More things to NOT cross the border with...

Francesca Knowles wrote:
Source of quoted events.

This kind of story always reminds me of the time many years ago when I/my car were scrutinized by U.S. border guards upon my reentry into this country from Canada. I'm one of those types that's so straight that I wouldn't so much as place an aspirin tablet in an unlabeled container, so had nothing to fear of course. I nevertheless reacted with paranoia- how could I be certain that someone, sometime, hadn't smoked some weed in the (secondhand) car I was driving, leaving a crumb or two behind? Who would care for my young son while I languished in prison? etc. etc. etc.

Weirdest thing I remember is the guard going over the car, rapping it- I have NEVER figured out what that was all about and guess I'll never know since I certainly didn't have the nerve to ask them at the time.

Rapping it...the sound the vehicle body panels make will change when there is a different thing than what might be appearing. Like when you rap a wall looking for wall studs. People that smuggle will build compartments or even just Bondo in some stuff. The rapping will produce that sound that comes just before the `àhh haaaaaa` noise from the border person.


Gary Haupt