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Spearo
Nomad
Posts: 153
Registered: 11-30-2010
Location: Moscow, Idaho and Pescadero, BCS
Member Is Offline
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Bizarre conversation with CBP at Otay Mesa
Just returned from six weeks in Baja, another great trip. We decided to cross at Otay Mesa this year instead of Tecate. This ended up saving us a
couple hours of drive time and will become our crossing of choice in the future. We got to the crossing mid afternoon and spent an hour in line.
What follows is as accurate a transcript of my conversation with CBP as I can produce from memory, I pick up the conversation where it gets
interesting:
CBP: So where did you go in Mexico?
Me: Mostly around Mulege.
CBP: Where is that?
Me: About 70 miles north of Loreto.
CBP: You should be grateful you made it back.
Me: Excuse me?
CBP: Its very dangerous down there right now. Cops are pulling people over and demanding whatever they want. People are being abducted in broad
daylight and they love the gringos. Lots of murders. Its all over the news.
Me: Well, I don’t know where you get your news but perhaps you should try another source. There is very little crime in Baja. I feel as safe there
as at home in rural Idaho. I know dozens of people all over the peninsula and I haven’t heard of any crime other than some petty thefts.
CBP: We hear about it all the time, you are very lucky to make it back alive. Now I want you to head over to secondary inspection.
This was a very disturbing experience for my wife and I. A representative of the state of California making such baseless and fearmongering claims in
a professional environment. In hindsight, I should have asked to speak to his supervisor and ask them if it was the CBP policy to dissuade people of
tourism not only in Mexico but in California as well. Thousands of people pass through Cali to get to Mexico and they drop cash at restaurants,
motels, gas stations. I would hope that the people protecting the border would have a better understanding of the situation but apparently they do
not and feel compelled to “inform” you of your brush with death. I got the impression that the CBP guy had never been to Mexico and thought anyone
who would travel there had a deathwish. It was an absolutely surreal experience.
Has anyone else ever been fed this kind of BS by CBP?
Were it not for the abdomen, man would easily reckon himself a god.
Friedrich Nietzsche
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Bwana_John
Nomad
Posts: 294
Registered: 10-17-2007
Member Is Offline
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My experiences with CBP have been mostly negative.
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Oggie
Nomad
Posts: 312
Registered: 6-16-2009
Location: Carlsbad, CA/BOLA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Missing Baja
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The "CBP" is a US Fedral agency.
A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child.
Knights of Pythagoras
Funny how falling feels like flying
for a little while - Bad Blake
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baronvonbob
Nomad
Posts: 196
Registered: 1-5-2010
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I go through CA as little as possibel. You can only drive 55 with a Trailer. Even a very small one. Trucks can only do 55, but gee try to keep up
with them and you get a ticket if you are out of State. They talk about getting ripped of by cops in Mexico, I am more afraid of the CHP and they
cost more.
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BajaGringo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3922
Registered: 8-24-2006
Location: La Chorera
Member Is Offline
Mood: Let's have a BBQ!
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CBP is just a mirror of the general public NOB. I get agents that ask me how the fishing is in San Quintin, where's the best spot to camp and get
oysters/clams. I get other agents who look at me like I am totally crazy. My guess is that those agents have probably never been further south than
Tijuana.
I just shrug it off and drive through. I could care less what they think...
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
Location: Nopolo
Member Is Offline
Mood: mellow
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You're talking about a custom agent. Very different from the Border Patrol people. Not too many positive experiences with custom agents. Like a lot of
folks in enforcment, they get carried away with their sense of power and make asses of themselves. Same goes for the ones on the US-Canada border.
Most experiences with BP have been positive, but may have something to do with looking definitely northern European. 
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BajaGringo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3922
Registered: 8-24-2006
Location: La Chorera
Member Is Offline
Mood: Let's have a BBQ!
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CBP = Customs & Border Protection
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Full Time Residents
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that's funny...i just crossed a couple of weeks ago and the border guy may be comming down for a vacation here
he was pretty professional
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
Location: Nopolo
Member Is Offline
Mood: mellow
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaGringo
CBP = Customs & Border Protection |
Thanks for enlightening me Ron.
Still doesn't take away from the fact that I think close to half are a**holes.
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The Gull
Super Nomad
Posts: 2223
Registered: 8-28-2003
Location: Rancho Descanso, BCN
Member Is Offline
Mood: High
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vandenberg
Still doesn't take away from the fact that I think close to half are a**holes.
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Close to 1/2, how close? 44.67% or are you rounding off? Are you sure it is 1/2 or could it be only the ones you encounter? Could be else that
impacts the exchange.
�I won\'t insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said.� William F. Buckley, Jr.
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The Gull
Super Nomad
Posts: 2223
Registered: 8-28-2003
Location: Rancho Descanso, BCN
Member Is Offline
Mood: High
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Spearo
Has anyone else ever been fed this kind of BS by CBP? |
Cross 30-50 times per year. Only been to secondary four times in 40 years.
California plates, not Idaho plates on my vehicle.
Some people just draw out the best in others. The border crossing and various experiences have been discussed, ad nauseum on this site. Since you
cannot change history, you might try to alter your future.
�I won\'t insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said.� William F. Buckley, Jr.
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
Location: Nopolo
Member Is Offline
Mood: mellow
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| Quote: | Originally posted by The Gull
Since you cannot change history, you might try to alter your future. |
Like,...stay home.
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The Gull
Super Nomad
Posts: 2223
Registered: 8-28-2003
Location: Rancho Descanso, BCN
Member Is Offline
Mood: High
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vandenberg
| Quote: | Originally posted by The Gull
Since you cannot change history, you might try to alter your future. |
Like,...stay home. |
Practice what you preach.
�I won\'t insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said.� William F. Buckley, Jr.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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It's commonly known that the gate inspectors will engage you in meaningless conversation, but it's for a reason....to see what your level of
concentration is or if you're distracted. If you can't tell them who won the World Series in '66, obviously you have a truck load of dope and
illegals.
That said, this guy was purely a Mexico hater and whether he has good reason or not, perhaps he should keep those thoughts to himself, but everybody
is allowed an opinion. I'm sure he's more aware of the seamy realities in Mexico than the average tourist is.
Can you imagine how he treats the Mexicans who cross in his lane? Probably not very nice.
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Member Is Offline
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Why would the CBP people be any different than anyone else. I know lots of people that wouldn't step foot again in Mexico and a lot that love it and
many that can take it either way. Maybe that guy had a problem at one time and it's his way of getting back at Mexico. I've only had one or two CBP
that I remember asking me if I felt safe going down and I just said yes.
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The Gull
Super Nomad
Posts: 2223
Registered: 8-28-2003
Location: Rancho Descanso, BCN
Member Is Offline
Mood: High
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
It's commonly known that the gate inspectors will engage you in meaningless conversation, but it's for a reason....to see what your level of
concentration is or if you're distracted. If you can't tell them who won the World Series in '66, obviously you have a truck load of dope and
illegals.
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Yonkees?
�I won\'t insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said.� William F. Buckley, Jr.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by The Gull
Yonkees? |
Speak English, Gull.
Oh...OK. I ran it through The Urban Dictionary. I thought your reference was to Yonke. My most sincere apology.
.
[Edited on 4-17-2011 by DENNIS]
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J.P.
Super Nomad
Posts: 1673
Registered: 7-8-2010
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
Mood: Easy Does It
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vandenberg
| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaGringo
CBP = Customs & Border Protection |
Thanks for enlightening me Ron.
Still doesn't take away from the fact that I think close to half are a**holes.
[/quote
Rule of thumb
1 Never try to engae them in conversation
2. answer their questions in a direct maner
3 never volenter any information
4 A ND MOST IMPORTANTLY I MAY BE BEHIND YOU AND I DONT LIKE TO WAIT WHILE YOU ATTEMPT TO ENGAGUE IN USLESS BANTER. |
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The Gull
Super Nomad
Posts: 2223
Registered: 8-28-2003
Location: Rancho Descanso, BCN
Member Is Offline
Mood: High
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
| Quote: | Originally posted by The Gull
Yonkees? |
Speak English, Gull.
Oh...OK. I ran it through The Urban Dictionary. I thought your reference was to Yonke. My most sincere apology. |
Ch**** tu Madre, Dennis.
Baisbol, ihy know good.
Baisbol, been very, very good to Chico Esquela.
(by the way, I saw him two weeks ago. He is sober and holding up really well with his medical marijuana card.)
�I won\'t insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said.� William F. Buckley, Jr.
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The Gull
Super Nomad
Posts: 2223
Registered: 8-28-2003
Location: Rancho Descanso, BCN
Member Is Offline
Mood: High
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| Quote: | Originally posted by J.P.
4 A ND MOST IMPORTANTLY I MAY BE BEHIND YOU AND I DONT LIKE TO WAIT WHILE YOU ATTEMPT TO ENGAGUE IN USLESS BANTER. |
j.p. eets a home run!!!!!
�I won\'t insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said.� William F. Buckley, Jr.
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