Boarder crossing insanity - CBP gone crazy...

[myredracer]

We've been taking a TT across the US/Canada border for years. We have Nexus and are "pre-cleared" for higher security. We always use the Pacific Highway crossing in south Surrey, BC. because it's the closest one. Have been crossing the border for nearly 60 years in total.

I towed our TT down to the border mid-day last Friday by myself as I've often done. We had a Thousand Trails CG a few miles to the south booked for the long weekend and DW was going down after work in her car later in the day. Done it many many times. Easy peasy.

Well, Friday was definitely different. I was mere feet away from the Nexus booth when I got told to head over to the commercial truck lanes. It was still pretty quiet that time of day so no need to go through the commercial area. They were making all RVs go through the commercial area, Nexus or not. Very strange.

RVs were moving at a crawl, 5+ minutes for each one. Turns out that everyone was getting x-rayed. They had a sniffer dog checking RVs and a CBP officer was checking the underside of each RV.

Finally made it through - 2 hours later! That was painful. Good thing I didn't need to pee because they weren't letting anyone get out even to stretch your legs. Our dog needed to go pee though. They were clearly stalling on letting folks through. They had 5 or 6 officers processing each RV and were just standing there at times after finishing before letting you go. Obviously a stalling tactic for some reason.

Odd thing is, they didn't spend much time inside the RVs. Not sure why they did this and haven never seen it before. We do get pulled over once or twice a year to secondary for an inside inspection of our TT but this was very different.

I hate to say it, but what's next, a wall?? :R

[Edd505]

myredracer wrote:
We've been taking a TT across the US/Canada border for years. We have Nexus and are "pre-cleared" for higher security. We always use the Pacific Highway crossing in south Surrey, BC. because it's the closest one. Have been crossing the border for nearly 60 years in total.

I towed our TT down to the border mid-day last Friday by myself as I've often done. We had a Thousand Trails CG a few miles to the south booked for the long weekend and DW was going down after work in her car later in the day. Done it many many times. Easy peasy.

Well, Friday was definitely different. I was mere feet away from the Nexus booth when I got told to head over to the commercial truck lanes. It was still pretty quiet that time of day so no need to go through the commercial area. They were making all RVs go through the commercial area, Nexus or not. Very strange.

RVs were moving at a crawl, 5+ minutes for each one. Turns out that everyone was getting x-rayed. They had a sniffer dog checking RVs and a CBP officer was checking the underside of each RV.

Finally made it through - 2 hours later! That was painful. Good thing I didn't need to pee because they weren't letting anyone get out even to stretch your legs. Our dog needed to go pee though. They were clearly stalling on letting folks through. They had 5 or 6 officers processing each RV and were just standing there at times after finishing before letting you go. Obviously a stalling tactic for some reason.

Odd thing is, they didn't spend much time inside the RVs. Not sure why they did this and haven never seen it before. We do get pulled over once or twice a year to secondary for an inside inspection of our TT but this was very different.

I hate to say it, but what's next, a wall?? :R

Ever think they may be concerned all the illegals being allowed in the US might be trying to go further north? Just because we allow them in does not mean they have the same temperament.

[JaxDad]

myredracer wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
Lol, really? Not the x-dressing part, the spouses clothes part, haha. Real rule or flavor of the week rule?

Yes, real rule. If you have Nexus, you cannot take spouse's clothes into the US if the spouse isn't with you. I have no idea what that rule is for.

It has nothing to do with the Nexus card, or the “trusted traveler” program, it applies to everyone regardless of citizenship and direction of travel, North or south.

Clothes, as well as any other personal possessions including vehicles, are exempt from import duties if they are being imported temporarily during a visit as a tourist. If the owner of the clothes is not with the importer, even if a spouse, then they fail the ‘personal use’ exemption.

BTW, even though people scream like a hungry eagle when you mention it, this is exactly the reason why things like a Canadian leaving a Canadian registered RV in the US and returning to Canada without it is illegal. If the RV was imported “temporarily” for the owners vacation but then left behind it’s no longer ‘baggage’.

I heard from someone just recently who got stuck this way. The US & Canadian gov’s now share border crossing info. They headed south with a 5’er in the fall, upon trying to re-enter Canada this spring (without the 5’er which was then in the storage yard of their C/G) the CBSA agent asked them if they’d forgotten something? They knew they had left with an RV but weren’t bringing it back home and it hadn’t been imported either. They were offered the opportunity to return and retrieve their ‘forgotten’ RV or import it into the US legally.

[PastorCharlie]

We have Nexus cards. To get one they do a background criminal check and you have to go in for an interview. Takes a few months. Normally all they do at the Nexus booth is ask you where you're going and/or if you have anything to declare and they wave you on. The Nexus lane is a LOT faster than the regular lanes and usually get through in minutes at the most. We cross the border a lot year round because we also have a mailbox in the US and having Nexus helps a lot for that too.

Just wondering if any of the Nexus group ever go bad? Sounds like they would be the target to buy off to be a carrier for illegal drugs, etc.

[down_home]

I think it was 2001. We went into Alberta in just our Dodge Diesel 3/4 ton.
NRA sticker I think was on it.
Pulled us in for inspection. They tore all our clothes out of the soft carry bags, I think they were, my medicine and everything.
It took a long while to to sort things and fold and put back into the bags. One of these People came over and insisted we hurry up and leave. It was a small station with perhaps one more than the two Customs Officers that tore though our belongings. They wanted to know where our guns were too. Canada has serious crime problems but figures American Tourist with firearms are more of a serious crime. They prefer their Tourists and Citizens defenseless. However Canadian Citizens can carry in the woods and not for self defense...from criminals.

[myredracer]

toedtoes wrote:
myredracer - for the record, my comments were about other posters who DID state they had no desire to cross the border because they got singled out at the border once.

Thanks for the clarification! 🙂

[toedtoes]

myredracer - for the record, my comments were about other posters who DID state they had no desire to cross the border because they got singled out at the border once. And they are "punishing" one side because they were singled out by the other side (e.g., never go back to Canada because US border folks singled them out on the way back into the US).

Reminds me of a friend years ago. We went to Reno for her 21st birthday. She was asking me how to play the slots (a lot of questions) and got carded. She was furious because they carded her and not me and demanded that we leave immediately and never come back.

I don't think they missed her. And I happily came back.

[guidry]

RGar974417 wrote:
I agree with the OP. They want to give law abiding citizens a hard time but allow hundreds of thousands of illegals on the southern border go without knowing anything about them.

Typically law enforcement (I was for 26yrs) get credible information through informants or other law enforcement agencies so they adjust their tactics accordingly. They don't normally want to waste someone's time just for no reason. Piss them off, and yea, they can find a legitimate reason to search your stuff; but normally they don't want to work any harder than is necessary.

Peace officers actually appreciate law abiding citizens; when they're nice.

Be police, do what they say, and you shouldn't have any problems.

[Mr_Mark1]

In 2008 we decided to tour a small portion of Canada in our 'new' motorhome (2008 Monaco Dynasty). Our trip consisted of driving 'halfway' around Lake Superior entering Canada through Minnesota and exiting into the USA through Michigan.

I made the mistake of not looking up what you are able to bring/not bring into their Country. :R When we drove up to the border crossing guardhouse, they asked the usual questions and then asked how much liquor we had on board. I looked at my co-pilot as I really didn't know.

We usually have Vodka in the freezer, a bottle of bourbon in the cabinet and some wine. Several years before we had taken a tour of the wine country in California bought A LOT of wine. Some of that wine made it into the motorhome in the upper cabinets in the dining and living area on the driver's side.

Well, since I didn't know exactly how much we had, they said pull over in the holding area. Two officer's came into the coach and asked us to wait outside. They asked how much cash we had total and I think it was less than $1,000 ($10,000 is the limit).

So, a male and female officer went rummaging through the whole interior of the coach. They found all of the wine and put it on the dining table. We probably had 20 bottles of which a few where quite nice and special. They were kind enough not to damage anything and they also never checked the bays.

I think because we were so laid-back and nice to them, they said we have two options of which we don't get to choose, they confiscate all of the overage wine that we are allowed or we have to pay a tax/fine. They let us pay the tax/fine.

It came out to $182.00 if I recall correctly. There were a couple of bottles that would have exceeded that cost. It was my fault for not checking the rules as that never crossed my mind as I had my passport and we are law abiding citizens in my eyes. We didn't bring in any guns, etc.

After paying the fine, the guard told us that we have been flagged in their computer.

Fast forward to 2013, we decided to take a train trip across Canada starting in Toronto and ending in Vancouver Canada. That was a WONDERFUL trip with beautiful scenery. Before the trip started we hired a car to take us to the Niagara Falls to spend a couple of days so that we could see it from the Canadian side (absolutely gorgeous!).

Flying into Canada and then into the USA, the officers checking our passports never said anything about being 'flagged'. It was very easy going in and out of both countries.

I remember in 2008 diesel fuel in Canada was $5.25 a gallon whereas it was $4.99 in the US. I was able to fill up in Minnesota and didn't have to refuel until we entered Michigan.

I would really like to tour Canada again, especially, in the eastern part.

Safe travels,
MM.

[myredracer]

O brother, all I did was report on an unusual border crossing experience, not blaming anyone, saying it was bad enough to never cross the border again or that they were "picking on" RV-ers. I have never seen all RVs pulled over and get x-rayed, inspected underneath and dog-searched. And being a long weekend made it very unusual and frustrating. Being confined to your RV for two hours is not fun plus I wanted to get to our CG to get a good site. In the olden days, all they did was ask where you were from and you were good to go. Things have changed a lot.

CBP = US Customs Border Patrol. Canadian is CBSA.

We have Nexus cards. To get one they do a background criminal check and you have to go in for an interview. Takes a few months. Normally all they do at the Nexus booth is ask you where you're going and/or if you have anything to declare and they wave you on. The Nexus lane is a LOT faster than the regular lanes and usually get through in minutes at the most. We cross the border a lot year round because we also have a mailbox in the US and having Nexus helps a lot for that too.

Grit dog wrote:
Lol, really? Not the x-dressing part, the spouses clothes part, haha. Real rule or flavor of the week rule?

Yes, real rule. If you have Nexus, you cannot take spouse's clothes into the US if the spouse isn't with you. I have no idea what that rule is for.

[DownTheAvenue]

Everyone, me included, can relate incidents by both Canadian and American officials at border crossings that may seem to make little sense to us. I am sure they are doing something that meets their legitimate objectives. For the OP to insinuate that the officials were picking on RVers for their own amusement and deliberating causing delays is just plain dumb!

[rk911]

bucky wrote:
The Op evidently lives in Canada and states that he was headed DOWN to the border which to me means south. He would not have encountered CBP to get into the US. Canada's recent legalization of marijuana has got the border into the US on high (ha) alert.

i took CBP to mean the US “Customs & Border Patrol” not “Canadian Border Patrol”.

[toedtoes]

It's amazing how so many are blaming the wrong country's border service...

[toedtoes]

JoeH wrote:

rexlion wrote:
This sort of stuff is why I've lost interest in driving across the border to Canada. I grew up going fishing with my folks in Ontario every summer, but I haven't been back to any province for about the last two decades. Plenty to see and do south of that line, fortunately.

Same with me. I used to live in upstate NY and go to Ontario fishing. The last time , about 40 yrs ago, I was coming back and they decided to literally tear my car apart. took all my camping and fishing gear and put it ( threw it) on the ground. When they were done, they said I was good to go. Took me a long time to reload everything and get the car ready to drive again... all in the rain. I've had no desire to return to Canada since then. No big loss as there is just so much to see and do in the USA

So you don't visit Canada because you didn't like the U.S. border patrol's behavior?

[tarnold]

Crossing one time into Canada was asked all the usually questions then asked if I minded if he came in and looked around. At that time my big lab came up and stuck his nose out the window. I said I don't mind, but he might! Officer told me to have a good trip.

[JoeH]

rexlion wrote:
This sort of stuff is why I've lost interest in driving across the border to Canada. I grew up going fishing with my folks in Ontario every summer, but I haven't been back to any province for about the last two decades. Plenty to see and do south of that line, fortunately.

Same with me. I used to live in upstate NY and go to Ontario fishing. The last time , about 40 yrs ago, I was coming back and they decided to literally tear my car apart. took all my camping and fishing gear and put it ( threw it) on the ground. When they were done, they said I was good to go. Took me a long time to reload everything and get the car ready to drive again... all in the rain. I've had no desire to return to Canada since then. No big loss as there is just so much to see and do in the USA