The horror of border control
May 11th 2010 | 8:33 am
#16
Slightly Canadian
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 10,146
From: St. John's, Newfoundland
Re: The horror of border control
May 11th 2010 | 8:37 am
#17
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,139
Re: The horror of border control
I'm glad that is all cleared up now. No one has been trafficked, by BE posters or otherwise. Now lets move on, or I'll not be allowed out of the basement at all this week.
May 11th 2010 | 11:15 am
#20
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 55
Re: The horror of border control
In two and a half years I havent seen it sold anywhere once.
May 11th 2010 | 11:19 am
#21
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 30,259
From: Europe (to be specified).
Re: The horror of border control
And people say nasty things about Oz. The absence of Fosters is a stella recommendation.
May 11th 2010 | 11:23 am
#22
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 396
Re: The horror of border control
So, this week my family came to visit and we were all set to pick them up in Buffalo driving across the border from Fort Erie. I expected to have some trouble cross to the states as they tend to be over zealous though a 2 and a half hour wait seemed excessive even then but then, coming back today after dropping them off to go home, already sad that they were leaving I had to deal with the most horrid border patrol officer I think I have ever met.
First she questioned my BUNAC visa being authentic, then she demanded to know why we applied for our spousal visa outland via london when inland is so much faster (what?! I don't know where she gets her information from!). When she asked me where I got my information from and I told her from the CIC website she rolled her eyes and said, 'uh no, it's faster inland.' I'm not sure what business that was of hers anyway to be honest, if I wanted to send the ruddy applications to the moon what difference would it make? We were then sent to go and see immigration canada and the girl there was lovely and sent us on our way without problem. She seemed a little confused why we were there at all!
Ok, so in conclusion, after 4 terrible experiences out of 5 crossing the border in the last 2 years I've decided not to do it again. Too stressful because you can't lost your temper with them but you have to take their terrible attitudes and it's such a waste of time all round.
I've finished ranting now, anyone else had similar experiences?
First she questioned my BUNAC visa being authentic, then she demanded to know why we applied for our spousal visa outland via london when inland is so much faster (what?! I don't know where she gets her information from!). When she asked me where I got my information from and I told her from the CIC website she rolled her eyes and said, 'uh no, it's faster inland.' I'm not sure what business that was of hers anyway to be honest, if I wanted to send the ruddy applications to the moon what difference would it make? We were then sent to go and see immigration canada and the girl there was lovely and sent us on our way without problem. She seemed a little confused why we were there at all!
Ok, so in conclusion, after 4 terrible experiences out of 5 crossing the border in the last 2 years I've decided not to do it again. Too stressful because you can't lost your temper with them but you have to take their terrible attitudes and it's such a waste of time all round.
I've finished ranting now, anyone else had similar experiences?
I've never worked on border control, but have worked extensively in visa processing. I would have been disgusted with any of my staff had they acted in the way that US border control routinely act.
May 11th 2010 | 12:36 pm
#23
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 636
From: Sittin' pretty on The Prairie in Alberda
Re: The horror of border control
My 2 cents worth...
US Border Control, down here on the southern side, tend be jerkoffs with huge chips on their shoulders and Hispanic names. Every time I crossed with a British passport I would be lectured about how I was supposed to have a visa and that the Visa Waiver Program 'didn't apply' to me (they could never explain why not, exactly), or I would be asked. "where have you come from?" - well, I am at a land crossing on the border with Mexico, where do ya think?
There's an excellent word in Spanish for such uninformed and uniformed clowns - 'prepotente'...kinda' translates into 'little hitler' or 'jobsworth'.
US Border Control, down here on the southern side, tend be jerkoffs with huge chips on their shoulders and Hispanic names. Every time I crossed with a British passport I would be lectured about how I was supposed to have a visa and that the Visa Waiver Program 'didn't apply' to me (they could never explain why not, exactly), or I would be asked. "where have you come from?" - well, I am at a land crossing on the border with Mexico, where do ya think?
There's an excellent word in Spanish for such uninformed and uniformed clowns - 'prepotente'...kinda' translates into 'little hitler' or 'jobsworth'.
May 11th 2010 | 2:24 pm
#24
Thread Starter
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 315
From: Port Colborne, ON
Re: The horror of border control
Never a great experience. I've only had good experiences with Canadian border control, but unpleasant experiences with US border control - I've never met one who was in a good mood and they are very ignorant of what non US visas/stamps mean, i.e. when they are asking where have you been and what are you doing.
I've never worked on border control, but have worked extensively in visa processing. I would have been disgusted with any of my staff had they acted in the way that US border control routinely act.
I've never worked on border control, but have worked extensively in visa processing. I would have been disgusted with any of my staff had they acted in the way that US border control routinely act.
It was just a bad end to a difficult week and I can't understand why the woman was so bitchy, she talked like a teenager and was just too rude. When I tried to explain about BUNAC she asked me if it was 'authentic'...but she wasn't interested in any of my explanations, the girl in the office was really quite lovely and seemed so confused as to why I was asked to stop. Ridiculous. Back when I worked at HR if I heard any of my staff talking to someone the way she talked to me we would be having stern words but I don't think it's that easy to complain about border patrol.
When I traveled across to the US from Canada a couple of years back (when I was a sweet and slightly naive lone traveler) I was told by the border patrol to show him all the money I had on me, as I was just going to start my trek america trip I had everything in cash and travelers cheques, over $1500 worth mostly hidden in my bra. He had me count it out on the counter in front of 30 complete strangers I was going to be on a bus with for 18 hours. What a jerk!
May 11th 2010 | 3:47 pm
#25
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,092
From: Calgary
Re: The horror of border control
My theory is that the more unimportant, boring, small and irrelevant a border post is, the more crap you get. I've had the most trouble with US border guards at Point Roberts (pimple on the arse of Canada) and Skagway, Alaska. New York? Couldn't have cared less. Through in minutes.
Never had any trouble with Canadian border officers.
Never had any trouble with Canadian border officers.
Stewart BC to Haida Alaska has (or had 20 years ago) a very "fluid" border. When staying there once I took a trip into Haida with a buddy who lived there who offered a joint to the American border guard - and he took it gratefully and didn't check any paperwork or nuffink!! The denizens of said US town also walked around with .357s on their hips "in case of bears!"
Quite surreal!
May 11th 2010 | 4:00 pm
#26
half a century
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 10,222
From: Sarf Lundun to East Van :)
Re: The horror of border control
I went to Seattle last week with my girlfriends that were over visiting form the UK.
2 of us had British EU passports, the other had a Southern Irish one, with only 5 months left to run. We didnt even think about it - trundled up - stood in queue - v grumpy desk officers - then the really grumpy one came over and pulled us out of line (uh oh) .
He then proceeded to be really friendly and introduced us to Finn the next door officer who had Irish heritage . . .he then studied my mates passport for ages, consulted some huge book and some other offficers - oh shit we thought - the hotel is booked etc. . . . .
Then some nutter came in on a bike with no ID and started spouting off - so he just stamped our green visas and off we went!
Coming back the Nucks were grump AND searched the boot of my car! Prob cos they could see 10 Abercrombie and Fitch bags - unfortuntaley for them it was 10 t shirts in separate bags!
(the 3 I pads were under the wheel arches! )
2 of us had British EU passports, the other had a Southern Irish one, with only 5 months left to run. We didnt even think about it - trundled up - stood in queue - v grumpy desk officers - then the really grumpy one came over and pulled us out of line (uh oh) .
He then proceeded to be really friendly and introduced us to Finn the next door officer who had Irish heritage . . .he then studied my mates passport for ages, consulted some huge book and some other offficers - oh shit we thought - the hotel is booked etc. . . . .
Then some nutter came in on a bike with no ID and started spouting off - so he just stamped our green visas and off we went!
Coming back the Nucks were grump AND searched the boot of my car! Prob cos they could see 10 Abercrombie and Fitch bags - unfortuntaley for them it was 10 t shirts in separate bags!
(the 3 I pads were under the wheel arches!
)
