A carpenter friend showed me how to use my speed square, was he enabling unlicensed carpentry practice? I don't think so.
I can show someone how to operate the measuring device but it's not so easy to impart 35 years of experience, training, and knowledge of what the measuring device is for. Maybe ask him to show you how to use the volt meter you just bought because you want to do some electrical engineering on the side.
I would provide some training, it would be cool to teach someone correctly how to setup a tripod, no one showed me and I'm pretty sure it's a topic not taught anywhere, too busy solving calculus problems.
If this individual is a licensed EE then he/she will understand the risk of practicing out of their authorized area of practice.
Not only do they risk getting a slap for surveying; they also jeopardize their EE license.
Are they a sole proprietor? If not, and they practice surveying, then they also put their employer at risk.
The TS is just a measuring device and their are many ways it can be used without surveying. ?ÿ
I'd show them how to use it and I'd also explain what constituted surveying and that when an individual is practicing outside of the law, that you, as a licensed surveyor, are required to follow the law and the law says:
12 AAC 36.210 (a) A registrant (6)) shall inform the board if he or she has knowledge or reason to believe that another person or firm might be
in violation of AS 08.48, or a regulation adopted under it, and shall cooperate with the board by furnishing all further information or assistance required;
So cooperate with your friends and stay in compliance with the law - if this person understands your obligations, they won't practice surveying as: 1) it's not legal, and 2) it will put you in the uncomfortable spot of reporting the violation.?ÿ A friend wouldn't put you in that position.
In the past, when people wanted to know how I used my equipment to do a job, I would give them the opportunity to help me one day or more if they wanted, and find out for themselves and have a hands-on learning experience.
In close to 50yrs of time, I have never had one person that took advantage of that opportunity.
Everyone wanted me to come to them and every one of them found another surveyor or instrument man to get what they wanted and went out and used transit or TS to run boundaries illegally and with error-filled results and charged money to do it for someone as part of their forestry, real estate or fence building or design occupation.
We have few actual practicing licensed engineers around here and they look the other way too many guys out there that do much of the local small topo and design subdivisions and strip mall and other developments of up to 10?ñ acres or so and a few sign the paperwork for them without checking their work.
Most of these guys would call me up and ask what I would charge to do the work and I would crunch things and give them a number and I would never hear from them until their next opportunity came around and they were wanting again. I simply started telling them I was too busy to even find time to do that project and still, they were asking for a number. Had to just say I don't have time I am loaded down and had to get back to it.
They were using my numbers to charge for their unlicensed work and were using my name as the person who did the work.
Gotta protect yourself and the bottom line.
When you have an acquaintance that is working for some surveyor or for you and needs some extra help to figure something out, that is different, you teach them what you can because it will help the profession we are a part of and it will improve that person's ability to help others down the road.
0.02
Maybe after you show them how to run a total station (I mean it is an easy tool to use, right), then your doctor friend can teach them how to use a knife.?ÿ
Sometimes it isn't about how complicated the tool is, or even how complicated the concept is. It is all about the damage that you can do.
