Seat Cover
Expert Expediter
I have a story to tell regarding a real nasty US border guard on my last trip. I wanted to share it to see if anybody else has dealt with a similar scenario and if there is anything I can do about it. I just can't understand how these guys/gals can treat us so roughly (the majority of them) and we seem to have no rights in standing up to them. And another thing that baffles me is that the US side is much more anal than the Canadian side. No wonder there are so many expediters and expediting companies that won't take loads over the border.
I've crossed many times and am used to the usual grumpiness of these people, and just pass it off as water off a dock's back because I'm so used to it, but this last man I dealt with was down right nasty and I think he might have carried things a bit too far. Now I'm wishing I had asked for his badge number and am thinking of putting in a complaint (because I remember the booth he was in) but not sure if it would do any good or not.
This is what happened. I was waiting in the truck lanes and was next to go. The truck ahead of me was finally released, so as usual, I started to pull up to the booth, but my eyes were fixated straight ahead on the back of the truck to make sure he was clear. Then I noticed just before I arrived to the window that the customs officer had his hand out. I honestly thought it was just out to get my paper work. When I arrived to the window, I was greeted by two lovely (NOT) customs officers (a lady and a man). Both started yelling (No...SCREAMIN) at me to BACK UP NOW!! I was shocked and back up to where I was sitting. I heard the woman mumble something the the man (in regards to my pulling up). I think they were in a shift change or something because she then left the booth and he made me wait a bit before letting me come back. How dare I pull up to the booth as the other truck was leaving, as usual routine..what harm is it for me to be there anyway while they did their shift change?? Anyway, that's beside the point.
So when I pulled up, the man started screaming (and I mean screaming) at me and wouldn't let it go. He said, "NOW! WHEN A CUSTOMS OFFICER HAS THEIR HAND OUT THE WINDOW, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN!!!!?" I said, "I don't know, because I've never had one do that before and I thought you just had it out waiting for my paperwork by the time I saw your hand". Then he yelled, "WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN A POLICE OFFICER IS STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU WITH HIS HAND OUT???!" Then I said, "stop". He said, "THERE'S MY POINT!!" There was so much I wanted to say back in argument to what he was saying, but I felt we have no rights. They can walk all over us, but we have to sit back and take it. I wanted to tell him that it's different because his body is in the booth, and so a hand sticking out isn't always noticed right away, and part of their job is to take your paperwork from you, so it could be for that reason. A cop standing there with his hand out, you can see him better because his body isn't hiding in a booth and there's only way one to interpret that (of course he'd want you to stop). But I didn't say a word. I think he knew he was making me a nervous wreck, so thought he would harass me further. He then said, "I'd hate to see how many stop signs you've taken out or would take out!!!" Then he gave me a dirty look and rolled his eyes. OK, at this point, I knew he had carried it on a bit TOO far. I've never been in an accident before, let alone taking out stop signs. What happened doesn't reflect on my driving abilities and I didn't appreciate his insinuations basically accusing me of being a poor driver, when I know I'm not. He is accusing me of things that are not related at all. A cop standing there with his hand out and a stop sign are both very obvious things. A border guy with his hand hanging out the window isn't that obvious and isn't easily noticed when you are driving ahead at the truck in front of you. Well, that wasn't enough. Then he asked me how many times I cross that border. I told him a couple times a week. Then he said, "With this very truck?" I said, "Yes". Then he said, "No...my computer is showing that you have never been across here before". I told him that may be because it's my first time crossing with this particular company, so the truck has different plates on it. Then he yells, "THAT WOULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION THEN, WOULDN'T IT!!!?" I said, "YES IT WOULD!!". Then he handed back my receipt, and because he had me all upset, out of habit, I started to drive off (since that seems to the the last thing they give you when they clear you -- at least in my experiences). So subconsciously, I started to drive off and he screamed again, "GET BACK HERE NOW!!!" He said, "DID I RELEASE YOU?? NO I DIDN'T!!!" But he had me so nervous, I was starting to lose it and wasn't thinking straight, and he knew it and loved it, I'm sure. Then he didn't think I was backed up far enough. I was backed up far enough where we could still reach each other, but because our windows weren't lined up perfectly, he made me back up 3 more inches or so -- more harassment. I really feel he was starting to play games with me at this point in time. Then he asked me AGAIN what I had in the truck. I told him again. Then he let me go.
That was the most nerve wracking experience I have dealt with crossing over there. Now, I can understand him being mad maybe that I pulled up when he didn't want me to, but it was an honest mistake where I interpreted his hand out as him waiting for my paperwork. And so all he had to do is mention it once and let it go, but he had to constantly harass when he saw he was putting fear into me and then accuse me of being stupid by driving over stop signs, when I never have done such a ridiculous thing. That is just not right. And to scream at me is also not right. I got the point the first time...I'm not stupid, but these people treat us like second class citizens. But if you really think of it, the less trucks that cross over there due to their rudeness and fines, etc., the more jobs that would be cut for them, so he should be thankful there are enough trucks willing to cross or he'd be out of work. So I just think it's unfair for these people to be able to verbally abuse us when they feel like it and we have no rights. We have to allow them to, or they can take your vehicle apart and make your border crossing experience even a more living hell.
I don't know..has anybody else experienced such nastiness and verbal abuse by these people? I've dealt with lots and I know not many are friendly, but I feel he went too far, especially with the insinuations. Is there anything I can do to complain about him? Like I was saying, I know the booth and time I was there, but did not get his badge number.
If anybody has any related stories, I would love to hear them.
I've crossed many times and am used to the usual grumpiness of these people, and just pass it off as water off a dock's back because I'm so used to it, but this last man I dealt with was down right nasty and I think he might have carried things a bit too far. Now I'm wishing I had asked for his badge number and am thinking of putting in a complaint (because I remember the booth he was in) but not sure if it would do any good or not.
This is what happened. I was waiting in the truck lanes and was next to go. The truck ahead of me was finally released, so as usual, I started to pull up to the booth, but my eyes were fixated straight ahead on the back of the truck to make sure he was clear. Then I noticed just before I arrived to the window that the customs officer had his hand out. I honestly thought it was just out to get my paper work. When I arrived to the window, I was greeted by two lovely (NOT) customs officers (a lady and a man). Both started yelling (No...SCREAMIN) at me to BACK UP NOW!! I was shocked and back up to where I was sitting. I heard the woman mumble something the the man (in regards to my pulling up). I think they were in a shift change or something because she then left the booth and he made me wait a bit before letting me come back. How dare I pull up to the booth as the other truck was leaving, as usual routine..what harm is it for me to be there anyway while they did their shift change?? Anyway, that's beside the point.
So when I pulled up, the man started screaming (and I mean screaming) at me and wouldn't let it go. He said, "NOW! WHEN A CUSTOMS OFFICER HAS THEIR HAND OUT THE WINDOW, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN!!!!?" I said, "I don't know, because I've never had one do that before and I thought you just had it out waiting for my paperwork by the time I saw your hand". Then he yelled, "WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN A POLICE OFFICER IS STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU WITH HIS HAND OUT???!" Then I said, "stop". He said, "THERE'S MY POINT!!" There was so much I wanted to say back in argument to what he was saying, but I felt we have no rights. They can walk all over us, but we have to sit back and take it. I wanted to tell him that it's different because his body is in the booth, and so a hand sticking out isn't always noticed right away, and part of their job is to take your paperwork from you, so it could be for that reason. A cop standing there with his hand out, you can see him better because his body isn't hiding in a booth and there's only way one to interpret that (of course he'd want you to stop). But I didn't say a word. I think he knew he was making me a nervous wreck, so thought he would harass me further. He then said, "I'd hate to see how many stop signs you've taken out or would take out!!!" Then he gave me a dirty look and rolled his eyes. OK, at this point, I knew he had carried it on a bit TOO far. I've never been in an accident before, let alone taking out stop signs. What happened doesn't reflect on my driving abilities and I didn't appreciate his insinuations basically accusing me of being a poor driver, when I know I'm not. He is accusing me of things that are not related at all. A cop standing there with his hand out and a stop sign are both very obvious things. A border guy with his hand hanging out the window isn't that obvious and isn't easily noticed when you are driving ahead at the truck in front of you. Well, that wasn't enough. Then he asked me how many times I cross that border. I told him a couple times a week. Then he said, "With this very truck?" I said, "Yes". Then he said, "No...my computer is showing that you have never been across here before". I told him that may be because it's my first time crossing with this particular company, so the truck has different plates on it. Then he yells, "THAT WOULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION THEN, WOULDN'T IT!!!?" I said, "YES IT WOULD!!". Then he handed back my receipt, and because he had me all upset, out of habit, I started to drive off (since that seems to the the last thing they give you when they clear you -- at least in my experiences). So subconsciously, I started to drive off and he screamed again, "GET BACK HERE NOW!!!" He said, "DID I RELEASE YOU?? NO I DIDN'T!!!" But he had me so nervous, I was starting to lose it and wasn't thinking straight, and he knew it and loved it, I'm sure. Then he didn't think I was backed up far enough. I was backed up far enough where we could still reach each other, but because our windows weren't lined up perfectly, he made me back up 3 more inches or so -- more harassment. I really feel he was starting to play games with me at this point in time. Then he asked me AGAIN what I had in the truck. I told him again. Then he let me go.
That was the most nerve wracking experience I have dealt with crossing over there. Now, I can understand him being mad maybe that I pulled up when he didn't want me to, but it was an honest mistake where I interpreted his hand out as him waiting for my paperwork. And so all he had to do is mention it once and let it go, but he had to constantly harass when he saw he was putting fear into me and then accuse me of being stupid by driving over stop signs, when I never have done such a ridiculous thing. That is just not right. And to scream at me is also not right. I got the point the first time...I'm not stupid, but these people treat us like second class citizens. But if you really think of it, the less trucks that cross over there due to their rudeness and fines, etc., the more jobs that would be cut for them, so he should be thankful there are enough trucks willing to cross or he'd be out of work. So I just think it's unfair for these people to be able to verbally abuse us when they feel like it and we have no rights. We have to allow them to, or they can take your vehicle apart and make your border crossing experience even a more living hell.
I don't know..has anybody else experienced such nastiness and verbal abuse by these people? I've dealt with lots and I know not many are friendly, but I feel he went too far, especially with the insinuations. Is there anything I can do to complain about him? Like I was saying, I know the booth and time I was there, but did not get his badge number.
If anybody has any related stories, I would love to hear them.
