Detained crossing the border

[Masklinn]

can I refuse a strip search/cavity search, at least until I had a lawyer fighting for me?

You can always try...then they might beat the crap out of you and do the search anyway. But you can try...

Originally posted by Animal: I just returned from Boston on business, landing in Vancouver this morning Wed Feb 20, 2003. I was SUPPOSED to land in Vancouver monday evening, but apparantly, to the US, I look like someone who has a bomb implanted in their back! Twelve years ago, I was in an accident and ended up with a couple of pins and a few screws in my back. Well of course these are great for setting off metal detectors in airport security stops. Now, I've been to Japan, Scotland, Britain, France and Italy during the last year with no major problems. I carry a certificate from my surgeon as well as copies of X-rays, and usually it takes no more than an hour to go through security anywhere! I arrived at the airport in Boston, 5 hours early thinking this would be plenty of time. WRONG! I was detained for 36 hours, subjected to not one, but two body cavity searches, led out of the airport in shackles to the hospital so they could take X-rays for themselves and wasn't even offered so much as a f**king appology! Now, I ask you what the hell is wrong with the US? I was wearing a $1500 suit, my shoes cose $300, and had documents proving where I was and what I was doing, signed documentation from my surgeon and the Canadian government indicating I had pins in my lower back. My notebook computer was disassembled and is now completely unusable, all files on my hard drive gone. I have filed official complaints with both Canadian and US officials. I have never been treated so badly in my life! All that was missing were the 'SS' patches and swastikas on the US custom and security personnell. Anyway, that's my rant, I had to get it off my chest. I have a meeting with my lawyers tomorrow.

You travel in a $1500 suit? Ick. I always dress down when traveling, keeps the mooches and bums away....any way back on topic..what is wrong with the USA? try:

9/11

I too have metalic hardware holding my shoulder together and also get searched extra vigourously at airports, but to be honest, the only people I have seen who get body cavity searches are ones who are acting like total dill weeds. Im not saying you were, just that the only people who I have ever observed getting hasseled in the manner you describe, were being total dicks.

Edit: As for expensive clothing, they routienely have found terrorists with thousands of dollars in cash on them...so they don't all have to dress in camel jokey robes.

[ 02-20-2003, 08:45 AM: Message edited by: MagiK ]

On a happier note, if you really dislike US customs people that much....You are quite free not to visit [img]smile.gif[/img] Well unless you are a terrorist, in which case you may be orderd to visit [img]smile.gif[/img]

In the 1980's when Libya was terror bombing greece and france and other countrys in the Med, the customs officials of those nations weren't all that chipper and friendly either.....I think most of the people who are aghast are not thinking in the proper context.

[ 02-20-2003, 08:49 AM: Message edited by: MagiK ]

[Melusine]

Originally posted by MagiK: but to be honest, the only people I have seen who get body cavity searches are ones who are acting like total dill weeds. Im not saying you were, just that the only people who I have ever observed getting hasseled in the manner you describe, were being total dicks.

"The only people who get hassled like that were being total dicks...I'm not saying you are, just that everybody else I know who was body searched was acting a total ass... not that that says anything about you, of course... but well I don't know why I'm saying this. Possibly just to discredit your story without appearing to, I covered myself well enough by saying it's only all those other people I am talking about, not you of course!"

C'mon... Why ARE you putting it like that when you're not talking about Animal? [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Masklinn]

On a happier note, if you really dislike US customs people that much....You are quite free not to visit

I don't see how that could be a "happier note". Instead, i see this as a very sad way to see things, and a silly way to handle problems.

I agree that because of the 9/11 (2001!) they have to be careful and all. But that doesn't mean they have to do that kind of crap.

You are quite free not to visit

And you are quite free not to make people flee away from your airports. Think about tourism, think about business trips, etc...Those things are quite important.
And what if I have some family (or just friends) over there and I get annoyed like that everytime I want to visit them ?

C'mon, there must be a better way.

[quote]Originally posted by Melusine:

Originally posted by MagiK: [qb]C'mon... Why ARE you putting it like that when you're not talking about Animal? [img]smile.gif[/img]

Ick I think the quote got all messed up.

I don't know Animal [img]smile.gif[/img] so I have to take his word for the events, I was just relating my own personal experience while traveling. I can sympathize with him having metal rods in his body, since I have a couple too. It does make travel more dificult. I find that when I am cooperative and cheerful, I get great treatment by customs officials and security types....so I wanted to illustrate that his experience may have been an anomally since Im sure he was very cooperative and helpful to the people who were just doing their jobs.

Originally posted by Masklinn: Quote: On a happier note, if you really dislike US customs people that much....You are quite free not to visit

I don't see how that could be a "happier note". Instead, i see this as a very sad way to see things, and a silly way to handle problems.

I agree that because of the 9/11 (2001!) they have to be careful and all. But that doesn't mean they have to do that kind of crap.


The Happier NOTE is that we are FREE to choose to come and go. We could be in a repressive dictatorship where you cannot move without government sanction.

In every situation there are two sides to the story, we have heard 1. I am sure the Customs people have a story of their own.

You are quite free not to visit

And you are quite free not to make people flee away from your airports. Think about tourism, think about business trips, etc...Those things are quite important.
And what if I have some family (or just friends) over there and I get annoyed like that everytime I want to visit them ?

C'mon, there must be a better way.[/QUOTE]You are right, there must be a better way, but untill someone can invent it, there isn't.

[Masklinn]

The Happier NOTE is that we are FREE to choose to come and go

Animal was not for at least 36 hours of his life, and for no reason.

And when I say that there must be a better way, I mean they could do their job in a better way.

[The Hierophant]

Originally posted by MagiK: You are right, there must be a better way, but untill someone can invent it, there isn't.

It was invented thousands of years ago, it's called showing a little goddam respect to your fellow man!

[Donut]

Originally posted by MagiK: On a happier note, if you really dislike US customs people that much....You are quite free not to visit [img]smile.gif[/img]

Well I hope people treat this comment with the contempt it deserves. Once you get past the ignorant prats at immigration America is one of the friendliest countries you could wish to visit. They have a few arseholes but what country doesn't, the vast majority of the people are very helpful and obliging.