Don't Try this Kiddies. Not nice Border Guards.

[Guest Swifty]

Just my 2 cents worth?

BUT, if I were to encounter such a problem getting into the US,,,, forget it,

These guys were making mountains out of mohills just to justify pulling him over.

my 3 cents...

Carl, you should've written "if I were to CREATE such a problem"....that guy was the sole digger of his own hole. One does not "encounter" a problem like he did that day when entering a "friendly" nation like the USA is to Canada...he created it. Surely, you can see that he threw most questions back at the guard. I've been asked the shopping questions to the point of infinity too...YOU DON'T THROW QUESTIONS BACK AT THEM WITH THAT TONE OF VOICE. When the questions go to the point of ridiculous you simply say something like, "I don't know, I haven't been to this mall before, but we are looking to buy some ......" I've had this questioning to infinity on many topics including venture rider meets..."where are they, how many, how do you know them, how long, what are their names, where do they live...." obviously you can't answer these questions about ventureriders you've never met and you end the line of questioning with the honest "I'm not sure" or "I don't know." They did that sort of questioning with my lady friend sitting right beside me in the car..."how long have you known each other, where did you meet, what was the name of the coffee shop, what did you order that day, why aren't you living together, do your kids know each other." It is the stupid person who thinks they have the right to enter another sovereign territory, and an even stupider person who thinks THEY have the right to question a border guard and to be treated with respect by that guard. When you travel from nation to nation you take no rights with you from your native land....let alone thinking you can ask a guard why you have to sit down, whether he thinks you're lying, how many terrorists come across. Dam, I can't get over this Canadian's stupidity.

[dunvilsteev]

On our way for a ski trip my buddy, girlfriend (now wife) and I were stopped at the border and denied entry because he had a reefer charge. This was 1982. I have since been to the local cops and they tell me "I'm okay to cross", I have a passport, but I'm leery to try because of the prior denial. Anyone ever been denied and then returned? I figure I'm going to try and they'll impound the vehicle and "rubber glove time" for Stevie!

[Gary N.]

On our way for a ski trip my buddy, girlfriend (now wife) and I were stopped at the border and denied entry because he had a reefer charge. This was 1982. I have since been to the local cops and they tell me "I'm okay to cross", I have a passport, but I'm leery to try because of the prior denial. Anyone ever been denied and then returned? I figure I'm going to try and they'll impound the vehicle and "rubber glove time" for Stevie!

 

Just make sure you tell them up front if they ask. Don't try and hide it. Since it was so long ago they may or may not have it in the computer.

I've been hassled for the last year because of a slice of a lemon in our fridge in the RV with some left over fish. They told me it would come off the computer in a year. We'll see.

[friesman]

my 3 cents...

Carl, you should've written "if I were to CREATE such a problem"....that guy was the sole digger of his own hole. One does not "encounter" a problem like he did that day when entering a "friendly" nation like the USA is to Canada...he created it. Surely, you can see that he threw most questions back at the guard. I've been asked the shopping questions to the point of infinity too...YOU DON'T THROW QUESTIONS BACK AT THEM WITH THAT TONE OF VOICE. When the questions go to the point of ridiculous you simply say something like, "I don't know, I haven't been to this mall before, but we are looking to buy some ......" I've had this questioning to infinity on many topics including venture rider meets..."where are they, how many, how do you know them, how long, what are their names, where do they live...." obviously you can't answer these questions about ventureriders you've never met and you end the line of questioning with the honest "I'm not sure" or "I don't know." They did that sort of questioning with my lady friend sitting right beside me in the car..."how long have you known each other, where did you meet, what was the name of the coffee shop, what did you order that day, why aren't you living together, do your kids know each other." It is the stupid person who thinks they have the right to enter another sovereign territory, and an even stupider person who thinks THEY have the right to question a border guard and to be treated with respect by that guard. When you travel from nation to nation you take no rights with you from your native land....let alone thinking you can ask a guard why you have to sit down, whether he thinks you're lying, how many terrorists come across. Dam, I can't get over this Canadian's stupidity.

 

Holy Cow Swifty!!!! i agree with ya wholeheartedly!!!! things are gonna freeze in places that they havnt frozen before!!!!

 

Brian

[Marcarl]

my 3 cents...

Carl, you should've written "if I were to CREATE such a problem"....that guy was the sole digger of his own hole. One does not "encounter" a problem like he did that day when entering a "friendly" nation like the USA is to Canada...he created it. Surely, you can see that he threw most questions back at the guard. I've been asked the shopping questions to the point of infinity too...YOU DON'T THROW QUESTIONS BACK AT THEM WITH THAT TONE OF VOICE. When the questions go to the point of ridiculous you simply say something like, "I don't know, I haven't been to this mall before, but we are looking to buy some ......" I've had this questioning to infinity on many topics including venture rider meets..."where are they, how many, how do you know them, how long, what are their names, where do they live...." obviously you can't answer these questions about ventureriders you've never met and you end the line of questioning with the honest "I'm not sure" or "I don't know." They did that sort of questioning with my lady friend sitting right beside me in the car..."how long have you known each other, where did you meet, what was the name of the coffee shop, what did you order that day, why aren't you living together, do your kids know each other." It is the stupid person who thinks they have the right to enter another sovereign territory, and an even stupider person who thinks THEY have the right to question a border guard and to be treated with respect by that guard. When you travel from nation to nation you take no rights with you from your native land....let alone thinking you can ask a guard why you have to sit down, whether he thinks you're lying, how many terrorists come across. Dam, I can't get over this Canadian's stupidity.

Actually, the only question he really put out was: what does it matter? in regards to exactly which store they were planning to go to. That's where it all started and shortly he was handing over the keys and now he was upset, but did regain control of himself,,, too late, and then more crap. The guard should have realize the situation and done a back up, but it seems to me he was having a bad day, and just wanted to take others with him. His supervisors were no better at handling things and so seemingly spent useless time, hours probably, on someone who didn't matter, and so had less time to catch any would be assassins, or people going over there to train others how to be nasty.

[Monty]

C'mon Carl! I'm not defending the overzealous guards, but the guy was a pain in the ass!. He reminded me of Bill O'reilly.....he wouldn't even let the guard finish his sentence, before he butted in with his crap. I can't stand people who are soooooo liberal, that they think they can get away with whatever they want. You gotta submit SOME, if you wanna get anywhere nowadays. I know we like to be free, but you still have to submit to authority...that's just the way it is nowadays. Only thing that will change it, is an all out civil war. Until then, we just have to suck it up.

[Marcarl]

C'mon Carl! I'm not defending the overzealous guards, but the guy was a pain in the ass!. He reminded me of Bill O'reilly.....he wouldn't even let the guard finish his sentence, before he butted in with his crap. I can't stand people who are soooooo liberal, that they think they can get away with whatever they want. You gotta submit SOME, if you wanna get anywhere nowadays. I know we like to be free, but you still have to submit to authority...that's just the way it is nowadays. Only thing that will change it, is an all out civil war. Until then, we just have to suck it up.

I would think that if I was asked where I was going, and I said that I was going to a particular Mall, and then was asked again what stores, I would give a chuckle as well and reply that I wasn't sure, just going to the mall,,,,,,, that's when it started south, because at that point he was asked for his keys,,,,, a little short on the guards part I would think.

[BradT]

Personally I think they both were out of line in this case. Dumb question created a dumb answer. I have never had questions like that when going to a mall. Maybe he should have said all the stores, which would have been just as bad.

 

I think Buffalo is worse than Michigan (Port Huron, Sault, Detroit and the ferry), but I can tell you I have ran into a couple on the Canadian side that think there S..t don't stink. One guy pulled my spare tire out and then came back a threw my receipt at me. (he could not believe I went across for a ride and lunch)

 

Had a few on the American side that have been great So I think it just depends on the guard, a few bad apples in every bunch.

 

Good luck crossing.

 

Brad

[Guest Swifty]

The guard should have realize the situation,

His supervisors were no better at handling things

We'll agree to disagree then.

I say that the guard's effort was time well spent, they fully realized the situation, and the jerk escalated it many times, practically EVERY time he opened his mouth. When this turd finally got back to Mississauga and shared his travelogue with his buddies, the educational value of his experience will do much more good than catching a few would be fanatics in training.

 

Holy Cow Swifty!!!! i agree with ya wholeheartedly!!!! things are gonna freeze in places that they havnt frozen before!!!!

Brian

I'm getting my parka ready.

[silent67]

It's not us regular folk on either side, it's our governments and law enforcement. Betcha if your a government official or the law you can go where you want when you want. Watch out folks, your freedoms are slowly slipping away and there is nothing you can do about it. To bad about our soon to be third world nations, to bad. Here come the dictators again.

[saddlebum]

I cross the border very frequently, largely because my wifes family is in the US. for the most part I have not had any issues going across the border in either direction. I have had on occasion come across the odd one tha has had a less than desirable atitude from both the Canadian or American side,but in most case's if you show them a little respect and answer their questions honestly without being smart mouthed about it you usually do not have an issue. Granted there is always the occasionaly individuale wether it be border guard, police officer, security guard or even a bouncer in a bar that thinks he is of superior stuff while you are just a measly peon. You swallow your pride let him have his day and move on. In this case, guard could have been delibratly asking infuriating questions just to see how the guy would react. Personaly I don't agree with the border gaurds line of questioning or attitude either but it was pretty obvious that the driver in the car was pretty cocky and had a lousy attitude as well.

[saddlebum]

It's not us regular folk on either side, it's our governments and law enforcement. Betcha if your a government official or the law you can go where you want when you want. Watch out folks, your freedoms are slowly slipping away and there is nothing you can do about it. To bad about our soon to be third world nations, to bad. Here come the dictators again.

Sadly I have to agree as the saying goes. Governments and Big bussness create and thrive on war. Young men are forced to fight them and inocent women and children suffer them.

[Aussie Annie]

Read all this with interest Quickstep will be travelling with a large supply of his heart drugs!!

Now if we were thinking of crossing the Canadian border :confused24:brown stuff could hit the fan!!

[aharbi]

Read all this with interest Quickstep will be travelling with a large supply of his heart drugs!!

Now if we were thinking of crossing the Canadian border :confused24:brown stuff could hit the fan!!

 

Keep the medication in the original labeled containers. Also, before hand work with your Dr to see how prescriptions can be filled over here. Just sayin

[friesman]

Read all this with interest Quickstep will be travelling with a large supply of his heart drugs!!

Now if we were thinking of crossing the Canadian border :confused24:brown stuff could hit the fan!!

 

You will have to go into US customs on arrival next summer.and I think Customs procedures are pretty similar going into the US or Canada. So no brown stuff should be flying around, just make sure your meds are in original packages so customs can identify them. Basically if you dont bother them and dont have anything to hide you will be fine, i cross with my meds all the time, I have been into the US tons of times and only had issues coming home once and that was a Canadian Customs officer on his first day....

I think its the old story where 99.999 % of the time everything is fine, and its that .0001% that we all hear about. Its kinda like this forum....most of the posts are negative or wanting to get help to fix, we hardly ever post when things go as they should, and its a good experience.

I am sure you will have no issues getting into the US or Canada. , BUT if we like you guys when youre here, we might not let you leave! lol

 

Brian

[Aussie Annie]

Thanks for the heads up on the packaging. I was going to get his meds put in blister packs....won't do that now

[GAWildKat]

Annie, when in doubt you could contact the US consulate in Australia and see if they can direct you to know what the best procedure would be for bringing his meds over would be. And I know it's common sense but document who you have spoken to while getting everything for the trip sorted. Since you plan to visit Canada make those same calls over to their consulate. If you decide to go to Mexico, same procedure. May want to document the steps you've taken as well and do a write up for those who live over seas and want to come to the States for a trip. Just a thought.

[friesman]

One more thought, i dont know how long you plan on being in North America, but if youre going to be here a long time, maybe get your Doctor to list all your meds and what the doses are, and possible a rough estimate of how many pills might be needed while you all are over here. It may help to do some math for a customs guy that figures you have a lot of meds with you.

 

To be honest, dont over analyze the customs thing as hundreds of thousands of people a day enter North America so anything you can do to make the agents job easier will help you out. Another thing I have found that helps re-entering Canada is having an envelope for receipts (including hotels) and I itemize stuff on the outside of the envelope so they can see at a glance what I have spent and how long ive been in the country.

 

Brian

[JoeKanuck]

With border guards, you have to kiss their ass, any border for any country. Keep a friendly tone, answer all questions simply and evenly as if they were the most important question ever asked. Take their questions seriously because they do, even if they are arrogant blowhards...or maybe especially so. The bigger the dick, the bigger the suckup.

 

Take any of their orders even more seriously. Respond promptly and with respect.

 

NEVER ask them WHY they are doing whatever it is they are doing. Every one of them feels that the fate of their national security rides on their shoulders alone. They have huge egos and short fuses.

 

Border guards do not need probable cause to stop, search, (including strip searches), and ban you from entering their country. The guy in the first recording dug his own grave by questioning, in an incredulous tone, why the guard was asking about what store they were going to. He sounded like a pompous ass and blowhard border guards love to screw with pompous asses.

 

Basically, don't be an idiot. Sucking up to an egotistical nazi wannabe border guard for a couple of minutes is a small price to pay for getting the hell on your way with the minimum of fuss.

 

Oh yah...one more thing...possibly the most important; DO NOT LIE TO THEM...about anything. If you lie about your favorite color, they will assume you are lying about everything and you are screwed.

[LilBeaver]

... Betcha if your a government official or the law you can go where you want when you want.

...

First and foremost the following comment is intended for your information only. I am not trying to start a debate, argument or any time of contest involving bodily fluids that have a high concentration of NH3. I just wanted to share my experience with respect to border crossing and my particular background.

 

I have refrained from commenting all together on this thread, until now. Now my comment will simply be towards this mis-conception. I removed the origional author's name because I didn't want to necessarily single them out - not that one couldn't read back through the posts to see it but - point being, this isn't personal, just a general FYI.

 

Background. I worked law enforcement for about 5 years for a small police department. Budget cuts and the fact that I got into graduate school encouraged me to take a break from the LEO position for a little while.

Now I am an experimental Physicist. I regularly travel to both England and Canada to run my experiments (each place has a particular particle accelerator that I use).

Traveling to the U.K.:

I've never had any problems with customs in the U.K. I am always polite, courteous and to the point when it comes to answering their questions.

 

Traveling to Canada (for either work or pleasure):

I have found, more often than not, I have more trouble getting into Canada (and some times back into the states) thanks to my former employment. When compared directly to how easy it is for the few people I travel with to make it through customs (due to their backgrounds) it seems that, if anything, my LEO history makes it more difficult to get through. No, I don't carry any weapons when I go to Canada, I do not show off my fancy LEO decoder ring that gives me a 'free pass' anywhere but it never fails. Every time I have made an attempt to get into Canada I always get asked weather I am still a LEO or not. Usually that is followed with a few other questions; I am always to the point, polite and professional when answering their questions but there have been several times where my self and my belongings get searched anyways.

Point being, just because someone is or was an LEO, doesn't automatically mean they can go or do anything they want or get treated differently by particular agencies.

 

With all of that said, coming back into the U.S. is usually pretty easy for me. I have had what I would consider a 'bad experience' a few times with particular individuals; but there are a few bad apples in every bunch and it was nothing that didn't get sorted out with a quick conversation with the appropriate 'supervisor' (in one case the supervisor's supervisor).

 

Hopefully this was informative to someone.

 

Back to the topic of the thread:

I hope that you are able to quickly resolve whatever this issue.

 

[Bigfoot]

I have to chuckle at the posts where if you are a LEO you get free passes all the time. Is it helpful at times? Sure it is. But not always. I taught a K9 seminar in Hamilton Ontario two years ago and five of us went there in two cars. Going into Canada wasn't too bad and they knew we were cops. How did they know? They asked why we coming into Canada so obviously our jobs came out. They didn't just wave us in but did ask several questions and looked at ALL of our passports. Coming back into the US was a little harder. Customs officer asked a lot of questions and it took a little but eventually we were back home. We answered the questions without cutting them off. We didn't act like we were better then them.

[LilBeaver]

I have to chuckle at the posts where if you are a LEO you get free passes all the time. Is it helpful at times? Sure it is. But not always. I taught a K9 seminar in Hamilton Ontario two years ago and five of us went there in two cars. Going into Canada wasn't too bad and they knew we were cops. How did they know? They asked why we coming into Canada so obviously our jobs came out. They didn't just wave us in but did ask several questions and looked at ALL of our passports. Coming back into the US was a little harder. Customs officer asked a lot of questions and it took a little but eventually we were back home. We answered the questions without cutting them off. We didn't act like we were better then them.

 

Glad it isn't just me.

[sarges46]

Thanks for the heads up on the packaging. I was going to get his meds put in blister packs....won't do that now

 

 

Annie

 

Do your blister packs have his name, doctors name and the prescribed meds labelled? If so thats probably better than a bottle of pills with a label. Here at our jail we get offenders come in with meds. We dont trust the pill bottles as the meds contained may not be whats on the label. We do trust the blister packs though providing they are well marked as I described.

[slick97spirit]

That was clearly an abuse of power. The first guard was way out of line. The second was very unprofessional. The guy did not threaten the guard. He was understandably irate. As most people would be if a simple trip to the mall ended up this way. The guards clearly just wanted the guy to knuckle under and kiss their ==s. The guards threatened and intimidated this poor guy and his family until they proved they had more power. To what end? Just a demonstration of force. It makes me so sad to see that this is what we have come to.

Mike

 

A border guard position is just like a police officer. Continuously being 2nd guessed. These guys are not put in that position because they're PERFECT. They're put there to get a job done. Namely, to try THEIR BEST TO PROTECT YOU. To do that they have to look at individuals with agendas, attitudes, whether hidden or not and they've been trained to do that.

What I think is interesting is that if that first or second guard had let that guy through and he killed someone or blew up the mall, this same video would have been used to say that he should have questioned him further because of his ATTITUDE.

[Mariner Fan]

I guess things have changed on the border crossings. We used to frequent the ski hills and bars in Trail and Rossland and would cross back into the States drunker than skunks and all the border guards would do is laugh at us and wave us though. This was back in the 70's and 80's. Our favorite haunt was a place called Funky Johns!