BajaNomad

Not allowed to enter Baja?

bajachris - 6-15-2010 at 09:19 AM

We were recently were not allowed to enter Baja because we did not have the registration for our utility trailer. Had the registration for the quad inside the trailer. Mexico secondary inspector actually opened up the gates back to the US, and told us to go home and get the registration for the little trailer. Keep in mind this trailer has entered Baja more times than I can count and we've never had our registration with us and have never been asked for it. I have heard of this happening for camper trailers.

If you are coming from somewhere really far away, I highly advice having all the registration in your name with you. Wow, imagine having to return to Canada!

Has anyone else been turned around for any other reasons, fire wood.... food... construction material....? This was a 4 hour time waster in my opinion. US customs claim that if you don't have your registration in Mexico, they can take your trailer.

The funny part was some dude in the US boarder wait said he would store our trailer until we crossed again. Wow, how dumb would we be? We didn't let him.

BajaBlanca - 6-15-2010 at 09:22 AM

we were indeed sent back once when we had some stuff to declare, went into the declare lane, and they told us to go to the Otay border crossing to declare it...very frustrating trip ....

Bajajorge - 6-15-2010 at 09:27 AM

You gotta have the stinkin papers at all times. Si Si Si;)

DENNIS - 6-15-2010 at 11:10 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bajajorge
You gotta have the stinkin papers at all times. Si Si Si;)



That's about the size of it, Bajachris. I know you arn't in the mood for a lecture, but we have to think ahead and be ready for all eventuallities. Leave nothing to chance.
The border we knew is history.

[Edited on 6-15-2010 by DENNIS]

Baja No Go

MrBillM - 6-15-2010 at 12:19 PM

It was about Fifteen years ago that I was (almost) turned back for not having the Legal Docs for one of my ATCs with me. First time in years that I'd been asked and I'd left them in the other truck. After a long discussion (thinking that it was a problem to be solved by Mordida) with one of the REAL agents (Gun on Hip), I was told that I had to go back.

After I hung my head, said "OK, you're right, it's my fault. No Problema", the agent patted me on the back and said "Ok, you can go this time, but not again".

It's ALWAYS been the law and we don't follow it at our own peril.

mtgoat666 - 6-15-2010 at 12:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bajajorge
You gotta have the stinkin papers at all times. Si Si Si;)


i think you also need to carry reg papers for trailer while driving in US, so seems you should always carry papers in each country. i think,...

DENNIS - 6-15-2010 at 12:43 PM

.....not to mention a seperate insurance policy for the trailer in Mexico.

Soooo many details.

DENNIS - 6-15-2010 at 12:46 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by MrBillM

After I hung my head, said "OK, you're right, it's my fault. No Problema", the agent patted me on the back and said "Ok, you can go this time, but not again".



They do like to be the savior in a human drama. It's a nice trait, I think.

Curt63 - 6-15-2010 at 12:47 PM

Also, if you are carrying other peoples vehicles(quads, bikes), its a very good idea to have the titles, registrations and a letter of permission to use and transport from the owner.

bajachris - 6-15-2010 at 12:55 PM

Has anyone been turned around for anything else?

I heard some nonsense about fire wood?

Barry A. - 6-15-2010 at 12:55 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mtgoat666

i think you also need to carry reg papers for trailer while driving in US, so seems you should always carry papers in each country. i think,...


I have NEVER carried registration papers for my trailers, EVER, in Baja or the USA or Canada. I am not sure I even know where they are. I guess I have just been lucky. Thanks for the heads up---------another pain in the rear--------Jeeeeezo things are gettin complicated! :rolleyes:

Barry

Bob and Susan - 6-15-2010 at 12:58 PM

my papers were checked last time i took the utility trailer

it's normal

when driving in the states isn't it required
to have the registration in the car
when pulling a trailer on the street? YES

in fact someone crossing back to the usa
was getting hasseled in secondary because
they didn't have papers for a utility trailer

i've been going to secondary alot recently:saint::saint:

DENNIS - 6-15-2010 at 01:04 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajachris
Has anyone been turned around for anything else?

I heard some nonsense about fire wood?


That one's been around for years. No leña. A few years back, my buddy got turned around because he had a pickup full of scrap from a construction site for firewood.

DENNIS - 6-15-2010 at 01:08 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bob and Susan
i've been going to secondary alot recently:saint::saint:



Maybe you're on the dreaded chitlist. :o:o

Woooosh - 6-15-2010 at 01:34 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
Quote:
Originally posted by Bob and Susan
i've been going to secondary alot recently:saint::saint:



Maybe you're on the dreaded chitlist. :o:o

no kidding. not good. but I'd love to get a quick look at that computer screen someday... fat chance of that.

Bob and Susan - 6-15-2010 at 02:19 PM

yea me too

the last few times "you hit he lottery"
"totally random check" haha

Tbone - 6-15-2010 at 02:32 PM

I got the boot in April trying to cross through TJ on my way to LA Bay. I had 2 dirt bikes in the back of my truck, 1 that has never been registered because it is mainly ridden on a motocross track the other hadn’t been registered for a couple of years. I figured they just wanted proof that they were ours so we brought the pink slips (kinda). I couldn’t find the pink for my Honda 500 so I brought the 1 for my Honda jet ski. We went into secondary where they asked for the registrations, I gave them the pink slips and they said no that they wanted the registrations. I told them that these we race bikes which do not have to be registered in the states if they are ridden on tracks and that we were going to race in LA Bay (we weren’t). I tried everything I could think of but they wouldn’t budge, they opened the gate in the fence and told us adios. There must have been 5 agents that looked at our pinks but not one of them said anything about 1 being for a jet ski just that they weren’t registrations. We crossed back across to the states and put the bikes in storage and continued down to LA Bay and fished and got drunk and had a blast anyway. It was still super fun LA Bay but without the bikes. 10 or 12 cervesas later it was “what bikes”.

TMW - 6-15-2010 at 02:58 PM

If you bring two or more bikes back into the US and you're by yourself they may question you and want to see the papers. It happen to me a couple of years ago. I took two bikes to Catavina to ride with a friend and when I returned thru Tecate they questioned me about them and I had to show them papers on both to prove they were mine.

These were motorcycles not bicycles.

[Edited on 6-15-2010 by TW]

805gregg - 6-15-2010 at 05:47 PM

You need the original registration, copies won't work in Mex.

BMG - 6-15-2010 at 05:50 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajachris

Has anyone else been turned around for any other reasons
Once in 1969. My hair was too long.

maspacifico - 6-15-2010 at 06:00 PM

I got sent back for long hair too! Probably '69 or '70, I think there was some "anti drug" thing going in the US and Mexico was upset. Imagine that! Glad it's all straightened out now! Real progress......

irenemm - 6-15-2010 at 07:00 PM

A guy that has a trailer here in the Park was turned back for firewood. He is Mexican but they did not care. Told him it could carry diseases and that would hurt the environment here..
He turned around left it an amigos house and picked it up on the way home.
But then the next trip he haled down a commercial pool table and 2 large TVS. No problem.

A couple from BOLA were turned around for ATVS just about a month ago. one of the #'s on the registration was wrong. They put them into storage and will pick them up on the way north. I think they live in another state so it was easier to put into storage they said.
I have always believed it just depends on the agents night before. That is for both ways.

DENNIS - 6-15-2010 at 07:03 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by maspacifico
I got sent back for long hair too! Probably '69 or '70, I think there was some "anti drug" thing going in the US and Mexico was upset. Imagine that! Glad it's all straightened out now! Real progress......


This is what was peeing everybody off. Even with very little traffic, a six hour wait to get back into the states was common.
------------------

http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/history/e1960/intercept/...

Bikes from Baja

MrBillM - 6-15-2010 at 07:12 PM

Back in '66 on my first visit to San Felipe, we took down three Dirt Bikes. A Greeves, Honda and Yamaha.

Arriving at the U.S. POE, we were asked for proof that the cycles were brought FROM the U.S. and not purchased in Mexico to avoid import duties. The Greeves was almost new and the owner had the papers. The Honda and Yamaha were older and fairly beat-up. Not Licensed, no papers and we were threatened with impounding, but the Agent finally accepted the "who'd try to sneak in Crap like these two ? " and let us go on our way.

Lesson Learned.

Santiago - 6-15-2010 at 07:30 PM

Last time thru SY, going south, the young lady asked for my registration for the boat. I gave it to her and she looked for the vin number on the boat (the CF number was not sufficient) and then wanted registration papers on the motor???? WTF??? I explained, as best I could, that Calif does not issue registration for motors; that we can put any motor on any boat we want without the approval of the gov'ment. She seemed frustrated. Anyone else get this?
In Mexico, are motors registered separately from the boats?

backninedan - 6-15-2010 at 07:30 PM

I was turned back for bringing in used clothes for the poor.

irenemm - 6-15-2010 at 07:34 PM

That is because many people bring them down here to sell. They say they have them for the poor but not true. I know many people that has happened to. Some selfish a@@H*^% have cost the poor people many thing. It is usually done by Mexican that have gone to the States and told people they give to the poor and collect clothes and then sell them. It is to bad some people spoil it for many.

dtbushpilot - 6-15-2010 at 09:33 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by backninedan
I was turned back for bringing in used clothes for the poor.


It's also tough on locals who sell clothing locally when well meaning people bring down piles of clothes to give away keeping them from making a living. You really need to try to see the big picture before "helping out", sometimes others get hurt by it. I'm not saying don't donate, just think about it first.....dt

DianaT - 6-15-2010 at 09:40 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by dtbushpilot
Quote:
Originally posted by backninedan
I was turned back for bringing in used clothes for the poor.


It's also tough on locals who sell clothing locally when well meaning people bring down piles of clothes to give away keeping them from making a living. You really need to try to see the big picture before "helping out", sometimes others get hurt by it. I'm not saying don't donate, just think about it first.....dt


It is tricky business. Where we are, the traveling segundos are an important part of the economy and many make most of their money from selling second hand clothes.

Then again, there are those who cannot afford to buy the second hand clothing---the really poor.

So we often find that one of best solutions is to give the used clothing one manages to get down here to the local padre as he knows who really needs it!

Or ask around---just don't leave them with anyone. Now in the case of the area where Irene is, there is a lady named Irma. While I do not agree with her religious beliefs, she does know where used clothing and items are well needed. She works with the farm laborers.


[Edited on 6-16-2010 by DianaT]

David K - 6-15-2010 at 09:52 PM

4Baja's L.A. Bay amigos were turned back at Tijuana for bringing full cans of gasoline into Mexico... Now THAT is a hard thing to get rid of! They spent a long time in a gas station parking lot getting people to take their gas instead of buying at the station... poor guys!

I had the inspector at Tecate check my empty red gas can and then sniff the water in my full blue can to make sure I wasn't bringing gas into Mexico. That was in 2002.

Ford - 6-15-2010 at 10:22 PM

I got a great one! Me and my dumb ass brother decided that we could get around paying that crazy duty by bringing a bunch of stuff to build our house down ourself. We bought a big ass old u-haul truck (26' I think) and filled it with a 50KW generator, 5 huge patio pocket doors, 30 windows, 90 solar panels, 6 inverters, and a bunch of other stuff. A rough guess would be about $150,000 worth of stuff! We got turned around because the truck was too big to cross, so we went to the truck crossing. When we got there we kept getting bad info. Finally we got to the check point and they flipped out and told us we needed to turn this big ass truck around and go back! When we turned around we were in some weird lane and were in line to get back to US! Oh S--T! The US customs guy makes us open up the back and goes nuts! You cant bring this into the US! Then I went nuts and told him we never made it to Mexico we just turned around 50' from here! He finally understood our situation and warned us that if we tried to take it in to Mexico again they have been known to seize stuff! Needless to say we took the stuff to an importer paid $25,000 and had it sent to the house!
We sold the truck for what we paid for it....so the only loss was our time, but at least we have a great story!!!!

DENNIS - 6-16-2010 at 08:08 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by dtbushpilot

It's also tough on locals who sell clothing locally when well meaning people bring down piles of clothes to give away keeping them from making a living. You really need to try to see the big picture before "helping out", sometimes others get hurt by it. I'm not saying don't donate, just think about it first.....dt


And...if you think the concept is ridiculous now, Hurricane Season is fast approaching and will present a need for used clothing contributions to assist those who are wasted by the weather.
They won't let those in either. There will be isolated exceptions, but that's the rule.

Martyman - 6-16-2010 at 09:28 AM

I got hit for a $400us mordida on my 15 caballos honda outboard. The mexican inspector was a young guy and I said "no way, move the traffic cones, I'm going back to the US" An older inspector was lecturng the younger one. They told me to wait and then 10 minutes later...pasa adelante!

DENNIS - 6-16-2010 at 10:53 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Martyman
I got hit for a $400us mordida on my 15 caballos honda outboard. The mexican inspector was a young guy and I said "no way, move the traffic cones, I'm going back to the US" An older inspector was lecturng the younger one. They told me to wait and then 10 minutes later...pasa adelante!


Marty....was this recently or old regime? The new seems to be reverting to old methods, maybe worse.

Martyman - 6-16-2010 at 11:34 AM

About twelve years ago...old school baby!

irenemm - 6-16-2010 at 12:27 PM

Diane,
Besides Irma there are many groups here. Irma is a nice lady. The Orphanage has clothes to give away also. I have many groups that come and stay with us and when they leave they leave the clothes to be given away. We also give to the Padres and The Nuns to give it away. This area has many Christian groups that help the poor.
If someone want to bring used clothes just add a duffel bag and make sure it is in the middle of all your stuff. So it will make it hard to open up.
If you do bring clothes Give it to a Church for them to give it away.
there are aways ways to get something down here.

DENNIS - 6-16-2010 at 01:39 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by irenemm

there are aways ways to get something down here.


That's true. Unfortunatly, it usually involves smuggling. It's a shame one has to go to those egregious extremes to do a good thing.

MikeYounghusband - 6-16-2010 at 07:53 PM

I recently got turned around because I had my golf cart on my trailer and they wanted the registration for the cart. Went home and got it thank goodness they never asked for the trailer reg. because I did'n have it with me. Will now.
About 2 months ago they turned me around for having a bale of hay in my truck. Said "new law no bringing hay into Mexico". So they opened the gate and back I go. Now the good part--- US Customs says can't bring hay into US. Took me 10 minutes to convince them I never made it into Mexico and the hay came from the US. What next???

bajachris - 6-17-2010 at 08:28 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by spi619
I recently got turned around because I had my golf cart on my trailer and they wanted the registration for the cart. Went home and got it thank goodness they never asked for the trailer reg. because I did'n have it with me. Will now.
About 2 months ago they turned me around for having a bale of hay in my truck. Said "new law no bringing hay into Mexico". So they opened the gate and back I go. Now the good part--- US Customs says can't bring hay into US. Took me 10 minutes to convince them I never made it into Mexico and the hay came from the US. What next???


We lucked out and had a receipt from a purchase shortly before we crossed into Mexico. Because of the lane we were in (closest to Mexico) and the receipt, they did not take all our fruit and veggies or meat back in the US.

DENNIS - 6-17-2010 at 11:38 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by spi619
"new law no bringing hay into Mexico".


You're probably the first person in three thousand years to bring a bale of hay to Mexico and they turned you back?
I'll bet you felt absolutly shameful. :lol::lol:

nbacc - 6-17-2010 at 02:01 PM

If you do get clothes down there for the needy......you can give them to a doctors office. We give ours to a nurse we know and she knows how to get them to the people who really need them...especially children. Before I go I take clothes from my school lost and found that is headed for the Good Will (also a good organization). I can hardly believe what a parent will not come and look for when their child loses something. We try hard to get it back to the right child before we send othe stuff off. Itusually sits there for 4 or 5 months before we take it away.

BAJA.DESERT.RAT - 6-17-2010 at 03:21 PM

Hola, three years ago, i went to tecate to cross going south and when i opened my utility trailer, the agent called another agent over. i had eleven 30 gal bags full of used clothes and about 25 fishing rods. the second agent said i could only bring in new clothes and with receipts for them and i was only allowed to bring two rods into mexico. i was by myself.

he opened the gate to the U.S. crossing and i told the U.S. agents i was in mexico for about ten minutes and they pulled me into secondary and inspected me.

i drove to tijuana and crossed without any problems and they did look inside my suv and utility trailer.

go figure !

BIEN SALUD, DA RAT

CortezBlue - 6-17-2010 at 03:26 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bajajorge
You gotta have the stinkin papers at all times. Si Si Si;)



Sounds like AZ:tumble:

MikeYounghusband - 6-17-2010 at 07:52 PM

When they ask me about the clothes I bring down I tell them they are for my children and they seem to buy it. No problem so far. Just a little white lie.