to wonder why the Police didn't ....

[RuleBritannia]

open the road gate for MP Andrew Mitchell to ride his bicycle - along the road - out of Downing Street? Cyclists are supposed to ride on the road (unless there is provision elsewhere for them like a cycle lane) so why did he have to go onto the pavement and use the pedestrians' gate?

No one else seems to have mentioned this side of the situation. Perhaps this explains why he was cross at the time.

[JeezyOrangePips]

There was a thread about this at the time.

IIRC, opening the gate causes problems for the people/traffic that gets blocked at the other side of the gate.

[RuleBritannia]

Oh. Good design then, weren't they?

[riksti]

Well, I'm assuming the gates are designed with the aim of security in mind, not so much ease of use (e.g. Open outward so can't be forced open easily).

[scaevola]

What time of day? Late, wasn't it? I doubt there were many people/vehicles around to be disturbed by either gate.

It would be legal to cycle through the pedestrian gate if so directed by a uniformed police officer (like moving your car after you've been drinking under orders from a police officer who is aware of it, is a complete defence against a drink-driving charge).

[JeezyOrangePips]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/a1573381-To-wonder-Why-it-matters-which-f-gate-you-go-through this is the thread that I was referring to.

[Leithlurker]

Simple as this, he was told by a police officer he could not do something. The reason for that is irrelevant. You may not like being told by an officer NOT to do something, but it is unlikely that you will get the officer to change his mind especially if they are following a standing instruction. If it is a silly standing instruction you take that issue up further up the command chain, you do not have a go at the officer who does not have the ability to comply even if he wanted to.
So yes tabu, as it is a side issue and even then an issue that the chief whip would have known he was not going to be able to confront the officer on the gate about.

[Leithlurker]

yabu even

[mutny]

The Police were doing as instructed.

Was it so difficult for him to get off his bike and walk it a short way. Rather than react like he did to someone doing their job?

[Sallyingforth]

The main gates are only opened for cars, to stop intruders crashing through.
The side gates are intended for pedestrians and cycles.

[FolkGhoul]

I don't know why the police didn't open the gate.

Probably because it was part of the job description attached to that particular policing role that had been decided by MPs the PM in the first place!

[Vix07]

I too had been wondering about this, then on the news last night they said the police had refused to open the USUAL gate for him. He shouldn't have sworn at him but they can be utter jobsworths sometimes!

[Leithlurker]

People who try and make this about what the police officer, did or did not do and why are missing the point. We give them the authority to be jobs worths by virtue of agreeing to abide by the rule of law. We do not allow random people to be rude, and arragant towards them as it undermines the rule of law.

[Sallyingforth]

The main gates are very heavy anti-ram security defences. They are not intended to be opened for cyclists.
The only time cyclists get through them is if they sneak through when they are opened for a vehicle.

[BloodRedAlienReflux]

leithlurker I thought tabu was another MN thing i didn't know about! and figured it was 'totally are being unreasonable'

[mutny]

said the police had refused to open the USUAL gate for him

It also been acknowledge by him that he should be leaving through that gate.