Meeting an ATS Friend - Crossing the border from Canada to the USA - I've never been so hassled

reply to post by Demoncreeper


That's just not a viable reason to do these things. Now if it was their names and they were visiting people they knew online, then duh there's going to be an issue. But that does not change the fact that the government damaged their property and told them to fix it. There's no logic. to that.

reply to post by Gorman91


I get what you are saying. But it happened. It happens ALL the time.
American border guards are pricks. Plain and simple.

Example 2.

My dad and I drove down to Reno. We bought an old hot rod. So I drove his car back, and he drove the hotrod.
We know about the 72 hr rule for importing vehicles, but had the ex owners permission to take it back to Canada to do some "body work" on it for the winter.

We hit customs, and they were Canadian agents, that deciphered that basically, my father was trying to 'smuggle' a vehicle over the border. I was allowed through, my father was not. As he was on the American side, they summoned American custom agents. They got into the vehicle with him and took my dad into "custody".

I went into the Canadian customs office, asked about what was going to happen with my dad. After explaining to the Canadian agent what happened, he asked me to come with him.

I asked if I was going to get the "rubber glove". He said that the Canadians didn't much care to do that to Canadians...but the Americans love to.

ANYWAYS, I explained the whole situation, the insurance coverage from both Canada and U.S. etc...Which we were informed that it didn't matter. We technically weren't even allowed to drive an American registered vehicle in the United States, unless it was a rental car.

So I asked if I could just walk through to the American side, to pick up my dad. Was granted permission, to hit the American building for pedestrian traffic.

Here's a bit about me;

I'm 6 foot 3, 260 lbs, and at that time, was wearing a black west coast choppers hoodie, pantera skull cap, and camouflage military pants.

This even bigger custom agent walks up to me at the desk and says quite rudely, "What do you want?"

I look 7 feet away to the end of the desk, where my father was standing(hair messy, clothes all disheveled) filling out some paper work. 2 other women were beside him also filling paperwork.

I said "I just want to talk to my dad there, and find out what is happening"

Guard: "Which one is your dad?"

Me: "Um, the man...."

Guard: *silence* but becoming angry and red faced.

Guard: "what do you mean what is happening..?"

Me: "If you aren't aware, maybe you can go find someone with a little more knowledge, and less anger"

Guard: " If you aren't crossing the border, you can get the *BLEEP* out of this building..." Meanwhile a female customs agent that was listening to our whole conversation, snickered earlier with the "um the man " comment, came by and relieved this angry monkey of his post.

I politely explained what happened, and she was happy to help But it started off quite aggressive.
Maybe being a recently ex law enforcement officer in Canada was a bit helpful, but maybe not.

Originally posted by Gorman91
reply to post by Demoncreeper

 

That's just not a viable reason to do these things. Now if it was their names and they were visiting people they knew online, then duh there's going to be an issue. But that does not change the fact that the government damaged their property and told them to fix it. There's no logic. to that.

The reason they are doing it has little to do with security. It is part of the creeping authoritarianism that is slowly accustoming us to the inversion (and perversion) of all Americans once held dear.

The Bill of Rights has been put through a shredder and worse than that, we have been conditioned to not care or react to this sad and ominous fact. The American people=zombie lemmings.

Originally posted by Gorman91
reply to post by Elbereth

 

That's a pretty big assumption.

Yes, it is an assumption, but an assumption based on the experience of trying to get attorneys to take similar cases. They want to know what's in it for them, like any good businessman.

reply to post by Demoncreeper


Its somewhat frightening to think that 'some' of these border patrol guards act so aggressively to the point where it provokes confrontational energy. Are they trained to inspire the fight or flight response or is this just something they really enjoy doing to people?

Biting my tongue has never been easy, but the price to bear is all too apparent at the border...Dont really want the rubber glove anytime soon, I'll wait until I havent showered in a week, make it extra sweet for them.

But in all seriousness - I realize that im coming into another country, I dont fight them or lie or give shady answers, I tell them everything to the best of my ability and they do their thing and always, repeat ALWAYS come up empty handed, you think that might appear on their computer screen as a reminder not to waste their time.

But its not about time is it, Its very similar to TSA agent situations - some of them just 'love' their job.

-GM

reply to post by Elbereth


reply to post by Demoncreeper



For both of you, quotes and personal claims aren't enough to convince me. I need to see it to believe it. As to slow authoritarian creeping, Nazi Germany proved quite well that you can have the total devotion of a population by killing a few politicians during a crashed economy. Both of which are easy to do for men in power. There's no reason to do it slowly. All it does is make the viability for a charismatic leader who will kill the creeps all the more higher. In fact, history proves that slow creeping of power is a one way ticket to the execution hall.

reply to post by Gorman91


Aren't enough to convince you of what? I guess I'm just a big liar? I must be. Ex-peace officer, now in video surveillance industry. haha.

Either way, it happens. Suing everyone for everything isn't the answer. That only creates tighter and tighter laws, which people PERCEIVE as the end of freedoms as they know it.

It isn't an oppressive government. It's the whiny people.

reply to post by Demoncreeper


basically, don't make claims about yourself with only your words. You're on the internet, the home of lies in the 21st century. There's no way to prove what you claim without evidence, and I've yet to hear of why suing if I were a victim in such a case would be hugely expensive and impossible. There's a lot of claims, but little proof. I maintain a simple fact. Damages were done, so one can sue the government. No one has yet said why I couldn't, what exactly would make the border legally ambiguous, and why it's impossible. Until I see such proof, I really cannot believe that the justice system is broken for everyone and impossible to act in.

I'm not calling nor saying you're a liar. All I'm saying is I cannot believe what I do not see.

Wow, just wow...

They hassle a good 'ol Canadian who is visiting a friend here in America for a short length of time and then tear up his car, and treat him like a CRIMINAL, yet the ILLEGALS running across our OPPOSITE (southern) borders here come running in ILLEGALLY as CRIMINALS, yet they are treated to free schools, healthcare, and lots of other goodies that our own citizens cant even have!!!

WOW, JUST WOW!!!

Sound quite BACKWARDS.

Canadians are NOT OUR ENEMY!!! Cant say that about the opposite border...

Originally posted by Gradius Maximus
reply to post by Demoncreeper

 

Its somewhat frightening to think that 'some' of these border patrol guards act so aggressively to the point where it provokes confrontational energy. Are they trained to inspire the fight or flight response or is this just ....

Ding ding ding! What was your first clue? It's their JOB! A crappy one, to be sure, but it's their job.

Biting my tongue has never been easy, but the price to bear is all too apparent at the border...

No one is forcing you to cross and international border.

But in all seriousness - I realize that im coming into another country, I dont fight them or lie or give shady answers, I tell them everything to the best of my ability and they do their thing and always, repeat ALWAYS come up empty handed, you think that might appear on their computer screen as a reminder not to waste their time.

But its not about time is it, Its very similar to TSA agent situations - some of them just 'love' their job.

-GM

Well, AGAIN, Canada has let a few terrorists into their country only to have them migrate down south.

reply to post by Gorman91


Fair enough. There were no damages. No case. End story.
So why waste your time debating with people if you don't believe any claims?

What's the point? You want a youtube video>? Those are proof of everything. haha.

Thanks. It's been swell.

But we are separated now from our American brothers and sisters - Its like an optional berlin wall if we dont have a passport. So if only one of us has a passport we have to cross, There is no middle ground, maybe there should be a 2 mile wide parkland along the border where we can all hang out without being harassed. Just a thought.

I would think terrorists should seem obvious - Are you sure Canada lets in legitimate terrorists?

No one is blowing us up - Maybe the terror is brewing within from what is already living here as a result of overseas actions taken by the state.

Its all garbage, the lot of it - my spirit cries for the peace that may never come without the aid of supernatural force.

-GM

Originally posted by Gradius Maximus
But we are separated now from our American brothers and sisters - Its like an optional berlin wall if we dont have a passport. So if only one of us has a passport we have to cross, There is no middle ground, maybe there should be a 2 mile wide parkland along the border where we can all hang out without being harassed. Just a thought.

It does suck. Which is why I believe that a N. American Union would make sense for the populations of both countries.

I would think terrorists should seem obvious - Are you sure Canada lets in legitimate terrorists?

Yep. I'm sure.

US critics also warned that “Canada's open immigration policies and relatively lax policing of recent arrivals could make it a logical entry point…”[ix] The public was reminded of several close calls from the 1990s – most notably, the Algerian born al-Qaeda operative Ahmed Ressam (also known as The Millennium Bomber) who was allowed to enter and settle in Montreal, Canada, under an application of political asylum in 1994. He later evaded detection by assuming a false identity and using a counterfeit passport.[x] In 1999, Ressam was arrested when custom officials found timing devices and nitroglycerin hidden in a spare tire as he crossed the US-Canada border at Port Angeles, Washington. It was later revealed that Ressam’s target was to bomb the LAX International Airport at Los Angeles, California.[xi]

www.law.ualberta.ca...

www.amren.com...

No one is blowing us up - Maybe the terror is brewing within from what is already living here as a result of overseas actions taken by the state.

No, the problem is Canada has a very lax immigration policy that lets potential terrorists onto the continent.

reply to post by Demoncreeper


Oh well, I just can't see taking apart your car as not being damages.

reply to post by The_Zomar


Did you write the account down, and get it notarized?
Did you have witnesses and if you did, did you take their statements?

See, people can only be held accountable IF - WE HOLD them liable for their actions.

If you just kick a rock, and say, "what can I do?"

Obviously you will not find the answer.

Originally posted by The_Zomar

Originally posted by Gorman91
reply to post by Demoncreeper

 

I'm suspicious of your claims. That's a right to sue right there, and they're fools not to have.

If you don't believe him, then you haven't been to the border. :p

Btw, it would also help to give notice to the chief commanding officer/supervisor of your intent to
visit and send a letter within a certain time frame to establish either tacit agreement or an acknowledgment.

OP you said you are meeting a friend you met online....

Hmmmmm...

Originally posted by facelift
reply to post by Gradius Maximus

 

Guard "How long have you known this friend and where do they live"

Gradius "About a year, im not sure where he lives, we havent met yet"

Guard "You havent MET this friend yet?"

Gradius "No, we know eachother from internet discussions"

You got what you gave - ignorance...out of all the answers you could have given, you chose the ones that made it most difficult - kinda like you wanted the hassle.


Well, bad decisions aside, what did you have for lunch..?

I would have to agree,.
Your intentions may have been pure,.
but though the US is NOT a police state,. it would seem that the job they are there to do
was done,.
next time have some better answers or move out and get a car

First, I want to say I do like this website and some of the thoughtful people that post here.
Secondly, I want to say that some people are just plain stupid and should not post their experiences here to get attention and cause fear and spread ahte where it is not necessary.

I want to explain something about this post and poster and his experience because I have insight into it. This poster not only exagerates, he embelishes, and he clearly does not have a good memory of what questions were asked. You see, I retired last year for U.S. Customs and Border Protection after 36 years and I was served as a line officer, a supervisor, a manager, and had been a training officer.

Customs Officers are required to ask certain questions to estabslish where a traveler is coming from and where they are going to. They also want to know if a visitor to the United States is familiar with the place they are visiting and the people they are visiting. Certain answers raise red flags that there may be a problem with a traveler, like they may not be telling the truth, or they may be doing things similar to patterns that criminals or terrorists do.

Now it may be no big deal to a visitor that you met someone on the internet, but never met them in person and now you are crossing an international border to go meet them. However, when you tell that at the border to a Customsw Officer, that raises a red flag. #1. Your coming to meet someone that you have never met in person before.
# 2. Your not from the local area. # 3. your not driving your car, but a borrowed car. 3 major red flags of a drug smuggler.
Now as far the knife. Once you admittedd you have a "knife" on you, you are considered "armed", (not necessarily dangerous unless you act that way), and the knife must be taken from you and secured. This is an officer safety issue. This is the same throughout all United States law enforcement, not just at the border.
You were palced in an isloation area while your car was searched. This was because you cannot be present during that search and yes, sometimes, things may be out of place but the officers are not supposed to leave the car in a mess and I am sure they did not destroy the vehicle. If they damaged the vehicle you may file a tort claim at the Port of Entry or by contacting U.S. Customs and Border Protection headquarters in Wash., D.C.

So please, because of your own ignorance and hate, don't blame the fine officers protecting our nation for doing their job trying to keep out Terrorists, Canadian dope smugglers, and haters like yourself.

have a dwi/dui? you will not get in but if you do they can try you on the same charges and imprison you...they dont have a us constitution or freedom of speech or bring in a magazine like high times is a crime to own so canada.....why ya hatin?

fand why speak french? you are 45 minutes from buffalo! what is a french canadian?? is it like a native american but from a whole other country but not really just say they are french to be better than a canadian canadian??

your bacon? our ham sausage! colour? color me dumb

...bc is british? and columbian? but in canada? no wonder they have a messed up border problem...blame..canada

what have they done for us? oh syrup and another anthem to listen to that no one gets oh canada get a clue

good beer bad border police...ever seee all the turban heads in eurocars get a hassle? no thats discrimination....

a 30'ish white boy from upstate ny is more likely to be a jihadi....ok....

eh? eh? i would like to declare yer heads up ur ass mr border nazi..

maple leaf flag and a brit queen on the dollar bill and a french attitude aboot what? identity issues and no sense of what bacon is



yeah the falls are cool and yeah i like the bc bud and syrup so i will not be offended if you hate us for bein a free and proud people...so ok eh? good day eh?