Location: God's own country
Posted on: 08-08-06 10:57:03
Fellow CD's,
I had been to Fort Erie this saturday to have a peek at the USA from Fort Erie. I just wanted to see USA from Canada. I am a Canadian citizen. I was accompanied by an Adult female (a PR) and an Infant (Cdn. Citizen). For the Adult female and Infant we had just health cards for ID. and luckily i had taken my citizenship card.
I saw USA from Fort Erie and was roaming around when i saw an Arrow to the Duty Free shop and which also had a Tim Hortons. So i went there in my car. Upon reaching the Duty Free i found that it was a one way route to USA and i could not turn my car. I was very frightened b'cos my accompanies did not have any proper ID. (Like PR card and Citizenship cards) and luckily i had my citizenship card.
I asked a person at Tim Hortons regarding what to do. He told me that i had the option of Turning back but still that i will have to cross the canadian customs/ immigration on my way into Canada again. I ran to a high point and surveyed the crossing. I found that there was an option to turn back after leaving Canada but that i would have to report to the Canadian customs on my way in. I also found that due to construction work, there was a gap in the wall for a person who is walking to squeeze himself/herself before i entered the No Man's land. I had to take the people with me in the car b'cos those individuals were afraid to stay alone in the road without me.
So i drove the car and let the people down in the gap before the cdn. customs and crossed into the no man's land and returned to Cdn. Customs. He asked me how long i was in the USA. I told him that i did not visit USA and that i came by mistake to the Duty Free and since i could not back track, i had to take a U-turn. He was not convinced. He checked the whole of my car and then let me go.
When i went to pick the individuals whom i left, they told me , once i let them and when the squeezed themselves through the gap to the cdn. side, it seems that immediately in the loud speakers, they were identified , warned to stop at that place and that 2 security people came with an armed guard came and surrounded them. They were taken to a security area and asked the reason why they sqeezed themselves through the gap. The Adult female explained the situation and showed the health cards for both of them and then the security let them go. I picked them up and on my way further out had to pay a toll of $3.50. I actually had no money with me and i had to rummage for pennies, dimes and quarters.
I left Fort Erie vowing never to return again.
Moral of the story ->
When going to border cities, always go with proper ID., (like PR card, Passports etc..). Also have a lot of Cash money with you. Keep also your Gas tank filled up since the traffic just crawls into the USA.
TK A
Sidenote -> Also near the Peace bridge (crossing to USA) I found a CN Railway line going to the USA. From the Cdn. Side , it was not monitored but i am not sure if it was monitored from the American side.
Mighty Bukz-> There was no indication that it was a one way. The signage just said "Peace bridge crossing to USA". Only after i turned in , did i find that it was a one way in , either to the bridge or to the duty free shop and then from the duty free shop, it was a one way to the peace bridge. I am glad that i informed this to fellow desi's who may be PR's , Students, Work permit holders, illegals or citizens without ID. on hand.
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I am a Gents and not a Ladies.
That is very strange. Wasn't there any indication that was a one way route to US and no turning back? surely there must have been a sign. At Niagara falls, the duty free shop is just before the entry to the bridge connecting US n Canada so you dont have to turn back.
Quote:
Originally posted by tamilkuravan
Moral of the story ->
When going to border cities, always go with proper ID., (like PR card, Passports etc..). Also have a lot of Cash money with you. Keep also your Gas tank filled up since the traffic just crawls into the USA.
TK A
Sidenote -> Also near the Peace bridge (crossing to USA) I found a CN Railway line going to the USA. From the Cdn. Side , it was not monitored but i am not sure if it was monitored from the American side.
Seems like you had an interesting experience. It goes without saying that whenever you plan on visiting a border city, always keep your citizenship card/pp with valid visa on you, just incase you feel like crossing border.
I have to disagree with your point on keeping a lot of cash on you. All you need is some $ for the toll and may be some for the Tim Horton's coffee (In your case you're lucky you didn't have to pay toll on both sides. Since there's construction going on at the bridge, the toll booth for exiting Canada is closed.) You also mentioned about tank filled with gas - the worst I've experienced on Peace Bridge is a 45 min wait, that was on a long-weekend Sat around 10pm.
I was at Peace Bridge too last Sat around 7pm. Travelling to Buffalo Airport to receive my in-laws. The wait time at the border was around 10 mins. which is pretty normal. An hour later I was back. At that time the wait time was less than 5 min.
Moral of the Story - Think twice before entering a Tim Hortons
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SS
Reiki Grand Master
Interesting. A couple of more important lessons:
(1) Duty-free shops are for people travelling outside the country. That's why they are located at the border from where you will need to re-enter the country. If you don't plan to step outside the country (and don't have the paperwork with you), don't try going to such duty-free shops. Even in airports, duty-free shops are meant for international travellers.
(2) If you do get into a situation like this accidentally, be honest. Explain to the officers that you left the border by mistake. Don't try to sneak in through such a "gap in the wall" like an illegal entrant. It only makes things worse if caught. You are legal Canadian permanent residents or citizens, and have the right to enter the country.
Quote:
Originally posted by tamilkuravan
I just wanted to see USA from Canada. I am a Canadian citizen
So how did it look , O Canadian Citizen?
Quote:
Originally posted by tamilkuravan
I was accompanied by an Adult female (a PR) and an Infant (Cdn. Citizen)
"adult female" and "infant"?!
Dont you have a plain wife and kids?
Quote:
Originally posted by tamilkuravan
When i went to pick the individuals whom i left, they told me , once i let them and when the squeezed themselves through the gap to the cdn. side, it seems that immediately in the loud speakers, they were identified , warned to stop at that place and that 2 security people came with an armed guard came and surrounded them.
So what do your accompanying homo sapiens, i.e. the "adult female" and "infant" have to say (or think) about being left in the lurch by an adult Canadian "i wanna see america" male?
One can only sympathise with the "adult female" and "infant" for having to put up with such antics.
Quote:
Originally posted by tamilkuravan
Sidenote -> Also near the Peace bridge (crossing to USA) I found a CN Railway line going to the USA. From the Cdn. Side , it was not monitored but i am not sure if it was monitored from the American side.
Excellent! So when are you going to try that route? Let us know if they shoot you in the back or in the chest (well, if its the chest we will probably get to read about it in the newspapers
)
Quote:
Originally posted by tamilkuravan
Fellow CD's,
I had been to Fort Erie this saturday to have a peek at the USA from Fort Erie. I just wanted to see USA from Canada. I am a Canadian citizen. I was accompanied by an Adult female (a PR) and an Infant (Cdn. Citizen). For the Adult female and Infant we had just health cards for ID. and luckily i had taken my citizenship card.
I saw USA from Fort Erie and was roaming around when i saw an Arrow to the Duty Free shop and which also had a Tim Hortons. So i went there in my car. Upon reaching the Duty Free i found that it was a one way route to USA and i could not turn my car. I was very frightened b'cos my accompanies did not have any proper ID. (Like PR card and Citizenship cards) and luckily i had my citizenship card.
I asked a person at Tim Hortons regarding what to do. He told me that i had the option of Turning back but still that i will have to cross the canadian customs/ immigration on my way into Canada again. I ran to a high point and surveyed the crossing. I found that there was an option to turn back after leaving Canada but that i would have to report to the Canadian customs on my way in. I also found that due to construction work, there was a gap in the wall for a person who is walking to squeeze himself/herself before i entered the No Man's land. I had to take the people with me in the car b'cos those individuals were afraid to stay alone in the road without me.
So i drove the car and let the people down in the gap before the cdn. customs and crossed into the no man's land and returned to Cdn. Customs. He asked me how long i was in the USA. I told him that i did not visit USA and that i came by mistake to the Duty Free and since i could not back track, i had to take a U-turn. He was not convinced. He checked the whole of my car and then let me go.
When i went to pick the individuals whom i left, they told me , once i let them and when the squeezed themselves through the gap to the cdn. side, it seems that immediately in the loud speakers, they were identified , warned to stop at that place and that 2 security people came with an armed guard came and surrounded them. They were taken to a security area and asked the reason why they sqeezed themselves through the gap. The Adult female explained the situation and showed the health cards for both of them and then the security let them go. I picked them up and on my way further out had to pay a toll of $3.50. I actually had no money with me and i had to rummage for pennies, dimes and quarters.
I left Fort Erie vowing never to return again.
Moral of the story ->
When going to border cities, always go with proper ID., (like PR card, Passports etc..). Also have a lot of Cash money with you. Keep also your Gas tank filled up since the traffic just crawls into the USA.
TK A
Sidenote -> Also near the Peace bridge (crossing to USA) I found a CN Railway line going to the USA. From the Cdn. Side , it was not monitored but i am not sure if it was monitored from the American side.
Mighty Bukz-> There was no indication that it was a one way. The signage just said "Peace bridge crossing to USA". Only after i turned in , did i find that it was a one way in , either to the bridge or to the duty free shop and then from the duty free shop, it was a one way to the peace bridge. I am glad that i informed this to fellow desi's who may be PR's , Students, Work permit holders, illegals or citizens without ID. on hand.
IT ONLY HAPPENS TO TK !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi TK,
Very interesting experience. Did you have any similar experiences anywhere else too? Keep posted.
