BajaNomad

Crossing mess Sunday 11/25

DanO - 11-26-2007 at 10:21 AM

Anyone besides me think yesterday afternoon's traffic was the worst ever? We vectored around trying to get to San Ysidro SENTRI, but both entry points were jammed all the way back to Independencia and not moving, and there was no way to skirt the lines. We headed over to Otay, where the SENTRI line, which you had to fight to get into (to the amusement of the two TJ moto cops standing around doing nothing), was out to the main drag -- about a 50 minute wait. I shudder to think what the non-SENTRI wait was. Ugh.

elgatoloco - 11-26-2007 at 11:02 AM

I crossed north on Nov. 2nd - Day of the Dead- mid day. It was not just the 'spirits' of the dead leaving, it seemed everyone else in Baja Norte was as well!. :biggrin: I could not even get near the border in SY. 1 hour 15 minutes at Otay Sentri.

Bwana_John - 11-26-2007 at 12:04 PM

I came across at Mexicali East, ~9:00 PM, Nov 24 with a ~40 minute wait.

bajadogs - 11-26-2007 at 12:45 PM

DanO,
We sat in that non-SENTRI San Ysidro mess for 3 hours - 6:30 to 9:30 PM. Worse ever for me. Dang drug-sniffing dog jumped up the side of my truck. The agents asked me a few questions. It must've been the beef jerky.:?:

cpg - 11-26-2007 at 01:15 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DanO
Anyone besides me think yesterday afternoon's traffic was the worst ever? We vectored around trying to get to San Ysidro SENTRI, but both entry points were jammed all the way back to Independencia and not moving, and there was no way to skirt the lines. We headed over to Otay, where the SENTRI line, which you had to fight to get into (to the amusement of the two TJ moto cops standing around doing nothing), was out to the main drag -- about a 50 minute wait. I shudder to think what the non-SENTRI wait was.
Ugh.


Saturday was just crazy. Could not figure out wher to get in line the cops had every thing roped off. We had to get out at Otay.

BajaWarrior - 11-26-2007 at 06:01 PM

Sunday was no picnic either at Nuevo Mexicali. Crossed the border at 8:15 p.m.

2 Hour wait, worst I have ever seen since it opened about 7 years ago.

We thought they were checking I.D's more carefully, but it seemed to move just as fast as it usually does, its just that the end of the line was further away from the border. They didnt ask us for I.D., and they have been lately.

[Edited on 11-27-2007 by BajaWarrior]

ID

MrBillM - 11-26-2007 at 06:22 PM

Since they started asking IF you had passports awhile back, I started to set our passports on the dash and hand them to the agent right after saying "Good Afternoon" with a smile. It has worked well, so far. On a number of occasions, they didn't even ask a question. Simply took the passports, scanned them and said "have a nice day".

Just Wait

The Gull - 11-26-2007 at 06:25 PM

Those early bird Xmas shoppers are just part of the tsunami of shoppers who will be jamming the roads right after the Xmas bonus is paid out. Officially, I think the second weekend of December will mark the season, but don't be shocked to see all the weekends until Xmas jammed for 3+ hours with back-ups preventing Sentri lanes from being accessed at the SY crossing. OTAY would be easier for the Sentri people, but the officers always seem to be slower at that crossing.

vivaloha - 11-26-2007 at 10:01 PM

Hardly any talk of crossing at TECATE? Seems like Tecate is a solid crossing spot...
I've only crossed there once and yes it is a bit out of the way but its a cleaner,
more organized town than TJ / Otay area...Any Tecate fans out there...I'm thinking
of starting to use that as my number one cuz TJ is just too sketchy...

BajaWarrior - 11-26-2007 at 10:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by MrBillM
Since they started asking IF you had passports awhile back, I started to set our passports on the dash and hand them to the agent right after saying "Good Afternoon" with a smile. It has worked well, so far. On a number of occasions, they didn't even ask a question. Simply took the passports, scanned them and said "have a nice day".


It doesn't matter how you act, it's how the people in the 900 cars in front of you act!

BajaWarrior - 11-26-2007 at 10:31 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by vivaloha
Hardly any talk of crossing at TECATE? Seems like Tecate is a solid crossing spot...
I've only crossed there once and yes it is a bit out of the way but its a cleaner,
more organized town than TJ / Otay area...Any Tecate fans out there...I'm thinking
of starting to use that as my number one cuz TJ is just too sketchy...


Tecate is still my longest border line ever at 2 1/2 hours on a Sunday this past year.

Never again.