A furious cyclist was filmed cursing at a young driver and forcibly keeping him in his car as he called the police–only to end up being the one fined after the incident.
Gary Peacock, aged 73, accused 22-year-old Pierce Kempton of driving too close to him in Park City, Utah, on September 28.
The tense exchange was caught on camera by Kempton, who recorded Peacock as he threatened to press charges against him in a parking lot near a skate park.
Highlights
- Cyclist Gary Peacock was fined $160 for disorderly conduct after an altercation with driver Pierce Kempton.
- The cyclist claimed the driver almost hit him, but dashcam footage proved otherwise.
- After the incident went viral, the driver began selling t-shirts featuring quotes from the interaction he posted on TikTok.
In the six-minute clip, Peacock, dubbed a "male Karen" online, can be seen opening the driver's side door to ensure Kempton doesn't escape the scene.
Image credits: pezkempton
"You're not leaving!" he repeatedly yells at Kempton, holding his phone as he calls the police.
"Bro's got his f***ing hands on me," Kempton says, after Peacock touches his elbows with his fist.
"What are you doing? Why are you so cranky? I don't want to be aggressive with you, dude," the 22-year-old continues.
"You already are. You pushed into me. I asked you to wait, and you didn't," Peacock responds before telling the police officer who picked up the phone: "I got a very aggressive teenager here that almost hit me with his car, and now he won't give me his last name and is trying to leave.
"He's recording me because he's a jerk, and I want you to come and give this guy a ticket. He came way too close to me."
Gary Peacock opened the driver's side door of Pierce Kempton's vehicle, telling him that he couldn't leave until the police arrived
Image credits: pezkempton
Standing in front of the driver's seat, Kempton tells Peacock that he's "insane," to which he replies, "You're an a**hole. I'm not leaving.
"I'm riding a bike. I have more rights than you!" the 73-year-old continues.
The video, viewed over 135,000 times on TikTok, ends with the arrival of the police, who separate the two parties.
Peacock claimed Kempton "almost hit him" with his car in Park City, Utah
Meanwhile, the driver received an infraction for passing too closely, which carries a $130 fine.
Under Utah law, vehicles are prohibited from endangering "vulnerable" road users, including cyclists, skateboarders, and roller skaters. To protect them, car and truck drivers must give users a minimum 3-foot (91-centimeter) berth when passing.
Image credits: pezkempton
Image credits: pezkempton
However, in a separate video, Kempton revealed that his fine was ultimately dismissed.
The videomaker shared a screenshot of an email he allegedly received from the City Attorney's Office.
"Please be advised that additional charges for Mr. Peacock cannot be considered as his case was closed by bail forfeiture (payment of a fine) in the Summit County Justice Court," the email reads.
"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."
“The reason why I got a citation in the first place is that Gary was his own witness saying I got too close to him," Kempton said. "I didn’t have access to my dashcam until I got home.”
“The reason why I got a citation in the first place is that Gary was his own witness saying I got too close to him," Kempton said. "I didn’t have access to my dashcam until I got home.”
In the end, Peacock received an infraction for disorderly conduct and had to pay a $160 fine
Image credits: pezkempton
The driver initially began recording the interaction because he thought it would be a funny video, but he continued filming for his own safety when the situation “got out of hand.”
Kempton posted footage from his dashboard camera on TikTok last Friday (October 11) to support his claims that his driving did not endanger the cyclist. The dashcam says "2022" because it resets when unplugged to that year, but the incident occurred on September 28. 2024.
"I feel like he could have settled that just by telling me with his words," the driver told KPCW of Peacock's behavior.
"I don't think he needed to be aggressive, and I don't think he needed to get the law involved."
Peacock said the police told him he didn't have the authority to detain the driver and that he should only have reported his license plate.
Watch the exchange between the cyclist and the driver below
Image credits: pezkempton
Additionally, he said he took his anger out on Kempton because he had experienced many road rage incidents in the past but had never confronted anyone before.
"This guy, unfortunately, was the subject of my wrath because of all these other incidents."
Peacock has not contacted the driver since the incident went viral, Kempton told Bored Panda via email, adding that he felt threatened by the man because he "was lying to the police and trying to put [him] in jail."
Now, the 22-year-old is selling graphic t-shirts with quotes from the exchange, including "Dude, why are you so cranky?" and "Do you ride a bike? Sometimes."
