BajaNomad

No dedicated "Border Crossing" forum?

Gypsy62 - 3-10-2016 at 01:52 PM

Newbie, but can't find a dedicated thread strictly discussing Baja border-crossing issues, suggestions, etc.
Given the volume of experience herein, it certainly seems worthy.
Granted, many members are also "Sentrinos" (Sentrista? Sentrissimo?) for whom northbound is a matter of minutes, but there's got to be enough of us whom aren't to justify the topic, no?

Personally, I'm trying to cross less often so am on the fence about becoming a Sentrino (qualify no prob).
Facing the border-wait both dissuades frequent US trips and incentivizes one to increase immersion in Mexican society, a good thing imo.

Assessing northbound border options from Rosarito-south, I zagged over to Tecate to compare with S.Y. (I havent yet crossed at Otay).
A. From Rosarito "Y" the Tecate route adds <35ish total miles to reach junction of I-15/8 in SD (versus crossing at S.Y.).
B. Arrived queue Tuesday 1pm, exited border booth at 2:05. At least an hour better than S.Y. @ same day/time.
Only one lane approach feeding 2 border booths.
C. Far less stressful, and the queue meanders over a scenic little hill, also providing a bonus: IF your brakes can handle your vehicle's weight without a running engine's vac-assist, you can coast engine-off down the hill almost to the booth. Most of us were engine-off, just crawl-coasting down and setting our p-brakes during lulls.
D. The 2-laner from border to SD (hwy 188, I think) is a scenic winding road but not large-RV friendly. Given parallel border, half the vehicle traffic was either ins, dhs, county or state, with one immigration quick-check.
Also, an Indian casino is under construction en route which may add delays both now and later.
E. Fuel consumption is probably a wash.

Conclusion: when in the Jeep I'm going Tecate. It probably only saves 15 minutes total time vs S.Y., but instead of that extra hour-plus idling in TJ you're driving through the countryside.

Other non-Sentri border Q&A?

mtgoat666 - 3-10-2016 at 02:45 PM

I have only 3 comments.

Get sentri or pp card, faster lines than the lines for the hoi poilloi.

Re tecate,... I remind y'all that the shortest path between 2 points is a straight line.

Feel the Bern!

sancho - 3-10-2016 at 02:56 PM

I've never seen such a detailed comparisom, nice. Out of
habit, I suppose, I use SY coming back, stubborn? Maybe.
The time or 2 I used Tecate, it just seemed a long drive
back to the 5 fwy driving in rural SD County, senic yes. As you
said maybe a toss up in time from SY. But that SY line coming
back leaves a bad taste in one's mouth, after a trip SOB.
It doesn't seem like that long ago, that if the SY Sun. afternoon
wait was over an hour, we would stop by the Long Bar, Revo Ave.
TJ, until the wait diminished

Bill's wife 2016







[Edited on 3-10-2016 by sancho]

[Edited on 3-10-2016 by sancho]

BigBearRider - 3-10-2016 at 03:10 PM

After getting a passport card and then SENTRI, I have never gone north through Tecate. In fact, I have only gone through Otay (primarily because I don't know how to get to the SENTRI lanes at San Ysidro), which I had never done before. Either option beats Tecate and San Ysidro for me.

willardguy - 3-10-2016 at 03:16 PM

I think you're on to to something gypsy, just don't go up there! :yes:

bajacamper - 3-10-2016 at 03:47 PM

Hey Goat!!! I have no business sticking my nose in Canadian politics.

Trump 2016

[Edited on 3-10-2016 by bajacamper]

SFandH - 3-10-2016 at 05:17 PM

I cross at San Ysidro weekly, mid-day, mid-week, and use these three websites to give me an idea what's going on. I use either the regular or Ready Lanes depending upon who is with me.

This one gives the number of cars and is updated every 30 minutes.

http://wp.1045radiolatina.com/garitas/

This one gives the wait times, updated every hour, maybe, based upon averages. Sometimes it displays "user reported" times.

http://traffic.calit2.net/border/border-wait-times.php?type=...

This one has web cams aimed at the traffic. You need to understand what you're looking at. It's useful once you get the web cams' fields of views vs. wait times figured out.

http://www.bordertraffic.com/California-Baja/San-Ysidro-Tiju...

Also there is this facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/547917278583407/

For me, knowing what to expect and doing it the same way each time is key to a stressless crossing. I'm cool with sitting back and listening to the radio. I'd rather do that than drive to Tecate.

Also, I've watched the movement in adjoining lanes. When I get in line I'll pick cars to watch in the lane to left and in the lane to the right. And even though it always SEEMS that I picked the slowest lane, when I get close to the gate I look for the cars I selected an hour or more before and usually they're pretty much in the same position I'm in.

Sit back, relax, and have plenty of 5 and 10 pesos coins to give to the little old ladies, crippled folks, and other obviously needy people that are working the lines.

David K - 3-10-2016 at 05:36 PM

Hi Gypsy62,
Welcome!
We have always included border crossing details in our trip reports, on that forum here.
Crossing back into the U.S. after a glorious Baja trip is always the worse part of any trip to Mexico.
First off, because it means your Baja trip is ending and second off, because of the often long, slow moving lines... After covering 120 miles in 2 hours, we then can only go a half mile in the next 2 hours!

There is a forum here for forum suggestions, and that is where Doug (the boss here) may move this thread... and consider your request: http://forums.bajanomad.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=5

BigBearRider - 3-10-2016 at 06:49 PM

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH  
I cross at San Ysidro weekly, mid-day, mid-week, and use these three websites to give me an idea what's going on. I use either the regular or Ready Lanes depending upon who is with me.

This one gives the number of cars and is updated every 30 minutes.

http://wp.1045radiolatina.com/garitas/

This one gives the wait times, updated every hour, maybe, based upon averages. Sometimes it displays "user reported" times.

http://traffic.calit2.net/border/border-wait-times.php?type=...

This one has web cams aimed at the traffic. You need to understand what you're looking at. It's useful once you get the web cams' fields of views vs. wait times figured out.

http://www.bordertraffic.com/California-Baja/San-Ysidro-Tiju...

Also there is this facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/547917278583407/

For me, knowing what to expect and doing it the same way each time is key to a stressless crossing. I'm cool with sitting back and listening to the radio. I'd rather do that than drive to Tecate.

Also, I've watched the movement in adjoining lanes. When I get in line I'll pick cars to watch in the lane to left and in the lane to the right. And even though it always SEEMS that I picked the slowest lane, when I get close to the gate I look for the cars I selected an hour or more before and usually they're pretty much in the same position I'm in.

Sit back, relax, and have plenty of 5 and 10 pesos coins to give to the little old ladies, crippled folks, and other obviously needy people that are working the lines.


This is great. I will save these links on my Telcel phone!
Thanks for posting.

durrelllrobert - 3-11-2016 at 09:50 AM

Don't be so sure about qualifying for SENTRI. On my application I answered NO to the question of ever being arrested because I completely forgot about the judge that sentenced me to 1 day in jail for HAVING LOUD EXAUST PIPES IN 1957 At my interview they told me that i didn't qualify because of that and becuase I made a false stement I could NEVER apply again. I now use the ready lanes at Otay and crossing time is never more than 1 hour.

[Edited on 3-12-2016 by durrelllrobert]

Gypsy62 - 3-11-2016 at 11:15 AM

Bob- thanks for heads-up re accurate and absolute disclosure at Sentri iview. Decades ago, I was "overnighted" for throwing a punch -err, I mean intervening- in a bar-brawl. 6 am dismissed/released without further ado, but somewhere in the legal ethers that must be on record as an "arrest, charges dismissed".
Someone here mentioned that their daughter passed Sentri even with a dui so it sounds likely that your (altogether human) factual omission, not the offense itself, triggered disqualification.

Please: I've just scanned multiple threads and for all the mention of "Ready Lane" nothing I viewed explained the basic criteria/procedure for qualification. How does it compare to sentri requirements?
Thanks

BigBearRider - 3-11-2016 at 11:22 AM

Ready Lane only requires a passport card.

David K - 3-11-2016 at 11:48 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BigBearRider  
Ready Lane only requires a passport card.


Is not a passport book with the embedded chip (post 2008?) also good?

sancho - 3-11-2016 at 01:01 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  


Is not a passport book with the embedded chip (post 2008?) also good?








I've had that ? also, reports from some say they have used a
passport book in the ready lane, don't know what yr. of issue the passport book was. My opinion is the CBP does not make an stink of some coming back in the ready lane with a passport
book. I have a book issued Oct 2008, it has the insignia
which I take to mean a chip. Never read any hard facts
re: that, my opinion is no, one can't use a passport book in
the ready lane. I should ask next time

gsbotanico - 3-11-2016 at 01:23 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BigBearRider  
Quote: Originally posted by SFandH  
I cross at San Ysidro weekly, mid-day, mid-week, and use these three websites to give me an idea what's going on. I use either the regular or Ready Lanes depending upon who is with me.

This one gives the number of cars and is updated every 30 minutes.

http://wp.1045radiolatina.com/garitas/

This one gives the wait times, updated every hour, maybe, based upon averages. Sometimes it displays "user reported" times.

http://traffic.calit2.net/border/border-wait-times.php?type=...

This one has web cams aimed at the traffic. You need to understand what you're looking at. It's useful once you get the web cams' fields of views vs. wait times figured out.

http://www.bordertraffic.com/California-Baja/San-Ysidro-Tiju...

Also there is this facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/547917278583407/

For me, knowing what to expect and doing it the same way each time is key to a stressless crossing. I'm cool with sitting back and listening to the radio. I'd rather do that than drive to Tecate.

Also, I've watched the movement in adjoining lanes. When I get in line I'll pick cars to watch in the lane to left and in the lane to the right. And even though it always SEEMS that I picked the slowest lane, when I get close to the gate I look for the cars I selected an hour or more before and usually they're pretty much in the same position I'm in.

Sit back, relax, and have plenty of 5 and 10 pesos coins to give to the little old ladies, crippled folks, and other obviously needy people that are working the lines.


This is great. I will save these links on my Telcel phone!
Thanks for posting.


This is the perfect attitude to have in crossing the borders. It's what I learned to do. I've crossed the border almost every week for 25 years. The worst was a 5½ hour wait at San Ysidro the week of the 9/11 attack. Two to four hours waits were common on summer holiday weekends.

When wait times commonly became one to two hours, I applied for Sentri. I was rejected the first time because I didn't have W-2 forms to document my income. How could I? I was working full time in Mexico. I appealed, got computer printouts of income, but still wasn't approved. I reapplied some years later and was finally approved. When the Sentri program was new, the application process was a hit and miss affair. It's much more streamlined how.

wilderone - 3-12-2016 at 08:04 AM

"HAVING LOUD EXAUST PIPES"
Shoulda sued. You can't go to jail for an infraction.

DENNIS - 3-12-2016 at 08:15 AM


I think gypsy62 is looking for that site "body cavity searches.com." It was taken down a few weeks back.

Hey...whatever happened to GypsyJan? Miss her.

mtgoat666 - 3-12-2016 at 08:32 AM

Quote: Originally posted by sancho  
Quote: Originally posted by David K  


Is not a passport book with the embedded chip (post 2008?) also good?








I've had that ? also, reports from some say they have used a
passport book in the ready lane, don't know what yr. of issue the passport book was. My opinion is the CBP does not make an stink of some coming back in the ready lane with a passport
book. I have a book issued Oct 2008, it has the insignia
which I take to mean a chip. Never read any hard facts
re: that, my opinion is no, one can't use a passport book in
the ready lane. I should ask next time



You can use these for readi lane:
WHTI-compliant, RFID-enabled cards approved by the Department of Homeland Security include: the U.S. Passport Card; the Enhanced Driver's License (EDL); the Enhanced Tribal Card (ETC); Trusted Traveler Cards (NEXUS, SENTRI, Global Entry and FAST cards); the new Enhanced Permanent Resident Card (PRC) or new Border Crossing Card (BCC).

durrelllrobert - 3-12-2016 at 09:05 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Gypsy62  
Bob- thanks for heads-up re accurate and absolute disclosure at Sentri iview. Decades ago, I was "overnighted" for throwing a punch -err, I mean intervening- in a bar-brawl. 6 am dismissed/released without further ado, but somewhere in the legal ethers that must be on record as an "arrest, charges dismissed".
Someone here mentioned that their daughter passed Sentri even with a dui so it sounds likely that your (altogether human) factual omission, not the offense itself, triggered disqualification.

Please: I've just scanned multiple threads and for all the mention of "Ready Lane" nothing I viewed explained the basic criteria/procedure for qualification. How does it compare to sentri requirements?
Thanks
Only requirement is that you have a passport (or similar) CARD with the micro chip in it. OK for us criminals to use ready lane but not SENTRI

durrelllrobert - 3-12-2016 at 09:08 AM

Quote: Originally posted by wilderone  
"HAVING LOUD EXAUST PIPES"
Shoulda sued. You can't go to jail for an infraction.
That happened in San Diego in 1957. Times change

durrelllrobert - 3-12-2016 at 09:12 AM

Quote: Originally posted by DENNIS  

I think gypsy62 is looking for that site "body cavity searches.com." It was taken down a few weeks back.

Hey...whatever happened to GypsyJan? Miss her.


Gypsy62 is jferaday on PBBB, currently lives at Baja Seasons and is looking for place to move to here in PB

Gypsy62 - 3-12-2016 at 09:50 AM

Thanks for outing me, Bob. And also for the rental links (viewing today).
Actually, I'm not seeking a rental specifically in Punta Banda but wherever there's the right fit (= small house in quiet, safe location, no roommates, secure driveway or adjoining lot that's large enough to park my 38' diesel-pusher). Just myself, no pets. Sold my house in NV; at least for the next few years not looking to buy.
Anybody with rental leads is invited to contact me.
Many thanks.
Feraday.
jferaday@yahoo.com
702 426 8267
Tmobile cell works to and from Mexico but only receives calls within MX from a "magic-jackd" computer line with a US # (handy trick a local realtor is using).

Back to this postal thread:
I'm going to visit the postal options listed and report back.