Trouble with California

[pitch]

Ag. Check points;we all know understand and tolerate them,never a problem.
Couple of weeks ago we were heade to redwood. National forest from Grants Pas Oregon.
Ag check ahead, ok I fall into line with everyone else,multiple lanes,cars trucks,other rv,s. Everyone pauses about thirty seconds and moves on. Normal right?
My turn, she looks at my NY tags,Have you any fresh fruits or vegetables on board?"
"No we Don,t"
"w
When was the last time this vehicle was in Ny?"
"About 8or9weeks ago."

She then grabs a flashlight and inspection miror and gives the undercarriage of both truck and trailer a thorough going over. She then does a second tour inspecting the roof area.
I was quite surprised,but oh well not an imposition.
"I would like to inspect the interior"

"Not with out a warrant"
"Sir Weare trying to protect our agricultural resources"

"I understand that,bbut you are not entering my trailer without a warrant !"

She gave me a look that could kill,and entered her both and made a phone call.

Minute is so later she comes out,shoves a handful of invasive critter literature into my hand and said,"move on"

Has anyone else been subjected to such nonsense,or did this inspector just have a bone for New Yorkers?

[Yosemite_Sam1]

Donna Jean wrote:
do they stop cars to inspect or just campers and trailers?

All, theoretically.

But there is an ebb in inspection and sometimes just wave off cars depending on current risk or imminent danger of contamination.

Inspection is stricter on those traveling interstate specially when asked, you happen to have passed by a state having pest infestations.

[bpounds]

Cars, RVs, even motorcycles, all have to stop. Commercial carriers are handled separately.

An actual inspection is a small percentage. Often you won't even stop, just get waved through.

[Donna_Jean]

do they stop cars to inspect or just campers and trailers?

[Yosemite_Sam1]

Donna Jean wrote:
I have not yet traveled in an RV so I am confused, are you saying that within the united states there are agents at the states borders that are checking vechicles when you go between states, is this just out west, and is it just RV's or do they stop cars as well? so if i do some shopping and have produce you could get in trouble or they could take it.

California has a multi-billion agricultural industry that the state is trying to protect from pests.

The mandate extend to invasive species that could play havoc on it's forests and bodies of water.

Hence, CA's borders have inspectors.

Yes, those produce and firewood can be asked to be off loaded.

[Donna_Jean]

I have not yet traveled in an RV so I am confused, are you saying that within the united states there are agents at the states borders that are checking vechicles when you go between states, is this just out west, and is it just RV's or do they stop cars as well? so if i do some shopping and have produce you could get in trouble or they could take it.

[bpounds]

dave54 wrote:
...
A few years ago the Calexico border checkpoint was backed up...Did not even ask for passports...

Checkpoint, or border crossing? Why would you need a passport at a checkpoint? Checkpoints are often many miles inside the country. Citizens mostly would not be carrying passports.

[dave54]

opnspaces wrote:
Some really interesting opinions on this topic. I subscribe to the mantra of just don't give them a reason to cause me a delay while at the same time not give up my rights either.

Just came back from Yuma to San Diego about two weeks ago. Made sure I didn't have any fruits onboard. The Ag stop was about 30 seconds. Yes I flipped my sunglasses up onto my head as I'm rolling to a stop even though they are not law enforcement. And I always roll down both the drivers and and rear drivers side windows (factory tinted) so the inspector can see into the vehicle. The lady asked if I was bringing any fruits to which I said no. She asked me to pull forward a bit so she could check the drain plugs on the jet skis. I pulled forward a bit. She looked at the plugs and waved me on. Seriously a total of about 30 seconds.

At the ICE checkpoint I did the same thing, sunglasses up and windows down. I never even came to a full stop before the guy waved me on.

I'll keep doing this and let the inspector focus on the guy behind me in line that is adamantly keeping his sunglasses on and his tinted windows up to prevent that unauthorized visual search that the inspector is conducting from the doorway of his booth 5 feet away.

Similar. Depends upon the inspector, the line, and his mood.
A few years ago the Calexico border checkpoint was backed up and several agents were all over a van and a truck, tearing them apart. Very busy. The agent saw my California plate, gave me a quick visual, and waved me through without stopping. Did not even ask for passports. I shrugged, somewhat confused, and continued on my way north. Weird.

[Eric_Lisa]

I scanned through the pages of comments. Isn't it interesting how polarized we can be on such a simple issue. This discourse really speaks more for the state of our society than it does for the subject at hand.

-Eric

[opnspaces]

Some really interesting opinions on this topic. I subscribe to the mantra of just don't give them a reason to cause me a delay while at the same time not give up my rights either.

Just came back from Yuma to San Diego about two weeks ago. Made sure I didn't have any fruits onboard. The Ag stop was about 30 seconds. Yes I flipped my sunglasses up onto my head as I'm rolling to a stop even though they are not law enforcement. And I always roll down both the drivers and and rear drivers side windows (factory tinted) so the inspector can see into the vehicle. The lady asked if I was bringing any fruits to which I said no. She asked me to pull forward a bit so she could check the drain plugs on the jet skis. I pulled forward a bit. She looked at the plugs and waved me on. Seriously a total of about 30 seconds.

At the ICE checkpoint I did the same thing, sunglasses up and windows down. I never even came to a full stop before the guy waved me on.

I'll keep doing this and let the inspector focus on the guy behind me in line that is adamantly keeping his sunglasses on and his tinted windows up to prevent that unauthorized visual search that the inspector is conducting from the doorway of his booth 5 feet away.

[jseyfert3]

You guys are amusing. Not sure the legality of ag searches, but I know custom searches are legal and there's no way to avoid them, if asked. Found that out in preparation for our first trip into Canada, which we did with the TT.

Our crossing both ways was painless. Cross in MN south of Thunder Bay. Pulled up on a Thursday with rain, one lane open, nobody in line. Canadian customs agent asked for passports, what state lived in, and where we were going and how long, then a rapid fire set of "Do you have guns? Stun guns? Tazers?" and so forth. No no no were the answers. Then "welcome to Canada". Probably there a minute. I was expecting questions on food, there were none.

Coming back Saturday there were just a couple people ahead of us (going into Canada from the US had a LONG line of people with boats, good thing we were leaving and not coming in Saturday!). Pull up, and a customs agent crosses the road in front of us to the passenger side. I believe he was getting ready to do a search of the camper. Customs agent on the driver side takes the passports, asks where we went, if we bought anything. I say some toilet paper and bread. He looks at me for 10-15 seconds then hands the passports back and says welcome back. Guy who had crossed to the passenger side came back over to the box.

US side took longer than the Canadian side. Maybe two minutes instead of a minute. 😄 In both cases I had removed my sunglasses ahead of time, as had my wife, had my window rolled down, and was holding of our passports already. The Canadian agent asked me to roll down the driver's side rear window on our SUV (which is factory tinted), so on our way back into the US I pre-rolled that window down as well.

I would not refuse a customs search (obviously), and I don't think I would refuse an ag search. I've never had a LEO ask to search my vehicle in a standard traffic stop, but I would refuse that, if they asked. For normal traffic stops I've always been polite, pulled off onto a low traffic side street if I was able, had the window down, hands on steering wheel, and confirmed with them before moving my hands ("my registration and insurance is in the glovebox, can I get that?"). The stops I've had are always quick and I get my ticket or warning and I'm off and away. Haven't been stopped in years though, as I've slowed down since I was 18 (28 now), and gotten better organized (I buy yearly registration stickers via mail when they send the reminder notice 3 months ahead of expiration). I check trailer lights before each trip, and check my car lights on a regular basis. I've actually wanted to get pulled over for a light out just to see the LEO expression when I say "oh I've got a replacement bulb right here, can I change that right now so you don't have to write a warning?" I carry a full set of spare exterior light bulbs (every single exterior light) in my car so I never have a light burned out for long at all. Speaking of which, I actually don't have spare lights for the camper yet. I need to check what size those are and buy a full set of spares.

[ppine]

16 pages of comments.
People have a lot to learn.

[Yosemite_Sam1]

WVcampground wrote:

DutchmenSport wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
All I can say is it's keeping a lot of people out of California.

If only we could keep a lot of people from California out of Indiana, our roads might be safer! Gone are the days of Sunday look-ie-loo drives in the early afternoon. Do that today and 10 cars from California pile behind you on a back country blowing their horns because you are not running 90 mph on a back county road intended for 30 mph traffic and there's Amish horse poo all over the road!

What do you think the attraction is? The Amish horse poo?

And they get offended when you stare too long on them. No, not the poo, the Amish.

[Acampingwewillg]

Wasn't there a song, "Indiana wants me but I can't go back there" showing my age again. Those cars going 90 mph are just trying to get out of that Hell Hole! Just Kidding...don't get twisted! LOL:B

[WVcampground]

DutchmenSport wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
All I can say is it's keeping a lot of people out of California.

If only we could keep a lot of people from California out of Indiana, our roads might be safer! Gone are the days of Sunday look-ie-loo drives in the early afternoon. Do that today and 10 cars from California pile behind you on a back country blowing their horns because you are not running 90 mph on a back county road intended for 30 mph traffic and there's Amish horse poo all over the road!

What do you think the attraction is? The Amish horse poo?

[DutchmenSport]

dodge guy wrote:
All I can say is it's keeping a lot of people out of California.

If only we could keep a lot of people from California out of Indiana, our roads might be safer! Gone are the days of Sunday look-ie-loo drives in the early afternoon. Do that today and 10 cars from California pile behind you on a back country blowing their horns because you are not running 90 mph on a back county road intended for 30 mph traffic and there's Amish horse poo all over the road!