Cycling UK Forum

My depot is on an industrial estate and when I cycle to work in the morning / cycle home at night, the security guard refuses to lift the barrier for me forcing me to dismount and walk through the pedestrian entrance / exit. When a car is let through usually I nip behind it and I'm away much faster. Yesterday I did this but the security guard lowered the barrier straight after the car trying to knock me off my bike, then came out ranting and raving. After talking him he was trying to say it was because of health and safety reasons, that if the barrier hit me on the head etc etc. What a crock
Do I have to dismount when going though a level crossing? No, and most aren't even manned. Plus.... health and safety?! I'm out there on the road with lorrys, car, buses.
I'm thinking of getting in contact with the security guards manager... I'd probably be wasting my time. Might just wind him up, that would be more fun.

Health & Safety rules for some companies are insane thesedays. E.g. it is a strict requirement in my office to hold the handrail when going down the steps, people who don't do it actually have to attend a safety briefing to "teach" them about safety.

Get there before a car and wait for him to lift the barrier.
Repeat.
He'll learn.

The mere fact he lowered the barrier just to stop you & in that process almost hitting you broke any H&S/risk assessment regs anyway. The guy is full of it & a right jobsworth. Dob him in and make a special note to mention that he deliberately tried to knock you off with the barrier when it would have been easier just to let you through. Grrrrr
Actually the security firm are probably employed by a site management team, you could if you dont get any joy speak to the site owners themselves or even get your company to speak up on your behalf. Make him suffer anyhow.

Wait till he goes home. Paint all the windows of his kiosk black. Leave a formal letter on company paper explaining that it's been done to prevent his kiosk overheating in the sun. Health and safety.

The security guards at my place of work have been lifting the barrier for me and the other cyclists for, well, since the building was built.

I shall inform them of their wanton disregard for my safety.

Could you imagine the damage that coul be caused to my noggin should I just casually cycle into them before they are properly raised. Oh the horror!

Perhaps we can come to some sort of agreement where I sign a disclaimer for this rather unecessary risk to my well being and agree to never cycle through them without a helemt or with a load that may unbalance me as I pass, such as just using one pannier (for a random example, where could the seed of that have come from . . .).

Gazza

I get the same rubbish at my work. In practice though it only really bothers me every now and then as every time they replace the barriers one of my helpful car driving coworkers will ram it - hence removing the problem for a month or two

I would write to the head of the security outfit, but I would also try to identify whoever is subcontracting them (i.e. the site owners) and CC them in the letter.

Definitely send an old-school letter, you'll get a much better response (and by CC'ing they can't ignore you).

Your main line of attack could be that many cyclists ride because a bike can be equipped for their disability, and that it is not trivial for them to dismount and walk around obstacles. In this context, ask them to justify the policy of not raising the barrier for cyclists in light of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. This is not a lie although of course such riders are unlikely to affect your place of work (but this is the whole point of the DDA).

They will really need to squirm to avoid that one.

As the barrier has to be raised for a car anyway, your presence at work whether by bike or car will require the same effort from the bar-raiser. A more mundane approach would be to conspire with a colleague to go to the gate together, but for him/her (the driver) to refuse to pass until you do, which will be blocking all the other cars trying to exit. This will be sure to flabbergast the guard...

So if I was driving in an open topped sports car - I'd have to get out of car and push it round barrier before getting back in and driving off?

The barrier would be just as likely to fall on my head sitting in the sports car as it is on a bike (at least on a bike I'd be wearing a helmet )

Ride up to the barrier very quickly, then skid underneath it in action movie style. If that doesn't work, blow up his kiosk, in action movie style.

Sometimes I think I watch too much TV. But not very often.

What a twit.
Sit in front of a car until he lifts the barrier.
Then dismount and walk your bike through, v-e-r-y slowly.

Build your own barrier in front of his kiosk door?

I've got the opposite "problem". If I got to work before peak arrival time (when the vehicle gate gets left open) I used to try and use the pedestrian gate because it was quicker than waiting for the 2 lane wide metal vehicle gate to be s..l..o..w..l..y.. opened and uses a lot less electricity. But the security guard would always start to open it anyway when he saw me approaching. Not wanting to put him off this cyclist-friendly approach I've given and now wait.

The difference is that our guards are employed by the company, we meet them on entering the building and we don't have enough parking spaces. I suppose the guard who won't raise the barrier is also reflecting his company attitude so it's them who need to be educated.

Is this a purely manually operated gate?

I have a little magnet on my front wheel which trips the road sensors for traffic lights and security gates.

I'd let him knock me off the bike trying to lower the barrier. I'd make sure it happened. Obvioulsy you'd have to weigh up how much it might hurt bfore going for it. Or alternatively take evasive action resulting in a minor crash. Both would of course have some theatrical staging involved, but both would ensure your absence from work and a claim for compensation. Once money gets involved, the situation will get reviewed. You would of course be prepared to drop the claim if the situation was resolved to your satisfaction. Alternatively, report him for a criminal matter (intention to wound or something : someone else can advise - call our resident lawyer, thirdcrank) and take it from there. Admitedly, its all going over the top, but you might have to be twerp to beat a twerp.