A kissing gate is a type of gate

Gate

A gate is a point of entry to a space enclosed by walls, or a moderately sized opening in a fence. Gates may prevent or control entry or exit, or they may be merely decorative. Other terms for gate include yett and port...

 which allows people to pass through, but not livestock

Livestock

Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...

.

The normal construction is a half-round, rectangular, trapezial or V-shaped enclosure with a hinged gate trapped between its arms. When the gate is parked at either side of the enclosure, there is no gap to pass through. However, the gate can be pushed to give access to the small enclosure, then moved in the opposite direction to close the first opening and allow exit from the enclosure to the other side. The enclosure may be made large enough to accommodate pushchairs and wheelchair

Wheelchair

A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...

s. The gate itself is usually self-closing, to the side away from the land where animals are kept. The self-closing may be by hinge geometry but sometimes by a spring or weight.

This design of gate does not usually allow bicycle

Bicycle

A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....

s to be taken through, and they must be lifted over the fence. Alternatively they (or horse

Horse

The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...

s) may pass instead through an adjacent conventional gate, or an additional latch may allow the kissing gate itself to open fully for this purpose.

The etymology of the name is that the gate merely "kisses" (touches) the enclosure either side, rather than needing to be securely latched.

A common urban legend

Urban legend

An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...

 is that the name comes from a traditional game played when more than one person is passing through a kissing gate. In order for one person to pass fully through the gate, they have to close it to the next person. At this point, when the two are on either side of the gate, the person in front "refuses" entry to the second person until presented with a kiss

Kiss

A kiss is the act of pressing one's lips against the lips or other body parts of another person or of an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, affection, respect, greeting, friendship, and good...

. Indeed in some circles it is considered good form for everyone passing through a kissing gate to exchange kisses in this way (provided all parties are sufficiently friendly with each other).

Kissing gates are included in a British Standard

British Standards

British Standards are the standards produced by BSI Group which is incorporated under a Royal Charter...

: BS5709:2006: Gaps, Gates & Stiles ISBN 0 580 48107 7. The standard is functional rather than prescriptive.

Criticism

The UK's Disability Discrimination Act states public services should make "reasonable adjustments" to allow disabled access. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom...

 (Defra) in England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 has suggested in this context that kissing gates and stiles should be in time replaced or supplemented by a type that would allow access to a wider range of users.

The above concerns have partly now been addressed. The Equality Act 2010 has superseded the Disability Discrimination Acts and Defra, in October 2010, published a guidance document "Authorising Structures on Rights of Way. Good practice guidance for local authorities on compliance with the Equality Act 2010" Defra Equality Act path structure guidance. The Pittecroft Trust, a small UK charity, has published a summary of the Defra guidance Understanding the Defra guidance. Whilst neither of these documents lay down standards for kissing gate, they do require rigorous specification of these gates. The British Standard BS5709:2006 mentioned above fulfils that requirement. The overriding requirement is for any path structure, gate or kissing gate to cause the least restriction for users, whilst still providing the necessary level of animal constraint for farm animals.

See also

• Stile
  Stile
  A stile is a structure which provides people a passage through or over a fence or boundary via steps, ladders, or narrow gaps. Stiles are often built in rural areas or along footpaths to allow access to an adjacent field or area separated by a fence, wall or hedge...
  
  , a simpler type of fence-crossing facility
• Bump gate
  Bump gate
  A bump gate is a drive-through gate used in rural areas to provide a barrier to livestock that does not require the driver to exit the vehicle, open the gate, drive through, and then close the gate. By contacting the swinging bump gate with the front of a vehicle and then accelerating, the bump...