginering methods. The Statre of Oriegon laid a fine on a man for presetnly a electrical enginerring issue to the state without permission.

His report was critical of the algorithim used to control traffic lights ant the use of cameras to monitor trtaffic. Or taht is what it seems to be.

The story was postted erly this year.
Abc News reported it on  Apr 26 2017

Oregon Man Claims State Muzzles Red Light Camera Critique

After his wife got a ticket based on a red light camera in Beaverton, Oregon, Mats Järlström, a Swedish-born electronics engineer, studied the calculations used to determine the length of the yellow light cycle. He concluded it was too short, because it failed to account for the longer time a driver needed to turn a corner, rather than go straight through the intersection.

So he published his research, believing  he had the right to do so. Boy was he wrong about being right.   

"By providing the public with his traffic engineering calculations," the board said, "Järlström engaged in the practice of engineering." And since he didn't have a license issued by the state, he was violating the law, it said.

Now he’s suing in federal court, accusing the state of violating his First Amendment right to speak about a public issue.

So, even if you know your are right, and your can prove it, you shall not speak unless the government grants you a  professional licnse to speak. If you liive in Oregon.   
"I was fined simply for speaking out and was told that I can't truthfully call myself an engineer. People should be free to debate any topic, including technical topics like math and traffic lights," Järlström said.

Moral: Nobody ever has the rigfht to critizie the government
 - unless they say so. 

[Salmon Trout]

Nobody ever has the rigfht to critizie the government - unless they say so.

Sounds like the judiciary stepped in...

May 31, 2017

Arlington, Va.—In an early and important win, yesterday a federal judge issued an order prohibiting Oregon from penalizing Mats Järlström for discussing the timing of stop lights or for calling himself an engineer. The order, which was agreed to by the state, means that Järlström is free to exercise his First Amendment rights to discuss his traffic light theories without first obtaining an Oregon professional engineer license.

Judge Anna J. Brown of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon issued the order a month after Järlström sued the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying. The board had previously fined him $500 for publicly suggesting that yellow lights should last longer to accommodate cars making turns.

[Geek-9pm]

Thank you for the updare. Glad to know that reson prevailed.
Doing a Google search, here is his more recent statement about what happended:
http://theinstitute.ieee.org/ieee-roundup/blogs/blog/mats-jrlstrm-i-am-an-engineer
He has a B.S. in engineering from Sweden. And 25 years of work.

Amazingly, my experience is all too common.
In recent years, Oregon has investigated lots of people who either spoke out about technical topics or who described themselves truthfully using the word engineer. Last year, for example, the engineering board targeted a gubernatorial candidate who said, “I’m an engineer” in one of his campaign ads. The candidate has a degree in mechanical engineering, worked for Ford and Boeing, and has a bunch of engineering-related awards—but, you guessed it, he’s not a state-licensed professional engineer.

Not sure if I should live in Oegon. I might say something.