BajaNomad

Border Wait Nightmare!

BonzoBaja - 4-1-2013 at 01:20 PM

Hey guys, sorry I don't post too often. I usually only post if I have a specific question or I have just returned from a trip. Today I have both!
This past week my son and I did a quick surf trip to Punta Cabras. Had a great time, cold water, fun surf, uncrowded, typical baja, no complaints here! The problem was the borderline. I left Cabras around noon, not wanting to cross too late in the day. We take the toll road from Popotla to the Otay crossing, and find the border no problem! I couldn't believe my luck, the line was maybe a 1/4 mile long! I high-fived my son about our luck, and obviously, this as a mistake! Turns out the line was barely moving! There were three/four lanes on my left, seperated by a cement wall, that were way longer, the "express lanes" that were moving pretty fast(at least compared to my side of the crossing). The four lanes I was part of, however, were not moving much at all! When I finally get to the front after close to FOUR HOURS of inching along, I can't help but notice that the guard is interrogating each car for like five minutes! When we get to him, I ask him if this has anything to do with the federal government's sequestration cuts, he says "no, but wait until another month or so, it will be twice as long, at least!". Of course he then asks me what I do for a living, I tell him I teach high school gov/econ plus Psychology. He then starts asking me trivia questions about Gov"Name me a modern-day political Theocracy", and "What famous Psychologists came up with the concept of the Archtype?". I answered his questions correctly, only to be then sent to secondary! Of course secondary is a cluster*&^% and it takes me over an hour to just get out of there(which is a seperate story in itself).
So my first question is: Is he right about the border in the future? Is it about to get "four times as bad" as the border dude told me, or is he just trying to mess with me? I seriously, will not go back to Mexico, if I know that I will have a 16-hour wait.
Second question: Was something unusual happening last Wednesday that would cause me to have to wait so long, even though the line wasn't that long, distance-wise?
I really get sick of reading about people who crossed at the same time in like 20 minutes, and I know as soon as this gets posted, someone is going to post on how it took them FIVE minutes to cross.
Third Question: What is the average wait time? I'm guessing two hours, and I don't think it matters where you cross, nowadays. Any opinions?
Last question: If it was this bad in Otay, what was it like in San Ysidro Wed. afternoon? Was it worse?
Thanks for putting up with my negative attitude, I really love Baja, but the last several crossings have made me severely re-think going in the futue, and it seems like it just keeps getting worse!

David K - 4-1-2013 at 01:45 PM

Nobody knows, but last year, we had a 5 hour wait at Tecate, so it can happen anywhere... and the border agent said we should 'complain'... to who, for what good? It was a Sunday afternoon, and while not the best day to cross... never been that long... Almost as if an intentional slow down? Typically, Tecate is a better deal... so next time when you leave Ensenada, get on Hwy. 3 instead of going to Popotla on I-D. Did I understand this part correctly:

Took the "Toll Road from Popotla to Otay"?

The Corredor 2000 is (was) a free highway. There may have been an exit toll so you paid for the section of 1-D you used...? Unless there has been a major change in the Corredor 2000?

You can also exit for Tecate off the Corredor 2000... use the FREE road, not the toll road to Tecate, IMO. Both are 4 lanes wide... one has a few signals, and the other has a $9 toll, and is longer!

DENNIS - 4-1-2013 at 01:46 PM

I can't recall anything out of the ordinary about last Wednesday. I think you just ran into one of the "Poster Boy Border A-holes."
As far as the upcoming wait times....we just have to see what happens, but if it has anything to do with Mr. A-Hole getting his raise on time, I imagine he and his cronies will make life miserable for us.
Another thing we may see is long wait times will hurt Mexico in many ways and when Mexico hurts, Mexico cries like a baby, and when Mexico cries, the US listens.

I guess you learned a good lesson. Don't even talk to them unless asked a pertinant question. I don't know how I would have reacted to his impromptu interrogation, but I'm sure it would have tested my patience.

San Ysidro is generally worse than Otay.

DavidE - 4-1-2013 at 01:57 PM

Sleep on the couch, take it out on the wogs the next day.

"I'll go over there and sit and let you do your job" usually works for me.

Archtype O

Dave - 4-1-2013 at 01:58 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BonzoBaja
He then starts asking me trivia questions about Gov"Name me a modern-day political Theocracy", and "What famous Psychologists came up with the concept of the Archtype?".


Are the border guards are getting smarter?

The high school gov/econ plus Psychology teachers?

David K - 4-1-2013 at 01:59 PM

Hi Dave, missed you here!

durrelllrobert - 4-1-2013 at 07:56 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DavidE
Sleep on the couch, take it out on the wogs the next day.

"I'll go over there and sit and let you do your job" usually works for me.


Last time Mr Ahole asked me where was I going?
I answered to Secondary and I was right.:lol:

Crossing North

msawin - 4-1-2013 at 10:15 PM

We came back North Friday Pm. We decided [me] to go thru San Ysidro because it was getting Late, 7:30 ish instead of the normal Tecate route..
2 Hours in line.

If you see me inline DO NOT get behind me because I always get the slowest lane...

So you get up there with the A-hole and he asks the Question " OK WHAT YOU GOT BACK there?"..
" Really. "
I got the same chituff I crossed last week headed south with. The same chituff stuff [our cloths and a ice chest] the very polite Mexican Immigration Officer took a look at in Tecate, and WISHED me a great trip south..... WISHED me.....yes polite.

aguachico - 4-2-2013 at 03:59 AM

Just towed the Grady back yesterday thru San Ysidro. The problem is NOT the US construction as there were 8-10 lanes open. The problem, as always, is the Mexican construction that has narrowed 4 lanes to three.

As you come off the bridge you have four lanes going from left to right lanes 1-4. Lane #3 merges into #4. This is to allow parking for the stupid ass vendors and the vendors have used this to their advantage by forcing lane #3 into #4.

Of course everyone waiting is courteous enough to allow for merging :lol:

As long as the Mexican infrastructure is left in it's current, bottle necked, configuration - it will allows be very slow.

I had fun moving the vendor carts around with the boat trailer, even got out and moved one myself. Caught up on some reading, chatted up some chicas. Three hour wait. 10 minutes in secondary.

EnsenadaDr - 4-2-2013 at 07:00 AM

It IS Spring Break, after all. All I can say is, don't EVER think you will get a break at the border, especially without a Sentri pass..the best time to reach the border is 1:30 in the morning.

Bruce R Leech - 4-2-2013 at 08:14 AM

as long as they allow people to pay for faster passage it will force the non payers to move slower, just like the ex car pool lanes that are now pay to go faster lanes.

It is the American way of rewarding the rich and punishing the poor.

Desertbull - 4-2-2013 at 08:23 AM

The Otay Mesa right side of the K-rail has been 4 hours for the past couple years...get a Ready Pass for $30 and do the left side of the K-rail as we get thru in an hour...just sayin'

bajaguy - 4-2-2013 at 08:33 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bruce R Leech
as long as they allow people to pay for faster passage it will force the non payers to move slower, just like the ex car pool lanes that are now pay to go faster lanes.

It is the American way of rewarding the rich and punishing the poor.





SENTRI does not reward the rich people, it rewards the SMARTER people :lol:

mcfez - 4-2-2013 at 09:28 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by BonzoBaja

Thanks for putting up with my negative attitude, I really love Baja, but the last several crossings have made me severely re-think going in the futue, and it seems like it just keeps getting worse!



http://apps.cbp.gov/bwt/

Spring break......I have a place in San Felipe.....went there once upon a time during Easter. The traffic was insane going home. Insane. MAYBE this was your problem.

The crossings......it's Russian roulette. I have crossed in 22 minutes.....and I have crossed in 3.5 hours :-( Reading the BN here offered me information about the new Mexicali crossing. Rarely does it take me more than 45 minutes to cross.

So.....just where is your hometown....maybe someone here will put up up a better route/time factors for you.

jeans - 4-2-2013 at 09:34 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by durrelllrobert

Last time Mr Ahole asked me where was I going?
I answered to Secondary and I was right.:lol:


Mom once asked, "Do you get paid more for being an #55-hole?" :o

That earned her a trip into secondary.

nbacc - 4-2-2013 at 02:06 PM

Never Never go during spring Break..............if you do expect to wait returning to the USA. I realize some go for the fun or it is the only time they can go but if you do you can expect the worst coming back. Especially on a Sunday. Nancy

wilderone - 4-2-2013 at 07:36 PM

I read today that the Border Patrol may be excluded from furlough and overtime restrictions planned because of "Sequestration". I'm wondering if there is a purposeful slow-down in order to portray false repercussions due to less personnel and fewer hours. I crossed yesterday and sat behind one bus for an hour (we were next). There were three patrol officers standing at the Camiones door where passengers offload a the front of the bus - it had US plates - a tour bus. Once in a while one of them would walk to the back of the bus and shine a flashlight in the engine compartment. Once inside, there were few pedestrian lanes open, yet about a dozen officers at the desks in front. Clearly, there could be better management and supervision of staff so that the level of "service" could remain about the same as before staff changes. I believe they are purposely creating long back-ups to ostensibly be able to point to negative impact of sequestration staff changes. That's what I observed.

J.P. - 4-3-2013 at 08:55 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajaguy
Quote:
Originally posted by Bruce R Leech
as long as they allow people to pay for faster passage it will force the non payers to move slower, just like the ex car pool lanes that are now pay to go faster lanes.

It is the American way of rewarding the rich and punishing the poor.











SENTRI does not reward the rich people, it rewards the SMARTER people :lol:







Maybee so. I think it would be smarter on thier Part to design a truly more Efficient system to serve everyone rather than set up a Class System

DENNIS - 4-3-2013 at 08:57 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by J.P.






Maybee so. I think it would be smarter on thier Part to design a truly more Efficient system to serve everyone rather than set up a Class System


If everyone had Sentri, it would be meaningless.

Steve&Debby - 4-3-2013 at 08:15 PM

Crossed Monday in Mexicali, took 2.5 hours

bajaguy - 4-3-2013 at 09:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by J.P.
Quote:
Originally posted by bajaguy
Quote:
Originally posted by Bruce R Leech
as long as they allow people to pay for faster passage it will force the non payers to move slower, just like the ex car pool lanes that are now pay to go faster lanes.

It is the American way of rewarding the rich and punishing the poor.











SENTRI does not reward the rich people, it rewards the SMARTER people :lol:







Maybee so. I think it would be smarter on thier Part to design a truly more Efficient system to serve everyone rather than set up a Class System





Not a class system, JP, it's for people who have led a clean life and not run afoul of the criminal justice system.

If you think you have been unjustly denied a SENTRI, appeal the decision........your neighbor did and received his card

The RICH ?

MrBillM - 4-3-2013 at 09:27 PM

Setting aside the hassle (and attendant associated costs), the Sentri Pass works out to less than $40 per year.

One of the lesser costs of making the trip.

IF you can travel numerous times yearly to Baja, you're rich enough for Sentri.

The FIRST time we drove through in 30-sec, mi esposa said "It's paid for itself".

While, I wouldn't go THAT Far ..................

It IS worth it.

brewer - 4-10-2013 at 08:42 PM

Crossed Monday early afternoon at Tecate. 1:45 wait. The wind gust going up La Rumorosa almost knocked my truck over. Is Tecate ever going to get a Ready Lane or SENTRI lane???

LarryK - 4-10-2013 at 09:05 PM

Can somebody explain just what the READY lane is. Can you just use your passport or what.

willardguy - 4-10-2013 at 09:11 PM

you gotta have the RFID passport card. the idea is they have all your info before you get up to the booth. as more folks get em the ready lanes are getting as long as the regular lanes.

DENNIS - 4-10-2013 at 09:16 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by brewer
Crossed Monday early afternoon at Tecate. 1:45 wait. The wind gust going up La Rumorosa almost knocked my truck over. Is Tecate ever going to get a Ready Lane or SENTRI lane???


The brain trust that designed and built the current nightmare crossing didn't consider room for expansion, so who knows?
A few weeks back, I crossed through Tecate on a Sunday morning and they were using the two truck lanes for passenger cars giving a total of four lanes.
I don't know how long they've been doing that, but it may be as good as it's ever going to get there.

bajaguy - 4-10-2013 at 09:19 PM

Last Friday took 90 minutes in the Otay Ready Lane.......en route to get replacement SENTRI sticker on new windshield. Regular lanes were shorter, but the Ready Lanes moved faster.

J.P. - 4-11-2013 at 02:43 PM

Quote:
Not a class system, JP, it's for people who have led a clean life and not run afoul of the criminal justice system.

If you think you have been unjustly denied a SENTRI, appeal the decision........your neighbor did and received his card








Just because you say so dosen't make it so. I say if you sucked the Goverment tit all your life it should be easy to Qualify. Myself I pretty Well lived life on the Edge . and have no regrets. I still think the system SUCKSSSSSSS.

DavidE - 4-11-2013 at 03:18 PM

The people that PLAN your life are not part of the process EVER. Probably less than 1% of the folks that planned or built out POE's have ever used them. Not even once. US Customs Agents themselves have NEVER EVER EVER gone through their own designed procedure anonymously. Government figures almost NEVER have any contact whatsoever with the laws they create.

In my dream fantasy world, I have LBJ spending a week at Khe Sanh. "You're Fired(!) Donald Trump picking lettuce or starving. Leona Helmsley staying at a motel 6. The list goes on. All this really works good for falling asleep fast.