(urth) The Piteous Gate (was: Book of the new sun (1-4) questions)

[Rob Davies]

Duncan wrote:
>>1: what happened at the piteous gate? there was a riot,
>>there were clone soldiers...?
>
Tony wrote:
>The explanation for this has cropped up a few times in the list,
>actually, but since it's my explanation I'm happy to repeat it. :-)
>
>The soldiers are driving people off the road, because it's illegal to
>use the roads of commonwealth. 

I find this explanation a bit odd. Why have a gate if no one is allowed to use the road to pass through it?

Rob