To wonder Why it matters which f****** gate you go through

[feelinghopeful]

Am so sick of the Andrew Mitchell story, yet nowhere in the acres and acres of coverage does anyone actually explain WHY you can't cycle out of the main gate. Surely the pedestrian gate should be just that. For pedestrians.

Frustration over stupid rules often has me fuming, but I hasten to add has never led me to act the way buffoon Mitchell did. He is an idiot and a tosser.

But please, can anyone shed any light on this or am I BU to even wonder.

The main gate was shut. It is always shut. It is opened when a vehicle is coming or going. The policeman had already opened it three times (so I understand) and did not want to open the road gate for a bicycle, so suggested that AM got off his bike and went on to the pavement through the pedestrian gate. AM objected to getting off his bike.

You know the rest.

Well thats ridiculous if correct. Presumably its part of the job description to open the gate and bikes belong on the road. You can't just say 'I've done it 3 times already, I can't be bothered to do it again.'

calm down Mrs Mitchell

Oh crikey, don't quote me on the 3 times, people get a bit arsey on here.

But yes, he refused to open the gate and made him go on the pavement. I think AM did the "Don't you know who I am?" bit, but yes you are right, bikes shouldn't be on the pavement.

I was trying to imagine if it had been me on horseback. Would the police have made me dismount and leave via the pedestrian gate?

Given that it's illegal for a bike to be on a pavement, maybe they thought he should just carry the bike out?!

It just seems so bizarre. Anyone here to help?

There Must be a sane reason for this surely??

I used to live in cities with numerous cyclists. As a non-driver, I wish I could say I missed them during my 8 years in Birmingham, where only absolute lunatics with a death-wish cycle. I didn't, though.

But opening the main gate is a massive pain in the arse for normal pedestrians, pushes us into the v busy road, or makes us wait for an age. To open it unnecessarily should be avoided, in my plebian opinion.

Ha! I am definitely Not Mrs Mitchell! This is not about the rights or wrongs of the story -- there's far too much on that already IMO.

It just really bugs me---- Whyyyy????

And Whitshoes - answers like that just confirm my feeling that I am going steadily bonkers ;)

But it's not about a fucking gate though, is it?
I'ts about the arsehole who did the whole 'do you know who I am' thing while insulting the police officers who are assigned to protect him.
Don't you get that?

Oh dear. I was just trying to work out why the policeman didn't want to open the big gate.

Yes of course I do and I hate Mitchell's attitude too. It's just that in this whole story, which has So much coverage there's nothing that explains this.

Was the policeman being a jobs worth or is there a genuine explanation why cyclists can't use the main gate?

Anyone here who works at Downing Street by any chance??

Whitshoes - don't go! Does the main gate really push pedestrians into the road? I thought you were joking!

It's a fact! If you want to get past, you end up in the road. I did, regularly, anyway.

are you bored hopeful ? the gate takes an age but cars have no alternative, as a pedestrian as the gates close you wait or walk onto the road, traffic come to a stand still, I don't even live in London but I got caught at the gates, once on a trip to the capital,
what make me laugh the most is he can own up to Fuck but not Pleb...after living in the US this is truly funny...trust me, it is funny.
and I am hoping the downfall of this government, as to be honest they find us all a bit of an onik

It's a bomb and crash proof security gate. They obviously need to open it for cars and vans, but not for bikes, as there's the safer option of wheeling your cycle out of the side door, which doesn't compromise security as the gates remain locked.

Remember a couple of years ago someone tried to ram their car through the gates? They got a big dent in the vehicle, nothing more. Had the gates been open at the time there's a chance they could have got through, although I think there are additional barriers embedded in the road which can shoot up.

Obviously everyone knows what the story is about - but surely there is nothing wrong with asking about why the story came about in the first place. Nothing wrong with a bit of context - something the media often fail to provide.

Not that it changes anything in this instance.

According to the police log published it's "policy" that bikes use the pedestrian gate.

Not sure if that is a proper answer, but presumably that's why they wouldn't open the big gate.

Maybe there should be a bike gate too!

That's what this story should be called.

'Bikegate'

Yes!!

Bikegate. By Plebiscite.

Bilbo - might be policy, but it had been opened several times earlier in the day to let him through apparently. Policy should be consistent.

Of course he shouldn't have reacted like an ignorant prat though!

So. opening the main gate is a security risk, a pain in the arse for road users on the road it opens onto and is also a pain in the arse for pedestrians. Sounds like the policeman was right and Andrew Mitchell didn't give a stuff about anyone else.

Nearly spelt that Andrew Michelle, thats a whole different story.

A person can dismount from their bike and push it through the pedestrian exit without inconveniencing joe public pedestrians walking across downing street exit.

A person in a car can't.

The gates open for cars/driven vehicles.

Cyclists dismount, walk out and remount with minimal disruption to their timescale or the safety/convenience of other pedestrians.

Andrew Mitchell is very entitled. Aggressive loon.

I agree, ajandjjmum, it should be consistent - was just suggesting a reason.

"It's policy" is the sort of answer that enrages me when I'm given it, I have to say. It's generally given as a way of justifying something incredibly daft.

(though policy in this case seems not to be daft)