border crossing

[driftlessregion]

Anyone have negative experience crossing back into the US near North Troy, VT?

[zzzz]

Sounds like you got a story to tell Driftless.

I've never crossed at that border but in 2013 I crossed the border where Waterton and Glacier are and the 2 border patrol guys manning the American side of the post were 2 of the biggest a-holes I've ever run into in my life. That encounter is burned into my memory such that when I got to the US crossing on the Alaska Hwy 2 years ago and when I crossed at Rossville last year on the GDMBR I was ready for trouble only to find the guys professional and polite.

Just goes to show if you give someone with a well deserved sense of inadequacy a uniform and some authority they will turn into a jerk.

pm

[John Nelson]

I agree--it sounds like you have a story to tell.

I doubt that the location of the crossing makes that much of a difference. The difference is most likely the personality and mood of the agent you encounter. I've crossed a number of times on a bicycle. Some agents were friendly and chatty, but most were very stern and business-like. Some ask questions that sound accusing and skeptical, but I figure they're just doing their job.

[Loader]

Anyone have negative experience crossing back into the US near North Troy, VT?

I was returning from Quebec City through Vermont. Not on a bicycle, but on a motorcycle. Yes, I was carefully checked at the customs, but motorcyclists are always carefully checked.

[driftlessregion]

I don't but as I was planning a tour for July a friend had a concern based on rumors he had heard.

[jonc123]

Well, if your friend has concerns, obviously he is doing something illegal. Also, if he has concerns, he will look nervous at the crossing. Be 100% legal when you cross. If your not, your stupid. Your also stupid if you cross with him and he's not legal. They'll give you a hard time. They'll be able to see you are from the same area. They keep track of stuff. If one person crosses border on a motorcycle from a certain area, then 30 minutes later another motorcycle from the same area...red flag city. They are smarter than you think.

[BikeliciousBabe]

Some people on Cycle Vermont did it back in 2010. No problems. There was a lot of drug smuggling up that way back then. Border patrol actually stopped by our rest stop in Richford after he observed one of the support vans, which had VA plates, driving around the area. He was pleasant and told us that once he started seeing all the cyclists he realized what was going on. If your friend is not carrying anything illegal and has the proper paperwork, I don't see why there should be a problem. I have gotten far more scrutiny going into Canada than leaving.

[BobG]

Heh! A few years ago I was staffing a Cycle VT and I was on the morning crew that drove ahead spraying the chalk arrows along the route. In Derby Line VT I decided that one intersection needed extra arrows to clarify the turn. I made several left hand turns to go around the block when suddenly all of the signs were in French! I had inadvertently crossed into Quebec without passing a port of entry.

I had to do some explaining upon my return through the proper route. I suspect that the residential side street route has been blocked off by now!

I've cycled the sleepy crossing at E Franklin VT/Frelighsburg QC many times in the past with no issues. Perhaps times have changed... I've never crossed at N Troy.

[driftlessregion]

To imply that my friend is doing something illegal is insulting and makes assumptions about someone you don't know.

[jonc123]

To imply that my friend is doing something illegal is insulting and makes assumptions about someone you don't know.

Don't really care what you think. Have a great day!

[Pat Lamb]

jonc123, are you a border patrol officer in addition to being a jerk?

[zzzz]

There are people who view anyone who has a badge and a uniform as 100% A-OK in all their actions. I know these folks represent at least 10% of the population because whenever a police officer is brought to trial for his on-duty actions, no matter how egregious, it is essentially always a hung jury.

jonc123 is apparently one of these people.

Not that I'm making assumptions or anything about someone I know nothing about

Pete

[BikeliciousBabe]

Well this went down hill fast, but I am curious to know what the rumors (OP has been edited to remove the original mention of "rumors.") That information might help with informed responses.

[zzzz]

I know nothing of the specific border crossing the OP referred to but I do know what happened to me at the crossing between Waterton and Glacier NP.

There's a pretty stout climb up to the border from Canada. It was a gray,cool day and it started raining about 10% into the climb. By the time I got to the top I was soaked thru and it was 15° colder then it was at the bottom and I pull in behind the two RV's in front of me. As I'm standing there, pretty soon I'm freezing, and I see at the station there is an overhang and a bench and I think (pretty naively) I'm going to wait my turn over there out of the rain and put some dry clothes on. When the border guy sees what I've done he FREAKS OUT, think about a drill sergeant at marine boot camp dealing with a fresh recruit and you got the picture. And then when I find it kind of funny that he's so far over the top, then he really goes ape sh*t.

To be clear, if I broke with the way things were supposed to be done and he turned to me and said "you cannot be there, you need to get back in line" in an all business way, I would not have taken any offense and would have done what I was told w/o complaint.

This guy was so over the top that the RV who was in front of me pulled over ahead and volunteered his phone # that if I wanted to report this guy that he would be happy to talk to anyone who looked into it.

The bottom line, I know from personal experience that the idea that every single member of the border patrol acts in a professional manner is BS.

[donald.stewart.92]

I can see that everyone on forums treats everyone with respect and in a professional manner. And some people never see themselves as the ones disrespecting uniformed personnel first.