Community Forums

clyon51 · 06-28-2013, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom N

Driving drunk conviction record????

They just looked at him and that was it. I don't even remember them looking at his ID. This was 43 years ago.

Libero · 06-28-2013, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clyon51

They just looked at him and that was it. I don't even remember them looking at his ID. This was 43 years ago.

Hmmm if some person looking like a greaseball showed up at your door would you let him in or do additional due dilligence. (Not saying this guy looked like a greaseball, but long hair has certain connotations attached to it in some circles). And you never get a second chance to make a first impression but I suspect the officer had other supporting evidence to reject admission other than that the first impression.

Appearance and manerisms matter and while most of the bikers are really solid and great citizens, some of them do get more scrutiny than one might in a car or MH and if all others in the biking group were allowed in, I suggest the officer would have had some other grounds other than appearance to reject admission. He could have asked to see a supervisor if he believed he was being unduly treated.

I believe there must be something more to the story.

clyon51 · 06-28-2013, 02:19 PM

It happened as I said, believe what you will. I'm sure the officer knew if he disallowed one, we would all turn around, which we all figured later was his plan. None of us got a warm welcome and it was apparent he didn't like bikers. Perhaps it was because there were six of us. Doesn't matter now anyway, it was long ago.

Libero · 06-28-2013, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilco1

Great story, but until about two years ago, Canadian borders guards weren't armed!

Exactly, they never had any guns at the border in Canada at all until 2 years ago. So go figure.

wanderso · 06-28-2013, 11:58 PM

Several great tips provided on this thread. Special thanks to our Canadian friends and your hospitality.

Beyond · 06-29-2013, 12:43 AM

We crossed at Blaine, WA into BC, Canada in May. They were interested in guns & alcohol. When I didn't answer fast enough if I'd ever had a gun in the motorhome, they tagged us for a search. Took us an extra 1.5 hrs. They didn't open the slides and search everything, but they did not put thing back correctly, leaving electrical cords pinched in dinette seat bottoms, air return vent half on, computer case not zipped.
They never asked about food items, nor seemed to have any interest. He may have keyed on the DOD base sticker. They explained nothing but told me not to take pictures. I had to take off my jacket so they could search it, but they didn't do the same to my husband. Guess I asked to many questions.
We will be crossing back into Canada tomorrow and hope we don't have a repeat of that welcome.

driving a 07 Ventana w/motorcycle on the back. Maybe it was the bike?

Cat320 · 06-29-2013, 10:12 AM

If I need a passport to go some where, I'm not going. In this day and age, everything's a hassle, customs, airports, borders...to me it's just not worth the trouble.

Road Ranger · 06-29-2013, 10:38 AM

Coming across from New Brunswick into Maine many years ago, I tried jokng with the border/customs officer at the Calais ME border. He gave me three chances to smarten up and answer straightforwardly, and I took that third chance. Over the succeeding years, I've come to appreciate that third chance very much. On both sides of the border, I've since heard of stories like having your vehicle emptied out on the pavement during a search and left there, and also of being labeled in records as an undesirable and not being allowed in as a visitor ever again. I once had my touring motorcycle emptied out while coming back into Canada from a road trip in the 'States. I also found out that the US border guard at least, has the authority to make such declarations on his own discretion with a high UNlikelihood of his decision being overturned. As to a previous comment of a Canadian border guard having thrust into someone's face, I don't think the Canadian border guards carried guns 10 years ago. I stand to be corrected if I'm wrong on that. All that to say, the bottom line is act respectfully and answer only the questions asked of you. These guys are trained for their job and one of the things they look for is someone trying to steer the conversation away from any of their questions or comments. Catching "variances from the truth/facts" is another indicator they look for - and they then have to somehow decipher whether it's intentional or unintentional. One Canadian border officer in particular treated me with disdain and disrespect and I guess that happens where one of these kinds of guys will be on duty when I get there. I had to choke it down. They are not your local Welcome Wagon ladies and gents. They have a LOT of things to watch out for. And, no, I was never one of them but I was an ex-cop. That's not true....I AM an ex-cop. ;-)

Maladjusted · 06-29-2013, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilco1

Great story, but until about two years ago, Canadian borders guards weren't armed!

You 100% sure about that? Because I have $5,000 that says your wrong.

Mal

Libero · 06-29-2013, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maladjusted

You 100% sure about that? Because I have $5,000 that says your wrong.

Mal

The first armed Canadian Border Service Officers passed a course on Jul 2007 at Ottawa and Chilliwack BC, and they started to implement the arming process at that time. I don't believe it is 100% complete yet,

I believe the comment about the past 2 years was in reference to someone who said they had guns pulled on them by Canadian Border service people 10 years ago. Based on the fact that they were not armed at that time is the relevent issue, so that story loses some credibility.

Maladjusted · 06-29-2013, 06:40 PM

Huh... Must have been toy gun that a border agent was pointing at my friend.

I stand corrected.

Murf2u · 06-30-2013, 06:32 AM

Besides which, every square inch of the border crossing areas are covered by video and pulling a weapon without demonstrated cause is a criminal offence, even for the agents.

Also, when a vehicle is taken for secondary inspection at scrutinized to that extent, the occupants are NEVER allowed to stay with the vehicle.

J Birder · 06-30-2013, 07:29 AM

It is interesting that you can't bring pepper spray, but bear spray is ok. bear spray is just pepper spray on steroids. Perhaps they figure that after spending $100 for two bear spray canisters, we must be serious about bears.

Joel

Libero · 06-30-2013, 08:07 AM

J Birder, you are correct, "bear spray" is good and "pepper spray" is bad. At least this is apparently the case where "pepper spray" is banned for the general public, in some jurisdictions but "bear spray" is OK in Canada. Go figure.

What a difference a label makes. The bear spray cans can actually shoot further than pepper spray I am told.

We carry "bear spray", legally purchased and allowed to carry in Canada. Never used pepper spray so I do not have first hand knowlege of that but I did use bear spray on a very large menacing off leash dog that looked like a Pit Bull, with no handler in sight. It worked and he whimpered away as I extracted myself and our shi tzu from the scene. He was lunging at my little dog as I caught him square in the face with a generous dose of the spray. My boot was the next choice if that failed but that could have diverted his attack to me. Thank goodness for the bear spray.

I am told it will also deter human advances but my preference is to get out of harms way under any circumstance first, but I would use it in a heartbeat on any 2 or 4 legged creature if that was my only option for protection of myself or my family, which includes our dog, from imminent danger of being physically harmed.

We often RV in bear country and bears love dumb un-savvy campers who leave food and garbage about thier campsite. Have carried bear spray in our RV for years and crossed the border with it countless times without any hassel.