🚀 go-pugleaf

In message <bp7Xl.24863$xW6.20613@newsfe11.iad> "Canuck57"
<fred@nospam.com> was claimed to have wrote:

>
>"DevilsPGD" <DeathToSpam@crazyhat.net> wrote in message 
>news:jhkp2555kl3r86mltn1b9hs7d9gb27bljq@4ax.com...
>> In message <4cvWl.17774$VL5.16917@newsfe22.iad> "Canuck57"
>> <fred@nospam.com> was claimed to have wrote:
>>
>>>Last time I crossed the border their primary concern was if my vehicle was
>>>GST paid and how much booze I had.  They didn't ask me for any ID even
>>>though I had it ready.
>>
>> ID isn't always required if you're driving your own vehicle, your
>> license plate is scanned and your identification is probably on their
>> screen already, knowing whether or not you have a printed copy of the ID
>> on your person isn't useful information.
>
>In part, I agree with you but in Alberta we don't have front plates.  And 
>then if they did have cameras on the rear and likely do, they could see it 
>was registered when they punch it in.  But I could have stolen a Canadian 
>plated vehicle and been Bin Ladden.  To register it, the GST must show 
>somewhere like the bill of sale so if plates match vehcile, what a useless 
>question to ask.

Usually the plates match against your driver's license, which links to
your identity.

I can't speak to why GST was a focus of your case in particular,
although one technique that is used is to bang away on one topic in
particular to annoy and frustrating your subject until slipping the
"real" question in somewhere while you're off balance.

Who knows, it's just as possible that something made the guy suspicious.

>> As far as their primary function being to collect taxes, that may be the
>> case, but they're not very consistent with it -- I cross the border
>> several times per year on business and usually at least a couple for
>> personal reasons, I'm often over the import limits, only once have I
>> actually had to pay anything.
>
>Yes, I will say they are good about that.  Drove by one with 1/2 bottle of 
>booze over my quota, told them I didn't have heart to dump it and was over. 
>Expecting to be pulled in, he waved me on and said have a good day.  

What amuses me is the number of times they don't even ask... One time
when my girlfriend and I went down for a few days camping, on the return
trip the said "I've got exactly one question for you: Did you have a
good trip?"  She was driving and said yes, he nodded and waved us
through.

Other times you get all sorts of weird questions.

>But 
>then you get the wench who wants to hassle you over where you bought it or 
>something useless to fill her dismal day. 

In my experience that's rare, although land crossings do tend to be a
bit more of a pain then flying across, and generally I fly.

Happens sometimes, but not all that often.