- A cyclist on a road in Park City, UT, felt that a driver nearly hit him so he tracked him down.
- Then, the driver argued that he never came close to the cyclist.
- Officers arrived on the scene, handed out citations, and the City Attorney’s Office settled it afterward.
Drivers have to share the road with all sorts of other road users every day. That includes motorcyclists, pedestrians, mopeds, and bicycles to just name a few. What happens when a driver and a cyclist get into a serious disagreement about potentially dangerous driving? Well, in Park City, Utah that just happened and initially, both people went home with citations. That’s not how this story ends though.
Pierce Kempton is a 22-year-old guy who drove by Gary Peacock, 73, while the latter was riding his road bike. Kempton continued down the road while talking on his phone, made a couple of turns, and parked his car. To his surprise, Peacock rolled up behind him moments later.
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The elderly gentleman goes as far as to open Kempton’s car door before telling him “I’m calling the police and you’re not leaving.” Peacock then puts the front of his Pinarello bicycle between the door and the frame so that Kempton can’t close it. The two bicker for some time before officers finally arrive.
According to local news station KPCW, Peacock actually received a $160 fine for disorderly conduct. Kempton went home with a $130 fine for passing too closely. In the end, though, dashcam footage saved Kempton the fee. He posted a follow-up video showing a response from the City Attorney’s Office.
“In relation to your citation, I agree with you that the dash cam video you produced after you were cited is exculpatory and I will proceed with a dismissal of your citation,” said the prosecutor. Mark this as one more example of a dashcam saving the day.
As for Peacock, a man who The Daily Mail says is a millionaire, he expressed regret after the incident. “I lost my temper,” he said. “I didn’t go there with the intention of hitting them or doing anything but just telling him: ‘Hey, you came way too close to me. And I’m upset about it. I’m angry about it.’ And then his reaction just set me off.”
As an avid cyclist myself I can understand Peacock’s reaction to feeling fearful but based on the dashcam video, it’s unclear why exactly Peacock felt fear over this incident. In any case, the whole situation is a reminder that one should keep their emotions under control while driving – or cycling…