So you think border crossings are confusing?

[aviatoreb]

Here is a story from our local NPR station about how the rules for crossing to Canadian waters by boat are confusing, confused and constantly in flux.  And apparently the border agents aren't all working on the same set of rules.  We are 15 miles from the border so this is why it is local talk.  Also, I found it interesting that the rules as implemented are apparently quite different in Washington State than here in St Lawrence County, NY.

 

http://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/29189/20150811/to-call-or-not-to-call-get-clear-on-boater-border-rules-on-the-st-lawrence-river

 

[Mooneymite]

At work, we re-enter the borders at a large number of different CBP locations.  Each has it's own "rules".  At some, if you leave the aircraft before the customs agent comes out to the the airplane, you'll be fined.  At others, if you stay in the aircraft until the agent comes out, you will be there forever, the agents never come to the plane.  At some, all international garbage goes "here", at others it goes "there" and still others require an independent international garbage caretaker.

 

I could go on and on, but I was told that CBP intentionally does this to keep the bad guys from knowing what to expect.  The problem is that the good guys have to pay the same fines for violation of the local rules.

 

It is a mess.

 

We once carried a congresswoman who is on the congressional oversight committee for CBP.  After seeing what we had to go through, she was furious.  That was several years ago....nothing has changed, so congress must be powerless to oversee CBP.

[aviatoreb]

I really find these guys to be just whacky.

 

And not just at the agent in the field level.  But I mean the whole process is just whacky.  It is designed entirely just to harass good citizens who go to the trouble of following all the rules and leaves a completely porous border to real bad guys. I mean, seriously - will a bad guy file eapis, file a flight plan, check in to open their flight plan, talk to atc, call ahead to the border crossing to be sure that the local agent will be waiting (waiting to harass them - and I mean rude harassment)?  I would guess a bad guy if they were bent on flying would cross the border at 100ft agl.  But rumor around here is that there are locals who run untaxed cigarettes in cigarette boats across the river, but its us who follow the rules to present themselves before the agents that get harassed.

[Guest]

We are vacationing in Europe where there are no borders to speak of. It would seem easier if we just erased the one between the U.S and Canada and placed a strong one around the outside, after all, we've been good neighbours for a few hundred years and gotten along quite well.

Clarence

[aviatoreb]

We are vacationing in Europe where there are no borders to speak of. It would seem easier if we just erased the one between the U.S and Canada and placed a strong one around the outside, after all, we've been good neighbours for a few hundred years and gotten along quite well.

Clarence

 

That would make too much sense.

 

I would sooner have a border between NY and Texas with armed guards than between NY and Ontario.  (Just kidding my friends in Texas - just trying to say something funny - some of my best friends are Texans).

 

Can you imagine how much money both country could save by simply erasing the USA - Canada border and then have some resources left over to improve the outer border?

 

This could never happen because NAFTA makes makes a trio Canada-USA-Mexico, and right now there is a HUGE amount of prejudice in the USA regarding Mexico, and talk amongst the right of strengthening the USA-Mexico border, raising big walls like the Great Wall of China, and Fox news is blaming the Mexican border with ISIS invading the usa, for Ebola coming into the USA, and killer bees.  So lowering the USA - Canada border would become coupled with all that silly talk swirling around Mexico.

 

Hey Clarence - we had a "international" fly in - 3 of us, last spring, with me from upstate NY, Yves from Gatineau and Houman from Montreal.  When we do it again - you are invited!  (Just please keep the killer bees and Ebola in Kitchner).

[yvesg]

That would make too much sense.

  

Hey Clarence - we had a "international" fly in - 3 of us, last spring, with me from upstate NY, Yves from Gatineau and Houman from Montreal.  When we do it again - you are invited!  (Just please keep the killer bees and Ebola in Kitchner).

We shall do it on your side of the border this time... to make this even. I am grounded right now... one exhaust stack is being overhauled in Edmonton by Acorn... found a crack when doing the oil change a week ago.

Yves

[M20F]

We are vacationing in Europe where there are no borders to speak of. It would seem easier if we just erased the one between the U.S and Canada and placed a strong one around the outside, after all, we've been good neighbours for a few hundred years and gotten along quite well.

Clarence

Whoa slow down there if we did that we would be over run by dirty Canadians

[aviatoreb]

We shall do it on your side of the border this time... to make this even. I am grounded right now... one exhaust stack is being overhauled in Edmonton by Acorn... found a crack when doing the oil change a week ago.

Yves

 

I would love that! 

 

Let's think early Sept?  I just moved (still in same small town) to a beautiful new house, and then the semester starts so life is hectic for the next two weeks or so but after that - maybe I can have a canada-usa bbq.

[yvesg]

I fly to L.A. on labor day week-end with air canada. The other week-ends around that are possible.

Yves

[Guest]

That sounds like a good idea, most weekends work for me.

Clarence

[flyboy0681]

Here is a story from our local NPR station about how the rules for crossing to Canadian waters by boat are confusing, confused and constantly in flux.  And apparently the border agents aren't all working on the same set of rules.  We are 15 miles from the border so this is why it is local talk.  Also, I found it interesting that the rules as implemented are apparently quite different in Washington State than here in St Lawrence County, NY.

 

 

If it came from left leaning NPR, how much truth could there be to it?