Top 10 Scamera Stories of 2011

In our estimation, these were the ten biggest stories related to photo radar and red light cameras from around the U.S. in 2011

We hope you enjoy this look back at activism and politicians meeting head-to-head throughout the past year.

#10 – Texas legislature eliminates penalties for driving without a license plate

#9 –  Michael “Big Brother” Bloomberg calls for a “camera on every street corner

#8 – Mayor, Police Chief Take Down Colorado Springs Red Light Cameras

#7 – Redflex’s Gamble Backfires, Sale to Macquarie/Carlyle Canceled, Stock Plunges

#6 – Peoria Red Light Cams Finally Come Down After 3 Yrs of Increased Accidents

#5 – Redflex Kicked Out of Tempe Arizona Over Cash Grab Lawsuit

#4 – 15 Simultaneous Red Light Camera Protests in Florida

#3 – Voters Kick Red Light Cameras Out of 7 Cities in 3 States on Election Day

#2 – Houston City Council Votes 11-1 to Ban Red Light Cameras

#1 – Activists Convice LAPD Comission and LA City Council to Take Cameras Down

Former Redflex Chairman Chris Cooper Roadblocks Carlyle-Macquarie Takeover Bid

Chris Cooper tells Macquarie and The Carlyle Group to hit the road

Chris Cooper, former chairman of Redflex Traffic Systems didn’t mince words when talking about the rejection of a $305 Million bid from The Carlyle Group and Macquarie Bank to buy the company, which had been raised to $2.75/share on Friday.

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Arizona and Florida Introduce Red Light Camera Bans

The first day of legislative cycles have begun in Arizona and Florida.

Bill sponsors and their cosponsors in both states are extremely confident that red light cameras will be turned off and taken down by year’s end. The recent election results in 2010 that saw several cities ban the red light ticketing scam continue to prove that the system is extremely unpopular.

The two operators of the ticketing machines, Redflex Traffic Systems and American Traffic Solutions are currently tied up in lawsuits in which both are suing their own customers, the cities they operate in.

Adding to the woes of Redflex, in particular, would be the requirement that they notify their shareholders of the impending bans in Arizona and Florida. Events like this tend to have a negative impact on stock prices and the timing couldn’t be worse for Redflex, which is currently up for sale.

2011 is not off to a good start for automated ticketing pushers.

Toll Roads Would Bring Back Freeway Cameras, Fines

Proposed Arizona toll roads are back in the news. This time they’ve been given a “hot” new name. “HOT” lanes or High Occupancy Toll lanes would allow for some motorists to pay for the right to drive in HOV lanes during heavy traffic times without having any passengers.

Don’t let the name fool you. This is a backdoor conversion of AZ Highways to toll roads.

And here many of you thought you’d left toll roads behind on the East Coast and Midwest. How do terrible ideas like this one keep finding their way to our state?

It’s hard to know where to begin addressing all the headaches this will cause everyone who uses the freeway system. To sum it up with one question, “How would you like to see your freeways, which your tax dollars already paid for, be torn up, made more dangerous and congested, the cameras brought back and have to pay for the privilege to drive on them?” That’s the offer on the table from those in Arizona State Legislature who would love to fleece the motoring public once again.

The often pro-scamera AZ Republic published an article today on the HOT lanes and their benefits.They included a poll which diluted the issue.

KTAR.com on the other hand, published a simple up or down poll and clearly the public does not want toll roads or lanes in Arizona, based on their results.

When justifications like, “easing congestion,” “pay to bypass traffic” or others are used, just know that this is a way for your state or county government to sell roads that we’ve already paid for to foreign companies like Macquarie and Cintra, then charge you to drive on them. Cameras would be used to enforce the toll lanes, which means it would be very easy for photo radar to be included.

Does this remind anyone of the Redflex scam?
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Redflex Profits Down 92%

Redflex doesn’t seem to understand the art of negotiation. They recently rejected an offer from Toll Road Operator Macquarie to buy their company for more than it’s actually worth, hoping to spark a bidding war. That part was laughable enough, but after releasing their Fiscal Year 2010 (FY2010) earnings report, you’ve got to wonder what they’re putting in the vegemite at Redflex HQ.

Profit is down 92% according to their own  report. Let’s get this straight. NOW Redflex execs think companies will be lining up to buy them for much more than they are worth? That makes about as much sense as a screen door in a submarine.

We know water swirls the other way in the land down under, but the last we heard, money still goes in the same direction.

At this point it’s becoming clear what needs to happen. The first would be drug testing for the Redflex brass, of course. But secondly it seems so much damage has been done to this scam peddler with bad press that it’s our duty to auction them off to the public, one scrap metal birdhouse and video camera at a time.

Do we have an opening bid on the soon-to-be decommissioned scameras at McDonald and Tatum?

Redflex Says “Show Me the Money!” Rejects Offer

Redflex just can’t get enough of that green stuff.

Their latest move leaves little doubt that they’re for sale to the highest bidder.

Redflex has rejected the Takeover Bid by toll road operator Macquarie Holdings and is now listening to other offers.

According a late breaking update from the scam peddler, they will also be open to a new offer from Macquarie as well.

The story is also covered, in greater depth at TheNewspaper.com.

It makes one wonder why their equipment continues to litter the side of our freeways, more than a month after the DPS contract expired. What are they waiting for?

Meanwhile, in news from across the pond…

Redflex – The Takeover Bid and Toll Roads

Macquarie Holdings Ltd of Australia thinks photo traffic enforcement is all about the

money too. They know about money period, as one of the largest operators of Toll Roads in the World. It appears that Redflex has thrown in the towel on their speed/red light scameras and is ready to accept their consolation prize — a large buyout from Macquarie at a price substantially higher than the stock price just a week ago had indicated the corporation is worth.

As Redflex’s contract with DPS comes to a close in July and with the high probability that all the scameras will come down in November of this year, it may not seem like this will affect Arizona. We don’t have toll roads, right? Not yet.

Republican Jay Tibshraeny of Chandler sponsored a Toll Road bill back in 2008 that was quietly passed, creating an Arizona Toll Road Authority that has been lying dormant ever since.

Will Macquarie-Redflex goons find their way in to the 2011 AZ State Legislature session? It’s highly likely. What they’ll be seeking is for our cash strapped state to sell them the roads that the taxpayers have already paid for, so that they can be double charged to drive on them. Feeling taxed enough yet?

This fight is coming Arizona, so get ready for it.

The Redflex buyout is not complete by any means, but the bid is there and it looks pretty enticing.

Quoted from The Sydney Morning Herald:

“Directors of Redflex revealed yesterday that Macquarie had made a non-binding, indicative and confidential offer to take control of the group at $2.50 a share.

Macquarie was seeking a scheme of arrangement, which suggests a merging of Redflex with a subsidiary of the bank – although it is not clear whether that means it will be offering shares as well as cash.

The offer follows Macquarie picking up 8 million shares in a single crossing at $2.50 on Friday, after the market closed, and disclosing this week it owns almost 11 per cent. Among Friday’s sellers were the Pratt family’s Thorney group and the Renaissance Smaller Companies fund, which each parted with 2.5 million shares.”