Border Crossings

[marie meijer]

I have crossed the border at Detroit-Windsor way too many times and a few times at Port Huron (MI)-Sarnia (Ont) - casino visit related trips. Most of the time, I have been waved on. A couple times, a total search of the car transpired while they held my keys. It really helps to check out your car before leaving home and be sure nothing unusual is left in it. It is not just a matter that they could confiscate an item, but also DETAIN you, and perhaps impose fines, etc. On two occasions I was fortunate they did not search the car. I had forgotten a small jewelry display case, from a former business, was in the car. Another time, a broken novelty cigarette lighter in the shape of a hand grenade, again from a former business venture, was in the car. A friend's son was interrogated at Sarnia for TWO HOURS in the wee hours when he was returning to US via BLUE WATER BRIDGE, with a business lap top. He had met his parents at the casino after work. It was the lap top that caused the delay, why, why, why. We keep at least one pair of binoculars in the car, for concerts, etc. If stopped, I quickly mention the binoculars in the black case. Once, a friend and I bought a bushel of oranges at Eastern Market to split and then went over to Windsor, sight seeing. It was okay, but those oranges could have been confiscated and perhaps more problems. A former school friend of my husbands caused problems at the border when he exited the car to smoke his pipe, while waiting in line to cross the border. He was merely being polite not smoking in the car, but it looked weird to the border officials. "Why did you get out of the car", etc. Border officials have asked questions like: "how often do you come over, where did you attend high school, were you here yesterday, what year did you graduate, where do you work"...I am thinking the wording does not much matter, simply to learn if we speak English or are coherent or sober?  Do YOU know of any unusual border experiences? 

[macaroo]

 They are trained to watch for any irregularities and any actions that would be considered out of the norm and act accordingly.  They also class everybody into a a certain profile.  If you don't fit, you will be detained and interogated.  They look for slip ups in your answers.
 Best advise is to act cool and collected and try to stay normal as possible and don't pi$$  them off.  Theyi hold all the cards and can make you life miserable.

[marie meijer]

Thanks for your helpful input, macaroo! The couple of times my car was searched, they had also searched the cars in front and then the car behind mine. Sometimes, they merely ask that the back seat window be rolled down and they take a better look. An attractive girl, born in Hawaii of Asian and Hawaiian parents often had business in Windsor. She could count on being stopped at the border every time. Once the border patrol demanded her green card. But I am from Hawaii, she replied. I have to see  your green card...This would be the US border guard. In MEO the Canadians know a lot more about us and our country than we do about them.  

[wilcoxfun]

Marie your comment about the attractive girl born in Hawaii reminded me of the great movie Born in the USA.  My mother-in-law was in Canada at the time 9-11 happened and she really had a difficult time getting back in the states. I kept hoping she would not be let back in but that is another story (Note m-i-l!)