Drivers Ridicule Toll Road Photo Contest

An amateur photo contest aimed at promoting Orange County's quasi-private toll roads gave new meaning to drive-by shooting.

Folks who left comments on the Transportation Corridor Agencies–or The Toll Roads–Facebook page had other definitions: stupid, dangerous and “a boondoggle.”

Drivers of the Lexus lanes made a stunning observation as soon as the contest was announced a couple months ago: operating a camera while operating a vehicle at high speeds can get you killed, and stopping to do anything other than pay a toll is verboten.

Those obstacles must've limited the entries. Steve Ong of Aliso Viejo and Irvine's Zoe Thompson, whose shot follows the jump, were the only announced winners. Both received $50 in tolls. Even more entertaining than their purty pictures were the contest comments.
]

Keep in mind this is all the feedback, nothing has not been edited out:

Ken wrote at 10:24 a.m. on Sept. 28:
I think road rage could be a catagory… LOL
    
Matt wrote at 10:27 a.m. on Sept. 28th:
You are setting a rule of no stopping on the side to take the photo,
and yet this photo clearly shows that the photographer stopped on the
side of the road…haha
    
Brett wrote at 10:51 a.m. on Sept. 28:
I second Matt, this makes no sense… why even bother with a Blurry Photo Contest?
    
Gary wrote at 11:08 a.m. on Sept. 28:
Blurry Photo Contest – FAIL!
    
Michelle wrote at 11:09 a.m. on Sept. 28:
I'll be sure to drive N take pics. Very safe idea–totally worth
trying to win $50 in tolls….. I'll pass. I'm happy to pay.
    
Richard wrote at 11:46 a.m. on Sept. 28:
Haha… Blurry photo, no stopping… So you're saying I can't stop on the 91 express lane to take pictures? Darn!
    
Mike wrote at 1:50 p.m. on Sept. 28:
What a joke, no stoping. No wounder we can't get road finshed. You want us to take pictures when we are driving? Really!!!
    
Richard wrote at 2:32 p.m. on Sept. 28:
You can get a ticket for using your phone while driving… At least
stopping, you won't crash and it's not illegal to use your phone while
stopped…
    
Art wrote at 3:48 p.m. on Sept. 28:
This is really turning into a huge boondoggle. Somebody wasn't thinking it all out when they came up with this.
    
Ron wrote at 10:29 a.m. on September 29:
Sure, I'll take a picture while I'm driviing, we'll see how clear my iPhone takes moving shots…
    
Mike wrote at 2:50 p.m. on Sept. 29th:
The intention…. How about intend, to finsh the toll road and stop
wasting time and money coming up with dumb ideas like this. Who are you
guys? Is there a department that is responsible for this silly stuff?
How many people work dumb idea department, coming up with dumb ideas?
If this is someone job, they shoudl quite out of shame and save the
Toll road some money. Money they could use the finsh the toll
road…….(wait got to go I'll finish this latter)

Note: Based on the typos, we pray Mike is not texting from a toll road.
    
Mike wrote at 9:14 a.m. on Oct. 1:
Ok I'm back!! It least I finish what I start. So back to my questions,
it there a department of Dumb ideas? If so what it it's real name PR,
Marketing something like that? How many people did it take to come up
with this lame photo idea? How many people are working on finishing the
toll road? What department is responsible for finishing the toll road?
Anyhow the point is, where posible, spend all your time and money on
finishing toll road. Spend on time or moeny on silly ideas. If your not
sure if your idea is silly, post the idea on my wall and I will let you
know.
    
Jorge wrote at 9:42 a.m. on Oct. 1:
How am I supposed to take a picture while driving? Isn't that dangerous?
    
Debra wrote at 2:07 p.m. on Oct. 1:
People are so negative..omg you can always take someone along for the
ride if you are worried about drive and shooting; not everyone is that
handy with a camera..
    
Jorge wrote at 3:59 p.m. on Oct. 1:
Sure, I'll make a special trip just to take someone along for the ride…LMAO!

Richard wrote at 9:53 a.m. on Oct. 12:
Did you stop in the side of the freeway? If you did, you should be disqualified. That's illegal.
    
Art wrote at 10:41 a.m. on Oct. 12:
LOL
    
Bethmarie wrote at 1:18 p.m. on Oct. 22:
But are we not allowed to stop on the side of the road to take photos? I would like to take some, but it requires me to use my tripod…

Junaid wrote at 5:46 p.m on Nov. 2:
Great photo contest entry by Steve Ong of Aliso Viejo.

Clint wrote at 10:17 p.m. on Nov. 10:
That was a brilliant idea, Toll Roads… Encourage people to TAKE PICTURES while they are driving.

Zoe wrote at 7:17 p.m. on Nov. 12: