The Trials and Tribulations of Driving on Long Island

When you think of Long Island, what comes to mind?

For me, it’s beautiful beaches (luckily, one is near my house), gorgeous sunsets, the Jones Beach Theater for great music and comedy, great schools, easy access to Manhattan, charming towns, and a wonderfully diverse population.

Traffic, well, I try not to think about that, until, of course, I’m sitting on the Long Island Expressway, watching the clock, and wondering why I thought I could get from Point A to Point B in the amount of time I allotted.

If you live on Long Island, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

But honestly, it isn’t always that bad. I’ve spent a lot of time driving around Long Island, and I’ve learned a few things that make being on the road a little less stressful.

First, I try to schedule around the traffic patterns.

I know that sounds like I’m keeping track of the tides, but seriously, most Long Islanders know where and when the biggest jams are likely to happen. Whenever possible, I schedule meetings and appointments accordingly.

Sometimes I would much rather arrive early, park, answer some emails or make a few calls from my car than leave later and spend that same time sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic getting increasingly aggravated.

Second, sometimes getting off the highway is a very good thing.

Some of our local roads are absolutely beautiful. There’s nothing better than driving through one of our charming towns, hello, Cold Spring Harbor, or catching a glimpse of the water as you drive by, I see you, Port Washington.

When I have the time, I’ll look for an alternate route and see if I can combine avoiding traffic with actually enjoying the drive. Check your navigation app, look at the traffic patterns and find a route that might be a little more scenic.

I know I sound like an explorer, but sometimes the road less traveled really is better.

Third, make good use of the time you're spending in the car.

Let me preface this by saying I don't mean doing anything that takes your attention away from driving.

Audiobooks and podcasts can make the miles go by much faster and even teach you something along the way, and, of course, there's always music. A great playlist can do wonders when traffic isn't cooperating.

I'm a road warrior myself, and between getting to clients and events, chauffeuring my girls to their assorted activities, and getting to see my partner, those miles add up quickly.

I've learned that one of the best things I can do is keep my cool. Getting angry at the traffic isn't going to make the cars in front of me disappear. It's only going to make me more stressed, so I leave a little earlier when I can, find a better route when there is one, put on something I enjoy listening to, and remind myself that eventually, I'll get there.

And as an insurance agent, I’ll add one more thing which is wherever you're going, getting there safely is always more important than getting there five minutes sooner.

Drive safely, Long Island. I'll see you out there.

Christina Shaw = Insurance Agent + Wantagh + Long Island + New York