Beef with US Customs

[Jolly J]

[rant]Alright, everyone that reads my TR's will notice how I always have something to say about crossing the border. My first time going to tucks I called back to the border from Houlton because a Customs Agent thought we were "fishy" crossing the border on June 21st to go skiing and we didn't have enough skis in the truck for the number of people. One guy was hiking and we said we were going skiing and not skiing and hiking. After being interegated in separate rooms for an hour the "nice" lady let us continue on our way.

After 911 we took flack because a bunch of the hijackers came through Canada's border. Actually they got through both borders because they HiJacked a plane from Boston. So I think we are both at fault.

Now we hear about how George Bush is saying if Canada doesn't do anything about our "lack of security" at our border then they (the US) will do something about it. Funny thing I get searched coming into Canada everytime too and I LIVE HERE.

Now this takes the cake.

There was a double murder in Minto (a really small town) not far from here on Tuesday. It was really grusome. Decapitation and they are still not sure what the murder weapon was, I guess the crime scene is really "messy", had to do Autopsy to determine indentity of victims.

Long story Short. The suspect leaves the crime scene with the victims car, drives to the border, ditches the car and crosses the border on foot. Is stopped at the border and he is had a number of weapons, including a knives, protective spray, brass knuckles, bullet proof vest, a chainsaw, hatchet and a sword and then released him into the states. But they did sieze the chainsaw, hatchet and sword and let him go on his way (guess they didn't want him cutting down any trees while he's visiting the states). They catch the guy in Mattapoisett, Mass after RCMP tipped off the local police that they thought he might be headed that way. When the cops search him in Mass he's got a blue sweatshirt covered in Red and Brown Stains, two leather gloves, and a ski mask.

WhaThaFa: They give me a hard time about going skiing, and they let this guy cross. [/rant]

[DMC]

We actually met because of customs... kinda...

Gives me a warm fuzzy feeling knowing that murderers can freely travel our shared boarder...
I think the TMC should install a tunnel from Canada to Mount Washington...

[Jolly J]

Good point.

[NtrentT]

Yikes man, thats scary.

Bush is all F'd up, his ideas are pretty scary too.

I almost got searched once from comming back into the states, Just a random search, and I had fireworks, that scared the crap out of me. It was the last time I did that.

Anyone drive 91N from south of VT, up into VT, sugarbush area?

Theres border control there to, but they dont stop you going up just comming down and everytime, they ask, are you a US citizen? Yup. Ok have a nice day.

Weird.

[RR]

Originally Posted by Jolly J

[rant]Alright, everyone that reads my TR's will notice how I always have something to say about crossing the border. ...WhaThaFa: They give me a hard time about going skiing, and they let this guy cross. [/rant]

I so hear that....
I have crossed at Jackman, ME 4 times and VT (???) once. Going into Canada was an experience marked by gracious hospitality, and in one case a tip on a great coffe shop in Quebec City that happened to be already on my itinerary. Getting back into the USA was exactly the opposite, every tiime. They seemed reluctant to let me return. Being grudginly allowed to return is not my idea of the best way to treat a citizen!

Niagra was better, but way jammed up with a three hour wait! The line to get into Canada was long, but moved much faster. We encountered very nice officials on both borders. In spite of the heat and the usual cases of irritation they deal with all the time they were more than just polite...a tough job done well!

[TenSeven]

Like any company there are those that do a good job and others that are just putting in time.
It doesn't take a trained law enforcement official such as border officer to realize that there's something not quite right with the guy crossing the border with all those sharp pointy weapons. Unfortunately there are those that are incompetent at their job whether it is protecting borders, protecting the people or serving fries.
But we can't paint all customs officers with the same brush. It's a tough job and I appreciate the ones that do a good job.

[Bannick]

Try sponsoring your wife to get her into Canada legal to work and you know live together, both sides of the border were nearly impossible to get consistant accurate information from...oh then for fun contact US Customs to try and get anwers on how to export her personal vehicle to canda then contact Canada Customs to see how to import it.

No wonder there are border problems....neither side seems to talk to each other about policies that affect people on both sides. But it seems to be a fact of life you always get hassled coming home. There is a definate truth to what 10-7 says...some don't care, won't care and refuse to care...others try to be really helpful.

I have had some great experiences too.....all at the Highwater crossing coming down to Jay from Montreal. Helpful, friendly and envious of the fact we were going to or coming back from Jay.

[elwood]

The only time I had problems entering Canada was this one time I was completely hammered. They asked me if I had any explosives and I replied, "Are you ****ing kidding me???" I guess that wasn't the right answer...

[el-bagr]

Having family on both sides of the border, we cross fairly often. Incidentally, I've never had trouble getting into the US -- but have been interrogated and thoroughly searched a handful of times going into QC and NB.

A few notes:

* Crossing the border with miscellaneous "plant samples" in plastic bags arouses suspicion. (I got out of trouble on that one by proving that the samples in question were indeed maple leaves.)

* On a similar note, if you wrap chewing gum in a scrap of standard computer paper and put it in with shredded leaves, and have a cigarette lighter in the car because you're camping, but claim not to have any tobacco products, you will be searched.

* Crossing into QC with a canoe on the roof claiming to want to snorkel in Lac Megantic is not credible. (We really did want to snorkel Megantic -- until we got there and saw that it is heavily settled and industrial.)

* Crossing into QC with 79 cents Canadian and no US cash -- but plenty of credit and a full tank of gas -- will cause a hassle.

* Crossing into NB with too much Canadian cash -- saved up, bit by bit, from the previous years' trips -- will cause a hassle.

* When flying into Toronto, be sure you either have a U.S. Passport or knowledge of the 15th President of the United States. (We had neither, but were let go after 90 minutes during which we named the first 10 presidents in order and recited poetry and Red Sox statistics.)

* A high-end BMW overloaded with drunk college students -- an American, a Phillipino, one from Thailand, a Puerto Rican, and the driver/owner from Hong Kong -- whose stated mission is to get drunk in Montreal and buy Cuban cigars -- will have trouble getting into Canada. When all but the driver are passed out on the return trip, U.S. Customs won't necessarily search under the seats for Cubans. (Note: pre-9/11.)

That said, since we really aren't bad guys, we haven't had any real trouble at the crossings. Almost all of them go very smoothly.

My best US customs interaction: after being held up and thoroughly searched at the QC customs for over two hours when claiming to snorkel Megantic, we saw the lake, took a brief dip, and were back at US customs in about an hour. Young camo-wearing assault-rifle guy walks in front of the car, and the tough old sargeant-type guy asks us, "Are you U.S. citizens?"
Yes.
"Carrying anything you shouldn't?"
No.
"WHAT?" (yelled)
NO SIR!!!
"Have a nice day."

[M@]

I think it was in '88, we took the "Wizard Bus" from Burlington, VT to the Pink Floyd concert in monteral (My first concert ever, and we got to the front row.. in a word, "WOW").

Anyhoo, There were 2 buses, both packed. At the border someone on the 2nd bus (not the one we were on) said something like, "Dood Hide your Pot!" when the customs agent was asking questions at the border. So they pulled it over and spent the rest of the night searching it. No one on that bus got to the concert.

I can only assume that guy and his friends walked home.

M@

[Jolly J]

Famous quotes at the border

US Border Guy - Are you travelling alone because why do you need 1 pair of skis and 2 snowboarders
Me - My Brother and his girlfriend are in the backseat
US Border Guy - Peers in and says what's wrong with them
Me - They are sleeping
US Border Guy - Tell them they have to be awake if they want to enter into the United States of America
Me - tell them to wake up
Just as they are starting to come too
US Border Guy - Have a nice day!
I think he just wanted to wake them up.

US Border Woman - "Where did you two meet?" Asking Smiley and JJ
Smiley - "What?"
US Border Woman - "Where did you meet him, at the dump or something"
Smiley - Bursts out laughing
US Border Woman doesn't find it funny

US Border Guy - Will you be leaving anything behind in the US sir?
Me - As little money as possible and a ton of empty beer cans
US Border Guy - Have a good one

After the we got hauled back to the border because we didn't have a pair of skis for everyone in our party because one person was hiking. After an hour of interegations in separate rooms.

Me - Sorry for the misunderstanding
US Border Woman - THIS WAS NO MISUNDERSTANDING, YOU GUYS ARE UP TO SOMETHING AND I KNOW IT!
Me - Sorry.............can we go
US Border Woman - YES!
Walk outside
US Border Guy (out having a smoke) - Good thing you guys weren't going golfing or she would have been counting your clubs.

US Border Guy #1 - Where are you heading?
Me - Mount Washington
US Border Guy #1 - Where is that?
Me - New Hampshire
US Border Guy #1 - What for?
Me - Pardon me?
US Border Guy #1 - Why are going to Mount Washington?
Me - Skiing and Hiking
US Border Guy #1 - Is there still snow?
Me - I hope so
US Border Guy #1 - Can you put your truck in park?
Me - It's a Manual Transmission it's in neutral
US Border Guy #2 in from on Truck puts hand on his gun
US Border Guy - I said put it in Park
I shut the truck off
US Border Guy #3 - They have skis back here
US Border Guy #2 - Goes back to look
They talk quietly for a second or two
US Border Guy #2 - Well they said they were going skiing?
US Border Guy #3 - Is there still snow?
US Border Guy #2 - They think so
US Border Guy #2 - Have a good trip

Crossing with my friend Roger in his jacked up F-350 Super Duty
Roger shuts the truck off as we approach the window
US Border Guy - So where is the largest Truck in the world heading tonight?

We used to do an annual bus trip to Sugarloaf
Crossing the US Border the entire bus would pile into the duty free shop for cheap beer. You can only cross with a 24 so my buddies and I would get in the front of the line and by our 24 of Beer. Get back on the bus, store our beer, put on a jacket and hat and get in the back of the line and get another 24 for of beer. Once I'm sitting by myself and we are being search above my seat in the over head storage is my 2 24's of beer and guy opens it looks in and closes and keeps right on going.

At the Canadian Border coming back

The Canadian Border guy gets on the bus
Canadian Border Guy - Show of hands how many people have more alcohol than they are allowed.
Everyone raises their hands
Canadian Border Guy - Show of hands how many people have more tobacco products than they are allowed.
Everyone raises their hands
Canadian Border Guy - Show of hands how many people have more than $200 worth of merchandise that they bought while in the states
Everyone raises their hands.
Canadian Border Guy - ****, that's too much paperwork for me. Have a nice night.

Canadian Border Woman - Can you step out of the vehicle and sit over there.
Me - I'd be careful in the back of the truck there is a ton of smelly gear back there (we took off all of dirty clothes and left them at the back of the truck.
Canadian Border Guy - Gee thanks.
Canadian Border Guy - Opens the back of the Truck and you can hear him say whew.
They search through all of our gear and let us go. I felt kinda bad that we didn't have anything on us after they had to search through our smelly clothes.

[PWDR8S]

I've had a quite a few border encounters myself..... usually about beers I bought in Canada and Cohibas! I usually got through without much fuss. Wow, Jolly J.... you have quite the stories. You should start a compilation of border crossing stories and sell them.

Hey M@... I went to that show and most Floyd shows up there! Never brought anything that would get me into trouble.... The Montrealians were always very generous and helpful in taking care of my needs.

[M@]

Originally Posted by PWDR8S

Hey M@... I went to that show and most Floyd shows up there!

I went to the 92 (I think, maybe 93?) show as well. My dad bought the tix for the first one and suprised me with them, so I paid him back the 2nd time. Funny story: We rented "The Wall" one night and left it in the VCR, and my dad watched it the next day. That night he went out, bought our first CD player, and every pink floyd CD that had been released. Totally converted him to a floyd fan almost overnight.

Originally Posted by PWDR8S

Never brought anything that would get me into trouble.... The Montrealians were always very generous and helpful in taking care of my needs.

That was very much my expierence as well

M@

[Skilasnow]

Got searched going north, about two hours, no hassle, just looking.

Coming back though:

Pulls up to booth and lowers window

me: good evening {hands him drivers liscence of me and passenger}
agent: evening, what were you in Canada for?
me: long weekend vacation.
agent: have a nice time?
me: yes, thanks, Montreal is really nice.
agent: bringing anything back from a farm?
me: no.
agent have any firearms or drugs?
me: yup, i got a couple dueling pistols, flintlocks {pause} hahaha
agent: {pause} hahaha. Have a nice trip home.

the funny thing was that I did have a couple of dueling pistols, very good fakes, it would have taken some doing to convince them that they wouldn't actually fire

[PWDR8S]

Congrats to Skilas for making 2000 posts! Slacker!