Crossing The Border

Forum Sponsor
Re: Crossing The Boarder

LoneRonin said:
where do I get this enhanced license? I thought all the new ones were enhanced, and what the hell is NEXUS? Pardon my ignorance...
Click to expand...

Enhanced drivers license you can get at Bay/College Service Ontario - you have to book it specially: http://www.ontario.ca/en/services_for_residents/ONT05_017865. In short, it's like your passport though it can only be used on land. The license has a machine readable code on the back (like the bottom of the picture page of the passport) and contains an RFID chip in it.

Nexus (http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/nexus/menu-eng.html) is a full pre-screened process to go across the border. You submit your application to the US, they send all your details through every database they can find (scotland yard, interpol, CIA, FBI, etc... etc...) looking for dirt. If you come up clean, you then get your finger prints taken, and your iris's scanned. After all that, you can bypass customs going to/from the US at the airport (you do everything by a machine in the center while everyone waits in line) and you have dedicated lanes at land crossings.

In short, Nexus is you giving up information, lots of information, to get through lines faster. If you have nothing to hide, you don't mind the US knowing a lot about you, and you cross often, it's worth it.
 
Re: Crossing The Boarder

I always shut off my bike and take my helmet off. If the person looks friendly I'll start a light hearted conversation about the weather other wise I'll say nothing. I have found that if I cross the border multiple times a year I am treated with less suspicion. I have also found I am respected more crossing on my bike alone than in my car alone. A few years ago, I crossed at the Ivy Lea bridge with the car. My car was stuffed with things for my daughter, whom I planned to visit in Ottawa on my return. My car was torn apart and I was retained for over an hour.
 
Last edited:
Re: Crossing The Boarder

Don't go for the Enhanced Drivers License (EDL).

I made that mistake, most service centres can't service you with one of these; "oh, it's an EDL, you'll have to go to an EDL-licensed service centre" this after waiting in line for an hour. I surrendered mine, waste of time and money and a complete hassle, worthless for flying too.
 
Re: Crossing The Boarder

Carmen said:
I usually start a light hearted conversation about the weather or such.
Click to expand...

Thats a really wonderful piece of advice if youre going for ways to make yourself look suspicious. I'd love to see you do that on the commercial vehicle side, so much as smiling at them warrants a look of being seconds away from being beaten to death.
 
Re: Crossing The Boarder

Yes striking up a conversation will often send you to secondary inspection.Turn your bike off,take your full face off,make eye contact and most importantly have your DESTINATION AND ROUTE down pat.If they ask where your going and you don't know how to get there or have to think about it you will getting pulled in to secondary LARGE.They will also be running your licsence plate so make sure it's visable and mounted in the factory position side mounts seem to piss them off.If you going through Detroit/Windsor they may look at your tires on the Canadian side and also pull you in if they look brand new as many riders go over to buy them.If you buy new tires for your trip you may want to have the receipt on hand at the primary because secondary inspection can be a long wait just to get some out to look.I usually stick my paperwork in the cluster so I don't have too fumble for it while in line.Generally bike are an easy pass as they know you not smuggling pounds of dope with you.
 
Last edited:
Re: Crossing The Boarder

Cat13 said:
Regardless if they ask you or not, my guess would be to take it off as an 'act of good faith' otherwise if they wanted they could make you have a long day. You remove it and it comes acrossed as you have nothing to hide and allows them to fully see your face.
Click to expand...

i agree i allways pull it off.
your standing in line anyways...
i'm a big fan of respect with boarder agents.. its a crap job. they only "ushally" get peaky, when people get beaky..
 
Re: Crossing The Boarder

Or just get yourself a Harley or cruiser with an open face/beannie helmet. Never have a problem at the border. I turn the bike off, remove eye wear, smile and answer the questions. Easy breezy. Most agents ask where I'm headed, ask what model of Harley I'm riding, how many cc's etc. They tell me they ride or thinking about getting a bike etc.
 
Re: Crossing The Boarder

I've had my Nexus for about 4 years now and love it. Especially when flying to the U.S....people in line watch me walk up to the scanner get my pass and keep walking. I love it. When I am driving my process is all my windows are down, SHUT the vehicle off, remove any sunglasses and look directly into the officers eyes when speaking. Never had an issue and I NEVER lie. Not worth it. Any goods I pay my tax and rock and roll. Getting black listed for 7 years is not worth the hassles. Also if you have Nexus are are caught lying the penalties are more severe. As a practice remove your helmet if your in line prior and shut the bike off. It does make a difference and a sign of respect. I had a customs officer thank me for shutting off my vehicle. He said it gets awful sometimes having to smell exhaust fumes in that cubicle. I have shut it off every time since before I even hand them my passport or Nexus.
 
Re: Crossing The Boarder

FriendlyFoe said:
so much as smiling at them warrants a look of being seconds away from being beaten to death.
Click to expand...

That's quite the paranoia. I've had a Detroit border guard strike up small talk with me when I said I was visiting Chicago. We were comparing Chicago and Toronto. He waved my through. A small amount of friendly chit chat does not make you suspicious.
 
Re: Crossing The Boarder

I haven't crossed the border on my bike, but have done it dozens of times in the car. "yes, sir. No, sir. Thank you very much, sir." usually works very well (plus receipts on hand with a total already worked out). I have never been pulled in for extra inspection.

Polite deference to authority works very well with border guards in my experience.
 
Re: Crossing The Boarder

Yeah i don't know what you guys do to make them so mad at you for talking to them. I always make jokes/small talk when i roll through and have only been pulled into secondary once because i couldn't find my receipt for the beer i bought.

2 weeks ago i went to pick up my parents at the airport in buffalo. The guard asked me which airport, and laughed when i asked him if there was seriously more than one. My mom forgot to mention that. He even gave me better directions to the airport and told me where to drive slow because of cops. The best tip i have is if you are going to cross, go to the niagara falls boarder (where you actually cross over the falls) not the way the GPS takes you. That is the way EVERYONE'S gps takes them and the lines are way longer and mostly it's people buying stuff and not declaring. The guards are usually in a bad mood.
 
Re: Crossing The Boarder

Wheelieboy said:
All the times I've crossed I had to remove my helmet. Except for this one time when coming back to the Canadian side they didnt require it.
Click to expand...

This has been my experience while wearing a full face helmet. I take it off. At the guards request crossing into the states, crossing back it's been hit or miss.

They've a camera pointed at you, once the helmet is off, your face is on file.
 
Re: Crossing The Boarder

budgetracing said:
The best tip i have is if you are going to cross, go to the niagara falls boarder (where you actually cross over the falls) not the way the GPS takes you. That is the way EVERYONE'S gps takes them and the lines are way longer and mostly it's people buying stuff and not declaring.
Click to expand...

Sure, now the secret is out. Rainbow Bridge has been my crossing location of choice for decades, mostly because trucks are not allowed to use it.
 
Re: Crossing The Boarder

Malks said:
Sure, now the secret is out. Rainbow Bridge has been my crossing location of choice for decades, mostly because trucks are not allowed to use it.
Click to expand...

I know of three bridges in the area (correct me if I am wrong):

1. Peace Bridge
2. Rainbow Bridge
3. Queenston-Lewiston Bridge

It has been my experience that the Queenston-Lewiston bridge is less busy than the other two. I've been using it for years, with very little difficulty.
 
Re: Crossing The Boarder

Charles Darwin said:
I know of three bridges in the area (correct me if I am wrong):

1. Peace Bridge
2. Rainbow Bridge
3. Queenston-Lewiston Bridge

It has been my experience that the Queenston-Lewiston bridge is less busy than the other two. I've been using it for years, with very little difficulty.
Click to expand...

There is a fourth as well. It is between Queenston-Lewiston and Rainbow and used to be open to the general public, I know because I have used it in the past. However, it is now a Nexus user only bridge.

I once had to pull a U-turn at the Duty-Free area at Queenston-Lewiston and go back to Stanley Ave in order to get out of a traffic back-up that extended over the bridge and well past the Duty-Free. I drove over to Rainbow Bridge where there was no delay and got across in less than 15 minutes.
 
Re: Crossing The Boarder

I find the queenston-lewiston always the busiest as that's what everyone's GPS tells them to do.

Peace Bridge is always fast for me, but the rainbow is usually faster though it dumps you in the middle of nowhere.

NEXUS bridge is called the whirlpool bridge - it's the fastest!
Forum Sponsor
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom