Border searches

[palmeris]

2 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

Back in 2008 we  wintered in the RGV, I always carried a backpack with my COPD supplies inside, also used the backpack to carry bottled water and meds we bought in MX.

Returning into TX from Progresso MX while wearing my backpack, the U.S. border patrol officer quickly grabbed me, spun me around and patted the backpack from top to bottom. He asked what I had inside so I explained, he cleared me to continue into TX, never questioning me further. Enroute to the RV we heard on the news an unattended backpack had been found at the MX end of the Progresso bridge with an apparent homemade bomb inside.

That explained everything, including the presence of MX Army troops when we entered into, and left Progresso. DW told me the troops W/ machine guns mounted on Jeeps made her nervous, I told her that was a welcome sight to me, made me feel safer.

I was just happy I wasn't body-slammed, or worse, by that border officer.

Understandable since you were crossing border by foot carrying the back pack.

Thanks for sharing your experience. 

[FL-JOE]

23 hours ago, palmeris said:

Im not concerned about anything illegal, nothing to hide in that regard. Although having no need to explain my concerns to you  let me  just say that some of us are not 100% organic with special needs. 

Interesting hypothesis you have, perhaps your responses will also trigger the same profiling of everyone that's posted to this thread?   

Thanks to all that have shared their border crossing experiences without injecting biases nor passing judgments. 

 

 

 

 

I'm just a suspicious person by nature, sorry if I offended you.  After thinking about it a little more I'm fairly certain your above average interest in the possibility of being body searched at a border crossing was in fact innocent.  I wouldn't think anyone thinking about hiding something illegal on their person to take across the border would be stupid enough to seek advise on this forum.

[TIMEYES]

We crossed the border into Canada for the first time earlier this year and, before doing so, read as much as possible on the official websites (as well as RV forums) about what was allowed / prohibited. As a result, we had a thorough clear out of cupboards, refrigerator, drinks cabinet (that was particularly enjoyable apart from the knowledge that we'd have to restock!), etc and even washed the underside of the RV and jeep to remove any dirt thicker than a layer of dust. We also made a list of all remaining food items that we understood were ok to take across but had to be declared and prescribed medications.

Anyway, our crossing north at Carway took less than five minutes (including queuing and a few questions) and, after a wonderful three-weeks roadtrip across western Canada, the return crossing at Peace Arch, Vancouver was similarly uneventful (although the queuing time was somewhat longer).

I guess the motto is be prepared for the 'worst' (secondary questioning / search) and be pleasantly grateful at anything less.

[palmeris]

20 hours ago, FL-JOE said:

I'm just a suspicious person by nature, sorry if I offended you.  After thinking about it a little more I'm fairly certain your above average interest in the possibility of being body searched at a border crossing was in fact innocent.  I wouldn't think anyone thinking about hiding something illegal on their person to take across the border would be stupid enough to seek advise on this forum.

No offense perceived on my behalf , however I would categorize your bias, judgments, and thoughts as inconsequential to any derived intelligence quotient of mine or any others inquiring on this forum.

[FL-JOE]

8 minutes ago, palmeris said:

No offense perceived on my behalf , however I would categorize your bias, judgments, and thoughts as inconsequential to any derived intelligence quotient of mine or any others inquiring on this forum.

I would suggest in the future that if you are seeking information about exactly what happens reference searches at one of our borders, and you do not want any type of bias, judgements, or individual thoughts to enter into the information you receive, then call one of our U.S. Border Patrol officers direct.  I'm sure they would be more than happy to spend a few minutes on the phone with you answering all your questions, especially the ones about full body searches and such.

Least you forget for future reference, this is a public forum.  You get what you pay for.  Please get back to us if you ever do decide to cross one of our borders.

[Dmitche4]

Though this not a border search, we were searched (our RV) thoroughly bu the TSA while we were waiting for the Cape May/Lewes Ferry. Going form Cape May.  While on our way back we asked the officers if they wanted to inspect the RV they stated "Why are we showing a movie?" Good Sense of Humour.

David

[Sehc]

I have used the Cape May Ferry many times a year for many years. I have not seen a TSA agent. The ferry has its own security personnel. They typically use mirrors to look under each vehicle, Look in the windows, and randomly open a trunk. They don't have enough time to to dawdle. You must have been very suspicious, in appearance or actions.

[Dmitche4]

I have no idea, I was on vacation going to Assateague.

David

[palmeris]

On 9/4/2019 at 9:54 AM, FL-JOE said:

I would suggest in the future that if you are seeking information about exactly what happens reference searches at one of our borders, and you do not want any type of bias, judgements, or individual thoughts to enter into the information you receive, then call one of our U.S. Border Patrol officers direct.  I'm sure they would be more than happy to spend a few minutes on the phone with you answering all your questions, especially the ones about full body searches and such.

Least you forget for future reference, this is a public forum.  You get what you pay for.  Please get back to us if you ever do decide to cross one of our borders.

With neither malice nor contempt toward you , perhaps a suggestion that you adhere to the post specific inquiry and not interject your opinions unless requested to do so is in order? ( but that's just my opinion)..Which as a reminder was "Did you have to pass through a metal detector,  be wanded or pat down, body cavity search,etc?" 

When a travel partner is wheel chair dependent, has prosthetic's and other assorted cumbersome medical equipment and will be traveling across a US border in an RV one might be curious and ask such a question relating to others direct border experiences.

Forgive my faith in the public , should of known better.

[Kirk W]

18 minutes ago, palmeris said:

Forgive my faith in the public , should of known better.

Don't give up on us as we are not all critical. 

[Barbaraok]

6 hours ago, palmeris said:

With neither malice nor contempt toward you , perhaps a suggestion that you adhere to the post specific inquiry and not interject your opinions unless requested to do so is in order? ( but that's just my opinion)..Which as a reminder was "Did you have to pass through a metal detector,  be wanded or pat down, body cavity search,etc?" 

When a travel partner is wheel chair dependent, has prosthetic's and other assorted cumbersome medical equipment and will be traveling across a US border in an RV one might be curious and ask such a question relating to others direct border experiences.

Forgive my faith in the public , should of known better.

Part of the problem is you didn’t mention your concerns vis-a-vis going through TSA checks at airports or customs coming in via airplanes.  Since this is an RVing forum, people were giving reply’s as to going through in an RV, which is normally the point of focus with border agents on each side, not the bodies of the people behind the wheel.  In order to get a body cavity search coming in via an RV, there would have to be a really big trigger.  If someone is wheelchair confined, I can’t imagine that topic even coming up unless they needed you to vacate the rig for a secondary inspection.  Not saying something couldn’t trigger it, but when most people are worried about what’s in the fridge or what kind of pet food are they carrying.  

When we crossed several years ago with our cats, I had their rabies certificates all ready, and they never asked about pets.  When talking to other pet owners we quickly realized most had dogs who were up in the windows, on the dash, curious as to what was going on.  Our cats were having their daily naps on the couch and never moved, were not seen, and no one asked about them.  We were asked a dozen different ways about guns, since we have Texas plates. 😎

[Pappy Yokum]

On 9/4/2019 at 6:54 AM, FL-JOE said:

Please get back to us if you ever do decide to cross one of our borders.

Fl-Joe:  

Please speak for yourself ("me" rather than "us") when you state the above.

(IMO) Most -if not all- of  "us" on the forum could have responded to the OP's  question more tactfully.

[FL-JOE]

21 hours ago, palmeris said:

With neither malice nor contempt toward you , perhaps a suggestion that you adhere to the post specific inquiry and not interject your opinions unless requested to do so is in order? ( but that's just my opinion)..Which as a reminder was "Did you have to pass through a metal detector,  be wanded or pat down, body cavity search,etc?" 

When a travel partner is wheel chair dependent, has prosthetic's and other assorted cumbersome medical equipment and will be traveling across a US border in an RV one might be curious and ask such a question relating to others direct border experiences.

Forgive my faith in the public , should of known better.

I am confident the OP would have mentioned that little tidbit if in fact either him/her or his/her travel companion was handicap.  

[FL-JOE]

21 hours ago, Kirk W said:

Don't give up on us as we are not all critical. 

[Kirk W]

35 minutes ago, FL-JOE said:

I am confident the OP would have mentioned that little tidbit if in fact either him/her or his/her travel companion was handicap.  

Your quote is from the person who first asked the question.  😏

[Dutch_12078]

36 minutes ago, FL-JOE said:

I am confident the OP would have mentioned that little tidbit if in fact either him/her or his/her travel companion was handicap.  

As one who can't get through metal detectors unscathed due to the foreign and domestic government metal in my body, I can sympathize with the OP's reluctance to go into specifics. Perhaps a brief mention of "medical metal" might have sufficed in this thread though...

[2gypsies]

A person can get a document from their doctor stating they have a medical metal implant in their body.  We carry ours with us.

[sandsys]

1 minute ago, 2gypsies said:

A person can get a document from their doctor stating they have a medical metal implant in their body.  We carry ours with us.

I have not crossed a border by land since having my implants. At airports I just tell them and they "wand" me.

Linda

[Ronbo]

The rod in my left femur triggers their X-ray machine so I get the wand.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

2 hours ago, Ronbo said:

The rod in my left femur triggers their X-ray machine so I get the wand.

Always wear colorful boxers when traveling thru airports.... Just in case 😎

[FL-JOE]

21 hours ago, Kirk W said:

Your quote is from the person who first asked the question.  😏

You are absolutely correct.  Let us review the OPs postings.  He is extremely curious about border crossings, especially personal searches, and never even hints about "special needs" or anything remotely related to him or anyone with him being handicap.  

Then on the second page it is like the light clicked on and now all of a sudden he hints that this could be the case?  He never actually says this was a handicap related question, just throws out that possibility.  We know by his use of $2.00 words that he knows how to construct a sentence and get a point across.  

I think he has gotten about as much information as he could hope for out of this forum.      

[FL-JOE]

18 hours ago, 2gypsies said:

A person can get a document from their doctor stating they have a medical metal implant in their body.  We carry ours with us.

My DW has two artificial knees and.  She flies a couple times a year and they check her a lot more than they do most other folks she is in line with.   I guess the paperwork at least tells them why her knees are setting off the detectors.

[Kirk W]

14 hours ago, Ronbo said:

The rod in my left femur triggers their X-ray machine so I get the wand.

It is interesting to note to note that Pam has had a complete metal ankle replacement and it does not trigger the airport detectors. Not sure about her metal hip as the only time we have flown since that was put in, we were both put though one of the fullbody scanners. 

[Ronbo]

I wasn’t sure am I actually looked at the screen. It doesn’t actually shoe up like an X-ray. It puts a yellow square or rectangle over the affected part. I a

do has a yellow square over my cervical spine.

[RV_]

1999 went to Alaska with a friend, Bob, now deceased, as a two rig caravan. I took my Savage 24C Camper's special over under combination rifle/shotgun, .22 long rifle barrel over 20 gauge shotgun. Single shot each with spare .22 and Shotgun ammo in stock. I legitimately had it for protection against dangerous animals in Alaska. We did stay at Banff and another provincial campground and toured Lake Louise and the Jasper Ice fields, We had our dog, Bogart who is still on our website. Bob said he had no firearms. We had our dog's papers, all my completed firearm paperwork, and my military retiree as ID on top of the pile of paperwork I handed him. I told him exactly how much alcohol we had on board and it was under the allowed amount, and that we had no foodstuffs, plants, or materials on their forbidden list. I had to go in and sign the firearm in front of them, which took less than a minute. I asked if they'd like to see the gun or check anything else. They said no and commented that they rarely saw travelers as prepared. We both had Texas license plates and driver licenses. I told them we were traveling with the rig behind us and I asked where to park to wait for them. This was the Roosville entry north of Glacier N.P.: https://recordsfinder.com/driving/usborder/border-crossings/mt/roosville/

I pulled over and it took longer than I expected and they pulled him over behind us by 100 feet or so. I got out and walked to them as they walked over and asked what was going on and they asked me to please go back to my vehicle and stay there until they were through. All very professional and courteous. It took about 20 minutes to search their rig, and when they seemed to be done I watched them ask him to open the diamond plate toolbox in the bed of his truck. I saw the border officer pick up a Colt 1911 .45 pistol, talk briefly, and put it back and walk away when we expected them to be arrested. We left after just hearing Bob was angry. 

When we got to the campground and set up we got the full story. Bob said when they asked if he had any firearms he said no. They asked him again as he was already annoyed and he then got angry and told the guard he'd told him once already no. The border guard told how serious the penalties were Bob kind of lost it for a minute. I was afraid they'd be detained for their gallon zip lock bags of white powder as they save space storing laundry detergent that way instead of storing the boxes. Bob was surly in his feeling that they did not believe him. That got them searched. He said they were out of line asking him more than once, and he got angry all over again just recounting it. Bob brought it on himself, but got mad when I suggested that. However he was very polite exiting Canada and coming back through a different crossing re-entering Canada on the trip home. I was still in the lead and hoped he behaved. We'd heard they targeted Texas plates but not so. Otherwise they'd have searched me too for concealed contraband firearms/handguns.

When crossing borders make their job easier but also understand that there are random checks where they have to search every few vehicles by number, for example every five or 10 vehicles as random.

Don't be your own worst enemy. Essentially we have no rights at a border, including ours, until we are cleared if suspected, or trigger a random search. Getting upset, assuming you are not hiding anything, just delays you and everyone behind you. At some point you may cross over a line and cause your arrest or just being turned around. Canada and Mexico want our tourist dollars, and we want to go see their country or hunt it or pass through to another country. If you're behind me, I won't slow you down arguing.