[Tex/LaTex] beamer handout alert: difference between itemize and simple alert

Question

In a previous question I asked about removing the \alert overlay from handout version of a beamer presentation. It turns out, that using \begin{itemize}[<+(1)-| alert@+(1)>] or from previous experiences <x | alert y> type of alert will not show in handout (meaning it will be shown, but without the colour of alert, so in default case, it will be shown in black instead of red), while using \alert<.>{text} outside of itemize will leave the "red alert" on the handout slide as well, and you have to add \alert<.|handout:0>{text} explicitly, to remove the red from the handout version. Can anybody tell me of the internals, why this is happening? For me, this behaviour means I will be writing |handout:0 into all my alerts outside itemize, which is not that big a bother, but still, I'd think it is usually an unwanted behaviour.

An mwe to check differences:

\documentclass[handout]{beamer}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Sample side}
\framesubtitle{with a subtitle}

Start
\begin{itemize}[<+(1)-| alert@+(1)>]
\item  first item 
\vspace{1cm}
\item second item 
\vspace{1cm}
\item  third item
\end{itemize}
\pause
\alert<.(1)|handout:0>{alert}

\pause
\alert<.(1)>{alert2}
\end{frame}

\end{document}

Answer 1

Instead of trying to remove the alert, simply hide it by changing its colour in handout mode.

\documentclass[handout]{beamer}

\mode<handout>{
    \setbeamercolor{alerted text}{fg=black}
}

\begin{document}
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Sample side}
\framesubtitle{with a subtitle}

Start
\begin{itemize}[<+(1)-| alert@+(1)>]
\item  first item 
\vspace{1cm}
\item second item 
\vspace{1cm}
\item  third item
\end{itemize}
\pause
\alert<.(1)|handout:0>{alert}

\pause
\alert<.(1)>{alert2}
\end{frame}

\end{document}