Worst US/Canadian border crossing
Post your worst border crossing experiences. Just looking for tips etc for a smooth crossing
Forum Discussion
Wasn't the worst crossing for me, but for three others it was a bad day crossing into Canada at Blaine, Washington. I drove up, and they had me pull into the long search RV area, exit the RV, and wait in the main reception section.
During the first 30 minutes I was waiting, my guards were pulled off my RV inspection to 1) arrest Asian woman (well dressed - seemingly didn't speak anything by Vietnamese) trying to cross in the trunk of a car; 2) arrest a young punk being a wise ass trying to cross over on a bicycle and wasn't patient enough to wait, tried to scamper across; 3) arrest a dumbass with a trunk with several kilos of pot inside. You should have seen his face, looked like he was a newbie and had no idea how many years he was going to spend in prison.
After 50 odd minutes of watching most of the guards interviewing the perps in tiny interview rooms with glass walls (like in police shows), 3 guards per perp, the guards finally got around to my RV. Ten minutes later I was done and on my way. Pretty efficient actually.
Very exciting time there at the crossing. Got to see 3 arrests. But the delay before the border and at the border is why I only cross at remote locations now days. Less traffic, less likely to be delays.
Like at Oroville, Washington. They haven't even bothered to come into the RV the several times I've crossed there. Just ask where I'm going, how long I'll be staying and wave me through.
The first time I crossed at Oroville, I handed them a sheet listing the liquor I was carrying. The puzzled look on the face of the guard induced me to tell them that I was suppose to do that according to the Canadian government's web site. They laid it down on the desk never referred to it again, asked their questions, and waved me through. I haven't made a list since, speak only when spoken too, don't volunteer anything, and soon I'm done and driving off.
During the first 30 minutes I was waiting, my guards were pulled off my RV inspection to 1) arrest Asian woman (well dressed - seemingly didn't speak anything by Vietnamese) trying to cross in the trunk of a car; 2) arrest a young punk being a wise ass trying to cross over on a bicycle and wasn't patient enough to wait, tried to scamper across; 3) arrest a dumbass with a trunk with several kilos of pot inside. You should have seen his face, looked like he was a newbie and had no idea how many years he was going to spend in prison.
After 50 odd minutes of watching most of the guards interviewing the perps in tiny interview rooms with glass walls (like in police shows), 3 guards per perp, the guards finally got around to my RV. Ten minutes later I was done and on my way. Pretty efficient actually.
Very exciting time there at the crossing. Got to see 3 arrests. But the delay before the border and at the border is why I only cross at remote locations now days. Less traffic, less likely to be delays.
Like at Oroville, Washington. They haven't even bothered to come into the RV the several times I've crossed there. Just ask where I'm going, how long I'll be staying and wave me through.
The first time I crossed at Oroville, I handed them a sheet listing the liquor I was carrying. The puzzled look on the face of the guard induced me to tell them that I was suppose to do that according to the Canadian government's web site. They laid it down on the desk never referred to it again, asked their questions, and waved me through. I haven't made a list since, speak only when spoken too, don't volunteer anything, and soon I'm done and driving off.
