Border crossing WTF

[EuroSZabina]

Peace arch, should change their name to assarch unless you got something better name to come up with

Gezzzz, are we back in the 80' when we still lived as communist. It's worse in here, might as well become communist border crossing!!!!!

Fucking morons, they asked me to open up my trunk twice. Moron interrogator #1 keeps calling me sweetie
"Thank you sweetie"
" can you open the trunk sweetie"
" don't worry sweetie"
Moron#1 had a little bitch working for him who checked my trunk not once but moron#1 asked little bitch to open it again, just make sure they didn't find anything.
Moron#1 checks my purse, finds my battery pack. He thought "bingo" some sort of alien device
"What is this sweetie?"
Before I could answer he guessed it for me where he failed miserably.
" computer "?
Before he wanted to guess again
I said " it's a device I'm going to shove up to your ass SWEETIE" oops, I changed my mind before my tongue would have slipped.
I said its a battery pack.
He continued to check my glove box, side of my seats etc.....
Anyways, I guess they missed my szexi outfits in the truck and condoms on top of the bag, wtf again???!!
I was on my way, but what an experience

Had to share it with you all SZweeties )

 

[PlayfulAlex]

Normally my trips across the border are pretty straight-forward. But, the last time, I had my new Nexus card with me, that I'd forgotten to call in and authorize. What an ordeal, first going through to the States, and then coming back into Canada!

Both times I got sent into the office, and I'd rather go into the Canadian side ANY TIME! On the US side, you feel like a criminal immediately. It's their whole system of being guilty until you can prove that you're innocent. When you do get a nice US border guard, it's a sigh of relief.

 

[newatit]

Yes it can be an ordeal. A few years ago one of the local SP's was driving to Vegas and of course that was a giveaway. They checked her vehicle and found her work clothes which was a dumb thing to take. So we're the items that you took and you should never have done that. Sorry but they could have and likely would have stopped you and perhaps even barred you for as much as four years. That is what happened to the last SP that wrote into this board about that subject. One rule of crossing the border is don't take anything to do with sex. It's cheap to buy on the other side. and You don't look look like a hooker to them.

 

[87112]

Can I ask with the exchange rate so bad what is there to buy down here these days?
I imagine the Blaine Costco has a lot less biz than before with Canucks.
I drive to Oregon to buy stuff. Prices are lower than Seattle for recreational things and no tax. With gas so low its worth it.

 

[EuroSZabina]

Yes it can be an ordeal. A few years ago one of the local SP's was driving to Vegas and of course that was a giveaway. They checked her vehicle and found her work clothes which was a dumb thing to take. So where the items that you took and you should never have done that. Sorry but they could have and likely would have stopped you and perhaps even barge you for as much as four years. That is what happened to the last SP that row into this board about that subject. One rule of crossing the border is don't take anything like that with you. It's cheap and I have to buy on the other side and you don't look

Oh, I know I can't believe that I took them and they didn't see it.
If they find it can't you just say, I'm going out to party and I want to protect myself.
I didn't have any toy with me and my business outfits were very classy out wear for a party.

Years ago my gf who's never been an sp was sent back when they found a vibrator in her luggage. The toy automatically turned on vibrator mode and it was shaking in her luggage.
She just wanted to surprise her long distance bf who lived in Seattle.
Poor thing was crying. She went to the airport and they let her go when she told her story.
Bunch of assholes.

How about if I'm bored in my hotel room and I have a little vibrator with me to play with, what's wrong with that?
Before I became and sp and I was single, I used to play with bananas and I would put a condom on the banana.
What's wrong with that if I have condoms with me??

My only worries was if they check my fone(((

But really, it should not be a crime to take my toy with me etc.....

 

[EuroSZabina]

Can I ask with the exchange rate so bad what is there to buy down here these days?
I imagine the Blaine Costco has a lot less biz than before with Canucks.
I drive to Oregon to buy stuff. Prices are lower than Seattle for recreational things and no tax. With gas so low its worth it.

I had to come down to look at a job option and I have a very old regular to see.
They should be happy we are still crossing not making it so difficult for us.

 

[sybian]

I don't go down there unless i have too. They always find spent 30-30 shells, or knives I have to work with making a living, strewn under the seat, because I just forgot.
They asked what all the weapons were for, and i didn't know wtf they were talking about.
So of course they showed me....I said "I'm a Rancher...You couldn't tell by all the cowshit in my wheel wells, the agriculture commercial plates, boots ,buckle, and cowboy hat.....oh yah!! and the 18 foot bright blue stock trailer I'm towing behind my truck you seemed to miss!"
They were shitheads for about an hour and harrassed me.....and of course I was redflagged, and was interrogated by the Canadian side coming home.
They wanted to make sure I hadn't bought the stock trailer down in the U.S., and tried to charge me GST....I said "Tell you what Officer...i'll leave the trailer with you while I locate my papers for the trailer, but you may want to inspect the inside of it. The 2000 pound bull in the back is GST exempt, and he's leaving piss all over your pavement"
I was glad to see the Department of Homeland Shitheads fading fast in my rear view mirror.

 

[87112]

Yeah, WA State should be happy Canadians are willing to come here .75 to the dollar and than we hit you with a 9.5 sales tax. I would stay the hell away myself from this shithole.

 

[summerbreeze]

occasionally they get a tip or some alert and go into uber critical mode

I have been through one of these once where they went through everything in my luggage with a fine tooth comb, very intimidating and took at least an hour

I had friends waiting for me who all breezed through with no problem

After they let me go I asked if there was a specific alert underway or something and the customs guy smiled and replied to me "something like that" once I cleared his threat level he was back to being a normal person but before that it was all provocation

The intimidation is to try and provoke a reaction, it is deliberately provocative to try and flush out a guilty reaction, part of their process and overall, glad they are trying to keep us safe

probably best to smile, remain cool and let them do their thing..... (not as if you have any choice)

 

[westwoody]

I had a squad in black outfits surround my car once. Not sure if it was a training exercise or some panic alert. The customs guy asked me to get out and asked me the usual questions. I looked behind me and two of their little bitches had M16s pounted at me. Not cool at all, anyone with half decent training should have had better gun handling form. I will never go back there, and I avoid buying anything made there. Fuck them.

Most people down south are decent people. But the ones who are not are such assholes it does not matter.

 

[Larry Storch]

Well, I haven't been across for decades. Given the level of paranoia on both sides I think it would be a good idea to 'sanitize' your vehicle, not take a computer and have a clean, unlocked phone. You can always buy a SIM if you need to. However with all that being said they may look at you with suspicion because you're not suspicious enough for them to be suspicious.

SZabina: I really don't think he should be calling you "sweetie". It sounds condescending and demeaning.

 

[take8easy]

Imagine being a person of color with a name that is clearly Muslim (not talking about myself here) and see how they check you.

Once, while visiting USA with my family and kids, we were told that we have been 'randomly selected' to be searched. We were asked to park the car and go inside. Guess what al the people that were 'randomly chosen' were .......... non white. Our car keys were taken, our vehicles were searched while we were still inside. We were not impressed at all.

Canadian customs and immigration officers are much more polite and gentle. Their US counterparts, not really.

 

[tadolder]

Imagine being a person of color with a name that is clearly Muslim (not talking about myself here) and see how they check you.

Once, while visiting USA with my family and kids, we were told that we have been 'randomly selected' to be searched. We were asked to park the car and go inside. Guess what al the people that were 'randomly chosen' were .......... non white. Our car keys were taken, our vehicles were searched while we were still inside. We were not impressed at all.

Canadian customs and immigration officers are much more polite and gentle. Their US counterparts, not really.

I've had the same thing happen to me twice now, and i am as white as under belly of a new born gosling. I understand that they do need to check, there are people and contraband going across the boarder everyday, but it's their attitude that really gets to me. I always feel like i am guilty until i prove myself to be innocent.

 

[87112]

I find the agents in the Mexico border much easier to deal with. Coming back to the States from Tijuana just tell them you were there to enjoy the real light district and its no problem.

 

[EuroSZabina]

Imagine being a person of color with a name that is clearly Muslim (not talking about myself here) and see how they check you.

Once, while visiting USA with my family and kids, we were told that we have been 'randomly selected' to be searched. We were asked to park the car and go inside. Guess what al the people that were 'randomly chosen' were .......... non white. Our car keys were taken, our vehicles were searched while we were still inside. We were not impressed at all.

Canadian customs and immigration officers are much more polite and gentle. Their US counterparts, not really.

This was interesting when I was going to Vegas with my Persian client, but this was at YVR, before we went through security, the woman took me to the side "randomly" and searched me and my little carry on. She even opened my sunglass case. Randomly, my ass.
I travel pretty frequently and never happened to me yet. Why did it happen when I was with my Iranian friend?

 

[EuroSZabina]

SZabina: I really don't think he should be calling you "sweetie". It sounds condescending and demeaning.

Of course not !!!!!

Imagine you are the boss in a company and you call everybody sweetie, wtf

A friend of mine suggested to complain anonymously. I just leave it. No point

 

[EuroSZabina]

They always ask for your occupation. I own my company and I'm also the product designer, he asked me if I had any product with me. I said 2 for decoration, not for sale.
I believe that's what they were looking for. I was going to take more, but I was worried that they will search my car. So they did even tho I just had 2 pieces with me.

 

[Fullhouse]

I always feel like i am guilty until i prove myself to be innocent.

And therein lies the whole crux of their total 'modus operandi'....... Those border, custom and immigration guys write their own laws, and they enforce them in any way that they feel fit at any given time of any given day.
They have unlimited power when it comes to searching you, your car, baggage, phone, computer or any personal items, and they can 'screw' with you or detain you for as long as they want to.
If they so much as don't like the color of your shirt, or the length of your shoe laces, you're screwed.. It'll be: " pull in over there, step out of the car and open your trunk.", and the search begins.
They hold all the cards, and under their laws, you have no recourse. No swearing, no shouting, no calling a lawyer or wanting to see a judge, they make their decisions in the spur of the moment. And if you annoy them or piss them off, a 10 minute search will turn into hours of hassle.
Also remember, they were not necessarily the cream of the crop in their class. They only have to remember 3 basic decisions. --- "You can go through,... You can't go through,.. You're under arrest.".. (Don't you just hate that last one).

And to szexy SZabina--- don't be too pissed off at the border guy. It must be one of the most boring jobs in the world, asking the same questions over and over and over again,....... so they enjoy to pick on somebody to interrogate and search to brake the monotony.

And, if I was that border guy, I would very much prefer to search a vivacious, beautiful lady for an hour of my day, than some fat, beer belly toting, horse manure smelling guy with a 10 gallon cowboy hat.

So next time SZabina, , just grin and bare it -------- but don't bare too much.....

 

[escapefromstress]

I never got searched, but was questioned rudely enough by Canadian border guards, to make me cry a couple times.

Thinking back, I realize that since I'd had to give real name to the RCMP when I began working at an agency 10 years ago, my name was probably 'in the system' and that's why they were being so mean to me.

 

[badbadboy]

They always ask for your occupation. I own my company and I'm also the product designer, he asked me if I had any product with me. I said 2 for decoration, not for sale.
I believe that's what they were looking for. I was going to take more, but I was worried that they will search my car. So they did even tho I just had 2 pieces with me.

I think most of their questions are aimed at either commerce or terrorist threat these days.

I used to work down there with a work visa and they always wanted to know if I was carrying brochures or anything of commercial value. Big No No to carry those things over the border.