How Smart Cars and Streets Can Tame Speeding

Portland has a speeding problem. But instead of relying on cops to enforce speed limits, some people think smart engineering could be the answer. Imagine driving a car that automatically adjusts its speed to stay within the limit. That's what adaptive cruise control does. It keeps a safe distance from the car in front and slows down or speeds up as needed. This tech is smarter than many drivers. It never gets angry or competitive. It just follows the rules. Now, what if cars could enforce speed limits on their own? A simple device, let's call it the "Smithwidget, " could prevent a car from going over the speed limit. This would make those speed traps on the side of the road unnecessary. Of course, some people might try to disable this device. But if it becomes standard, speeding would be rare. Street design can also help control speed. In a city like Portland, streets should be designed to make fast turns impossible. Sharp, 90-degree turns force drivers to slow down. Bollards, those thick, green posts, can make drivers think twice about speeding. They're like silent guards that never take a break. Roundabouts are another smart solution. They're better than stoplights and stop signs. They keep traffic moving and slow down drivers naturally. Imagine Portland's State and High streets with roundabouts instead of traffic lights. Woodfords Corner could also benefit from this change. Enforcement has its problems. Cops are expensive and sometimes make mistakes. They can be arbitrary and selective. Plus, interactions between cops and the public don't always end well. Cops also tend to side with drivers. So why not let smart tech and street design do the job instead?