Scariest-Moment Story by Peter Thorp
Editor's note: Schatze Thorp edits a column featuring readers' most wild or most heartwarming moments. Readers are encouraged to share their stories. Send your story with a photo (if possible) to Schatze Thorp at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Stories should not exceed 800 words but need not be that long and can be as short as a few sentences.
Peter Thorp had the following experience while driving in Massachusetts.
By Peter Thorp
Sep. 14, 2016: It was a lovely afternoon on Cape Cod, and Schatze and I were driving back to Dennis from Harwich, where we had been working at the food pantry.
We were on a state highway driving north at roughly 35 MPH when a pickup truck came out from a crossroad (stop signs on both east and west), just feet from our car. There was absolutely no time to stop, so I swerved to the right and we hit him head-on behind the driver's seat. The airbags immediately exploded/released, and our car drifted behind the truck through a small fence opening and came to a halt in a field.
Fortunately, no one was coming in the opposite direction, and most thankfully (as I later realized), had we been a few seconds earlier, "he" would have totally destroyed the passenger side of the car, where Schatze was seated!
We got ourselves out of the car, looked at each other, and shared a big hug, still in a bit of shock. The driver was out of his truck and unhurt. But, as an aside, not once did he come over to see if we were all right or to extend any sort of apology!
A retired policeman appeared and said he had been at the intersection and would attest that the other driver was totally at fault and had run the stop sign.
The Dennis emergency truck and police arrived in a very short time and could not have been more professional, concerned, and helpful. They urged Schatze to go to the hospital to have her chest examined since it hurt a lot, but she demurred, not relishing a ride in the ambulance.
Two of our daughters arrived during that time, and we eventually headed off in their car — not home but to the Cape Cod Hospital to have the chest examined. I had a slight burn on my wrist. The emergency ward at the hospital was very helpful, and the CT scan showed Schatze's cracked rib(s), for which time is the only real medication.
We were released, and the four of us headed back home. The accident occurred at 3:15 pm and we were home by 7:45 pm. A very long afternoon, but we all realized that we were indeed fortunate and that was an understatement. Meanwhile, our totally demolished car was being hauled away to be crushed or whatever.
Moral to story: Always wear seat belts, make sure air bags are active, and beware of Massachusetts drivers!!
Pictured here: The demolished car.
Photo courtesy Schatze Thorp
Government & History Directory
Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.
While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.
Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.
The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.
Link to Village of Bronxville One Square Mile Monthly Newsletter
Village of Bronxville Administrative Offices
337-6500
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Police Department
337-0500
Open 24 hours
Bronxville Parking Violations
337-2024
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Bronxville Fire Deparment
793-6400
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