Arggg!!

[changeinlife]

Seniors & Senioritas,

heres the scoop- Employment have me scheduled for a sales meeting in Sandiego 3 weeks from now...passport, air fare tickets and accomodations are all in place. Well silly me...I freakin forgot about an unpaid speeding fine way back in 1989 I believe in Montana. It'll be my first time back on US grounds. Having said, am I going to get as I recall reading from the fine arrested going through customs at the airport heading out or back in to Canada?? I'm so in the dark about all this....Help!!!

 

[CalgaryJenn]

I know from experience as my husband has a speeding ticket from the US and we used to cross from Windsor to Detroit daily. However, if you get an ignorant guard at the border they can refuse you admittance until the ticket is paid. So far we have yet to run into that problem.

 

[visiting]

O BOY,

Your up shit creek, but I can help you.. send me 100$ and ...


No you certailnly do not have to worry about getting back into Canada. I have 1 ticket which I know is not paid, but I have no clue where to pay it, so I have been waiting for the "need to pay this or else' letter, which has not come (been a few years now) I called the State for help, and they told me I would basically have to pick the possible counties, and call them, as they could not see my ticket.... So Last time I was in the US I was talking to someone who's famaily member is a cop, and I was told, chances are that you there willl not be an issue unless your stopped in the same county again, as they would have the record show up, but never mind other states. Yes it is possible for the cops to do a longer search, but they really have to want you bad for that.

 

[JustAGuy]

Most counties within a state weren't coordinated enough to share data like that 17 years ago, never mind get it into some sort of national database. Their capacity for sharing information back then was primitive at best.

I'm sure after 9/11 that has changed drastically and information is much more easily accessed but I'd be very surprised if they went back and picked up old information like unpaid traffic tickets in the process of bringing their systems into the 21st century.

 

[Victoria Rose]

DO allow yourself extra time to go through U.S. Customs on your way down to the U.S., which will happen on this side of the border, just in case.

I learned this the hard way going down last year when my travel companion had a DUI (on this side of the border) from 24 years ago!

They detained us at U.S. Customs at the Calgary airport for so long while they looked to see if he had any other offences (he didn't) that we barely made it to the plane on time! They were just about to give up on us and close the door for take off! We would have missed our connecting flight in the U.S.! I've never come that close to missing a plane in my life!

The worst part was that the bonehead knew this was going to happen because it had happened to him on the same trip with another woman five years earlier and he didn't warn me in advance or think to allow more time!

Here's a tip:

When they look up your ID on their computer, if they ask you if you've ever had any criminal charges, etc. DO NOT LIE!

This is truly a test, and THEY ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER! It's right there on the screen on front of them!

Lie, and you won't get in. Trust me on this one, because they don't ask that question of those of us who have never had a warrant, criminal record or outstanding speeding ticket. If they don't ask that question, you're clear.

If they ask it, spill your guts because they know the truth, whether it happened on their side of the border or this side! So tell ALL!

If there's anything dark in your past, even if it was 30-40 years ago, get there at least two hours before take off and be ready to confess like you're Catholic and cool your heels for a while.

 

[changeinlife]

Extended thanks for all your replies! I now feel a little more at ease with your given suggestions & experiences

 

[deke]

The highway is littered with my old speeding tickets down the coast. I had multiple tickets in Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada. I have been through the border many times, had my record checked often when I go and there have been no problems. From my understanding in the past, once the county sends the ticket to a collection agency, it is as good as gone.

I doubt that the US would put a warrant country wide to arrest anyone for a traffic violation. They should arrest you for going to Montana though!