Bobby G on the July 18th Storm

     I was looking forward to a relaxing afternoon on my drive up to LIU-Post and hanging out for a while before going on the air at 7 pm. for my Wednesday night shift at the radio station. I wanted to get there really early because we were doing a live remote from Port Washington of a concert with songman, Jim Dawson. I even bought a book to read if it was really quiet. I walked my dog, Romeo and spoke to Janine, our nice station secretary while doing so. I told her I was leaving extra early to help out the station manager, Dan (if I was needed).
   I left Bayside at 4 pm. Traffic was slow, then really slow on the Long Island Expressway. It started to rain so I was glad the dog had been walked before the predicted thunderstorm hit. Boy. did I feel smart. What good timing! I exited at Glen Cove Road about 4:20 figuring another 10 - 15 minutes tops to get to WCWP. Five minutes later all hell broke loose. Trees started to come down blocking traffic in both directions as the storm got really strong. Up ahead both lanes came to a complete stop. A car in the right lane had a live wire on top of it and the car right next to it had a tree on top of it. I turned on my cell phone and called 911. I was 20 or so cars behind the standstill. The operator came on and I told her we needed the fire dept. and/or the police to come. Cars started to drive in and out of a gas station one at a time to get around the 2 stopped cars. The operator said she would call right back. As I got right on top of the 2 damaged cars a police car cut in front and the officer got out and waved me on as a fire truck came from the opposite direction. The operator did call back and I told her I was waved on and  that EMS was also coming.
     I felt lucky that I wasn't the one trapped in the car. I drove a little further and trees came down on both sides of the road leaving one lane for 4 lanes of traffic. All the traffic lights were out north of the Expressway but no more accidents yet. About a mile before Northern Blvd. all traffic was made to turn left into a residential area. I hoped in wasn't a loop with no exit. Up ahead as I turned I saw several cars in 3 to 4 feet of water near the Dunkin' Donuts. I sometimes stop in there and pick up donuts for the college students who do a sports show from 6 to 7. That wasn't going to happen this Wednesday - sorry guys!