Kelly O'Connell takes a drink as she walks past the Silver Lake Golf Course sign on Staten Island in New York. Photo courtesy of http://www.nationnews.com

Today was the hottest day on record..temperature rose to 106 degree and the heat index was about 116 degree.The whole city was suffering. Lucky for me my taxi was working fine..I kept it very cold inside so that my passengers could feel really good. I was busy all day long as many people took cab who normally would not take cab.

Exterior temperature is 115 degree showing in my dashboard

Queens Midtown Tunnel

I was hoping to get a trip to LaGaurdia Airport at around 3 p.m. so that I can drop the passenger off and then go to home. I was tired already because of the relentless bright sunshine and also for working non stop for about 11 hours. I already had a headache..my eyes were in pain but my wish came true. I found 4 nicely dressed Investment bankers to go to LaGaurdia Airport.

So I picked them up at 3.05 p.m. from 47th St and Park Ave. I made the left turn on the 46th St and tried to cross Lexington Ave, 3rd Ave to 2nd Ave so that I can make the right turn and go to the Queens Midtown Tunnel. I crossed Lexington Ave and got stuck..I counted 11 times light changed but I could not move even 2 feet.I had no idea why as about 15 minutes before I dropped a passenger on 43 rd St and 2nd Ave and it was moving nicely.

It took me about 35 minutes when finally I came to the entrance of the tunnel. Remember it was only 3 blocks across and 8 blocks straight on the the 2nd Ave and it should not take more than 10 minutes even when it was super busy..the whle area was a very big Parking lot..I could not see the reason…Why..? Finally about 55 minutes later I came to the place where the problem was. So what did I see..?

I saw one poor motorist with a red old car stalled and the driver was trying to fix the car..A Port Authority Foolish..ops..! Police stopped both the outbound lanes traffic and he seemed lost..he did not know what to do with the traffic…I was observing the whole situation.

It was almost 3/4 th of the way… all this Foolish officer had to do just tell the driver to sit in his car and put the gear in neutral and push the remained 1/4 of the way..and that would clear the mess in a second…I felt for the Foolish officer as he had no idea how to solve the problem. I understand that there may be a direct rule for not pushing the car out of the tunnel but if there is one..I would say that that would be the most stupidest (can I say like this..?) rule in the Port Authority rule books..

Traffic Jam in Mid Town Tunnel

He finally started to let the left lane go..then stopped the left lane and then let the right lane go..and that’s how I saw him doing the job ..what a moron..his car was right behind the stalled car..and all he had to do push the car out of the tunnel to a safer place and the problem would solved by itself like a magic…The whole crew especially the Officer in Charge should be punished…

Finally I dropped them of at 4.58 p.m. almost 2 hours later in the airport. After more than 12 hours of work in the Hottest day of the century..I headed home. Going home never felt so good.