Your customs experiences re-entering the US from Canada?

Craig95005 wrote:
Have they confiscated or assessed duties on stuff you've brought back?

No. Once drove a empty flatbed trailer across the border on US93 and was asked what I was carrying.

Ha. I guess a state department education employee and computer analyst is suspect.

LOL! Try crossing into Canada when all three in the vehicle work for US Defense contractors! That caused an extra question or two! All-in-all, though, we've had few issues either way.

ppine wrote:
Imagine if you have brown skin or an accent.

I'm Latin, but most don't believe it so they probably didn't know either.

ppine wrote:
Imagine if you have brown skin or an accent.

I have an Asian brown skin and an accent and I cannot immediately flash them my high education, former executive position and fat bank account (might even invite suspicion I'm a drug lord, hehe).

But my stance is that I can immediately recognize if I'm shown discrimination or power play and I can show to them my 36 units of law and constitution, lol.

My biggest incident actually happened in LAX where my plane coming from Tokyo landed at the same time with a Colombian plane. I was wearing a pricey tailored suit (dress code for my company) and an equally pricey leather briefcase. I was twice accosted by DEA agents and when I said, yes?, they found out I don't have the right accent, lol. I was profiled even if I'm not bejeweled.

Imagine if you have brown skin or an accent.

Crowe wrote:
Asked us what we did for a living, then said we had a nice truck for being a computer analyst! What kind of comment was that?

One to agitate you to see if you were lying. Plays on the "feeling like a criminal" mindset. Once you get into that mindset your physical attributes change such as posture and facial expressions. This is what they do to flush out the criminal element.

Since we were only going in for an hour and back, just for the ride, they probably thought we were "transporters". Ha. I guess a state department education employee and computer analyst is suspect.

In my experience, the least busy checkpoints are the most likely to search. They probably get bored.

My dog's kibbles were spared because they were chicken, rather than beef, based.

Crowe wrote:
Asked us what we did for a living, then said we had a nice truck for being a computer analyst! What kind of comment was that?

One to agitate you to see if you were lying. Plays on the "feeling like a criminal" mindset. Once you get into that mindset your physical attributes change such as posture and facial expressions. This is what they do to flush out the criminal element.

Exactly! Psychological screening.

No problems here we cross a couple of times a year. Some are "more stern" than others. In general, our side is more stern than theirs. All the questions. I ALWAYS make sure to tell them about the bear spray.

They got a job to do protecting US, polite straight to the point and no chit chat is the best way to address the issue.

Asked us what we did for a living, then said we had a nice truck for being a computer analyst! What kind of comment was that?

One to agitate you to see if you were lying. Plays on the "feeling like a criminal" mindset. Once you get into that mindset your physical attributes change such as posture and facial expressions. This is what they do to flush out the criminal element.