BajaNomad

Interesting experience at the Tecate border

BigBearRider - 7-27-2015 at 03:12 PM

I was in Ensenada for a Spanish class two weekends ago.
The class was great.

Crossing the border back to the US was interesting. After showing my passport to the BP guy, he waved me through and I drove off. I was driving through area with the stop signs right after the border checkpoint when all of a sudden six or seven border patrol guys jumped out of the office and demanded that I'd turn off the engine, hand over the keys, open the hood and trunk, asking me where I was going, where I'd been, and what I was bringing back. I was a little shocked. They looked everywhere, including under the car, and it was over in a minute.

Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. I wonder if it was related to the fact that I had just crossed border between Canada and Alaska a couple of weeks prior.

This weekend, I crossed back at Otay Mesa with no incident.

[Edited on 7-27-2015 by BigBearRider]

bajaguy - 7-27-2015 at 03:15 PM

Sounds like a Chinese fire drill.....no disparagement towards Chinese Fireman who usually do a great job
Quote: Originally posted by BigBearRider  
I was in Ensenada for a Spanish class two weekends ago.
The class was great.

Crossing the border back to the US was interesting. After showing my passport to the BP guy, he waved me through and I drove off. I was driving through area with the stop signs right after the border checkpoint when all of a sudden six or seven border patrol guys jumped out of the office and demanded that I'd turn off the engine, hand over the keys, open the hood and trunk, asking me where I was going, where I'd been, and what I was bringing back. I was a little shocked. They looked everywhere, including under the car, and it was over in a minute.

Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. I wonder if it was related to the fact that I had just crossed border between Canada and Alaska a couple of weeks prior.

This weekend, I crossed back at Otay Mesa with no incident.

[Edited on 7-27-2015 by BigBearRider]

Bob and Susan - 7-27-2015 at 03:28 PM

yup...training

bajabuddha - 7-27-2015 at 03:38 PM

O.J.T. at the expense of civilian sphincters. :mad:

Lee - 7-27-2015 at 03:41 PM

They were messing with your head. It happens. Nothing personal.

AKgringo - 7-27-2015 at 03:49 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajabuddha  
O.J.T. at the expense of civilian sphincters. :mad:


They search THERE too?

bajabuddha - 7-27-2015 at 03:51 PM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
Quote: Originally posted by bajabuddha  
O.J.T. at the expense of civilian sphincters. :mad:


They search THERE too?

Depends on how you pass your "Personality Test". :no:

BigBearRider - 7-27-2015 at 03:56 PM

Incidentally, I have my Global Entry interview tomorrow. After that, I will get my old car SENTRI-fied.

toneart - 7-27-2015 at 04:36 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BigBearRider  
Incidentally, I have my Global Entry interview tomorrow. After that, I will get my old car SENTRI-fied.


In light of Bajabuddha's revelation, are you confident you know what all a "Global Entry interview" entails?:o

DENNIS - 7-27-2015 at 04:39 PM



If it happens again, get new plates on your car.

BigBearRider - 7-27-2015 at 04:53 PM

Quote: Originally posted by toneart  
Quote: Originally posted by BigBearRider  
Incidentally, I have my Global Entry interview tomorrow. After that, I will get my old car SENTRI-fied.


In light of Bajabuddha's revelation, are you confident you know what all a "Global Entry interview" entails?:o


As long as the entry is "global," and note some other "-al," I think I will be ok.

toneart - 7-27-2015 at 05:05 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BigBearRider  
Quote: Originally posted by toneart  
Quote: Originally posted by BigBearRider  
Incidentally, I have my Global Entry interview tomorrow. After that, I will get my old car SENTRI-fied.


In light of Bajabuddha's revelation, are you confident you know what all a "Global Entry interview" entails?:o


As long as the entry is "global," and note some other "-al," I think I will be ok.


Whew! :lol:

DENNIS - 7-27-2015 at 05:05 PM



SENTRI interview was painless. Just have your submitted application in pristine order.. Forget nothing....hide nothing. They know the first time you farted in church.

Udo - 7-27-2015 at 05:39 PM

DENNIS is right.
Hide nothing. Do not volunteer ANY information, only respond to the questions asked. If the question is about something that happened 20+ years ago, say your memory is a little fuzzy but you'll give them what you remember.
Quote: Originally posted by DENNIS  


SENTRI interview was painless. Just have your submitted application in pristine order.. Forget nothing....hide nothing. They know the first time you farted in church.

motoged - 7-27-2015 at 06:43 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Udo  
.... If the question is about something that happened 20+ years ago, say your memory is a little fuzzy but you'll give them what you remember.


Yes, Udo....because they already saw that incident on their computer....

I have often wondered how all the pre-computer era records at borders were (or not) forwarded to the computer base records.....

bkbend - 7-27-2015 at 09:02 PM

Last winter at Tecate I got the wave through then was stopped at those stop signs. All I got was a walk-around by a couple dogs (and the six or seven agents to support them). No alerts from fido and I was outta there.