Canadian border officers cause trauma to good people
- Thread starter 3sands
- Start date
There are right times for "yes sir, no sir, three bags full, sir". Crossing an international border is one of them. On the side of the highway speaking with the nice Constable is another. Leaping through their hoops beats spending time with them ... and you can choke back the urge to laugh ten seconds after they tell you to "have a nice day"....
Noooooo Question!
As he drove away... he could have looked at his wife and said...
"What a BLEEPing jerk. F*ing Yanks."
In the last few minutes I think he realized that taking a stand was not the brightest move. His attitude changed for sure.
No kidding. Engage the guy pleasantly.
"You guys have a tough job. It must be a pain in the neck having to do this all day."
I bet the questions would have stopped for the most part. They were dumb questions for sure but telling them that is just as dumb.
I am sure. These dumb questions could be just to see how he is reacting to them. I love watching the Police stops on "COPS" or other Police shows.
"Ok. It looks like everything checks out so you have a nice day... Oh by the way... you wouldn't by chance have any drugs or weapons in your car do you? Mind if I check?"
Or...
Where are you coming from?
My buddies house.
What's his name?
Ummm, Mike.
Mike what?
I just know him as Mike.
Where does Mike live?
Over on, ummm, Oakland.
What number?
Ummm, I can't remember I just know the house.
OK. Where are you headed?
Home.
Where's that?
Over on Herald.
Cool. Why are you heading the wrong way then?
LMAO.
Too funny. Or when they ask the passenger and the stories are completely different.
"Can you step out of the car. Ok, I'm going to put some cuffs on you for your safety and mine."
Too funny. Or when they ask the passenger and the stories are completely different.
"Can you step out of the car. Ok, I'm going to put some cuffs on you for your safety and mine."
Yep...
People think Cops are just being dicks when they ask a series of questions. I can't make the claim that all Cops are doing it, but I know Cops, there's a program at play in most cases.
A series of questions can used to circle someone into making a mistake. Agitating them to throw them off. Provoking a candid response.
If you are upfront and polite, even if you're asked to exit the vehicle, the chances of you being detained for any greater period, then to ascertain whether or not you are about to commit, or have been involved in, a crime. Is pretty rare.
*scratches head* I'm not too sure what this has to do with you being stopped or not.
See, therein lies the conundrum of the job of a border guard. If they are not doing their jobs, and let something slip by, like a non vaccinated dog that brings rabies into the country, their asses are on the line. Yet, if they are doing their job, people who get nervous and freak out give them reason to think there is something serious going on. And especially if that person seems to think that being the right colour means you should get through the border fine while others shouldn't.
You are basically in no-mans land while at customs, they can be utter pricks or they can smile, they can search every last bit of you and your belongings and there isn't squat you can do about it. To expect that you are going to get the exact same treatment every time you cross a border is unrealistic.
OK I'll bite, what reasons, it seems sometimes they just want to get people flustered so then they
have an excuse to hassle them.
I'm sure it's not as simple as, 'just be co operative' and all will go well. It seems that some of
these uniformed power trippers, probably had a bad night, maybe a fight with the wife, came to work
grumpy, hence, many border crossers suffer the consequences, they are just people
too, and have their quirks.
By the way I have crossed the border many many times with a dog in the car, and never have had to
answer any questions about the dog at all, but always had appropriate papers at the ready just in
case.
I agree, but they should be polite and respectful of 'people' they are dealing with, and if they
can't seem to 'even' do that, they should be fired, or put behind a desk where they don't deal
directly with the public.
I understand that people are also not 'all' the same to question when they are crossing the border,
but those guards know that too, and should not expect everyone to be like robots, as people have
personalities, and although they must respect the guards and answer questions properly, they don't
have to be 'perfect', that is imposible.
The fellow in the video just could not keep his mouth shut, that was his only problem,
he had to question everything which was a poor choice of behavior, and his wife sounded like a complete nut case and a cry baby.
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It's when people calmly answer the ridiculous questions without batting an eye that they really worry. I saw one show where an officer was asking if the driver had any guns, drugs, elephants or dead prostitutes in the trunk. The guy simply said 'no officer' without even a hint of 'huh?' in his voice. Needless to say the trunk was full of drugs and the guy was so panicked he was just giving robotic responses.
True that Tallolla. Some of them are on a power trip or just in a bad mood. The thing is that you have to deal with it appropriately. If you want to make matters worse you can do what this guy did and end up in the slammer.
I hear what you are saying though. I travel a lot and I have been taken aside by TSA for extra screening. What can you do?
I think he was polite. He wasn't being a jerk outside of the questions that seemed ridiculous. The driver was not being polite. I assure you that if he just answered to the best of his ability he would have been on his way. He chose to be a jerk.
Did you hear the recording?
"Oh... what are you going to do...what are you going to do...you gonna shoot me?"
C'mon!
I hear what you are saying though. I travel a lot and I have been taken aside by TSA for extra screening. What can you do?
I think he was polite. He wasn't being a jerk outside of the questions that seemed ridiculous. The driver was not being polite. I assure you that if he just answered to the best of his ability he would have been on his way. He chose to be a jerk.
Did you hear the recording?
"Oh... what are you going to do...what are you going to do...you gonna shoot me?"
C'mon!
the guy is a complete moron.
why anyone would question and argue and then confront anyone at a Border crossing deserves exactly what HE and she got.
I dont' get why the guy did what he did. there really are no excuses.
since 2001 I have flown to the USA once back in 2006. nothing happened and that's because I made things simple for them and for myself.
in 2008 I flew to Cuba and at the Edmonton International they did do a random sweep and pat down and that was about it. so what? oh my god oh what a inconvenience!! (sarcasm here)
some people just need to chill and stop being so difficult with people who are trying to do their job and keep their country safe.
I got pulled aside for 'extra screening' on my trip to Newfoundland. They swabbed my hands for bomb and drug residue, asking me to first stick my hands in my pockets. I looked at him and kind of laughed, pointing down at my yoga pants, which lack pockets altogether. He said, well, rub yuor hands across where pockets would be. I complied, chuckling all the while. But I didn't get pissed because 'he should know better' than to check out a chubby house wife. lol.
Because that's their job. Find criminals.
The common sentiment, "Why aren't you fighting real crime?".
A routine traffic stop in York Region, not that long ago, complete with a series of questions, exposed a theft and export of stolen property ring.
Of course sometimes that happens. They're human beings too.
I've literally spent hours on the side of the road, because I laughed at a young Cop, wearing a fresh pair of Ray-Bans, who just stared at me when I tipped my hat in a friendly fashion to him at an intersection.
I've answered a Black Police Officer who asked "Do you know why I stopped you sir?" with "Because I'm black." And spent another couple hours on the side of the road.
Then this happened...
http://forums.canadiancontent.net/members-lounge/95452-so-funny-thing-happened-my.html#post1324368
There's a reason I asked 3sands about Joelle Kott, and then went on to ask about when she crossed the border.
If it was around the time that Kott was arrested, there may have been very real reasons as to why the Border Agents were aggressive.
There's a reason I ask and say a lot of things. Sometimes I'm trolling, but more oft then not, I'm looking for a response that's more telling and candid then the usual cool, calculated facade some people put on.
Maybe likes chubby housewives...
I know I do...;-)
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Oh, and, at the time there was another security officer following me through to give me back my cane, so, chubby DISABLED housewife. lol.
many years ago, an old friend of ours, who was in his late 80s at the time, was going thru
airport inspection, forget the question but he laughingly answered, well, I don't have a
bomb in there, thats for sure.
He spent the rest of the day detained. Poor choice of answers, for sure.
airport inspection, forget the question but he laughingly answered, well, I don't have a
bomb in there, thats for sure.
He spent the rest of the day detained. Poor choice of answers, for sure.