So I went down today with a friend to do some christmas shopping and pick up a lot of items I had shipped to the border where some packages have been sitting there for over 2 months

going down was absolutely fine the US guards were especially nice today, which was great to experience

on our way back we declared everything* but my friend is exceptionally nervous/scared when speaking to the cbsa so I guess they thought something was fishy so they pulled us to the side, for what i thought was simply to pay duties to the cashier, but an officer took my form when i got in and his attitude switched to quite a rough one and they took our passports and my friends car got searched by 3-4 guards while I went to pay the cashier.

after awhile they came back in and immediately went to look over my invoices and it turns out i was missing 1 invoice (out of about 15 invoices)

immediately they acted like it was the end of the world and they claimed that the price i declared was far under the value that the receipts totaled to, so i footed the bills and showed he was wrong and what was declared was accurate and in fact the price he claimed was several hundred more than what was actually there

I explained I must have misplaced (due to switching to my friends car) or even forgotten to print out all my receipts and told I could simply find the invoice either in the car or on my phone, found the receipt (in my phone) and gave it to them but they were still being extremely rude with their attitude and voices trying to accuse me of purposely lying, even though the value of the missing invoice was nominal in comparison to what I declared... :fulloffuck:

one of the guards, an asian guy, was extremely hopped up on adrenaline, i guess, and tried to make it seem like it was the end of the world, once again, and rambled on about anything he could think of including my declaration is off considering the missing invoice as if i was lying on purpose about the value of my items. So i simply stated i understood where he's coming from but my declaration was based solely on my receipts

they then said they could seize my items and threatened to b-list me and made a record of my friends plates which I had no problem with but I had enough with that guard and didn't bother replying and moved on to the cashier due to the other guards directions

power tripping nut jobs they must have been expecting drugs or something due to my friends reaction/attitude (stuttering, offering needless info, scattered replies) so they were likely pumped up with excitement/adrenaline...I'm not mad that they conducted a search or fishing for an admission to their accusations but they definitely needed to calm down




what's odd is that even though they were scrutinizing everything neither cbsa nor the us border guards made note that my friends passport had been expired for months (he didn't realize until we were returning home)

wonder if they're on rs they're our age





*so we thought

file a complaint

Do you think that an expired passport mean that your no longer a Canadian Citizen?

(it only matters if your flying?)

BTW, gas at Fred Meyers Bellingham was $2.36 / gal today. Exchange rate, not so good.................$1.16

Wut? A valid passport is required (or nexus etc) when crossing the border and a valid passport is one not expired... but that wasn't the point of my msg...

Pretty much sums up my experience with the CBSA... a lot of them are super nice and polite, but God help me when I get a female one. One time at Point Roberts, the officer asked me to open my trunk after I declared $300 worth of used car parts. I politely told her that the trunk release is broken and I would have to physically get out to open it with the key. She then accused me of wasting her time and everybody else's by being "difficult". Then proceeded to roll her eyes and tell me to "just get out of here".

Not to be sexist but I feel that oftentimes the female ones are the strictest because they have something they feel like they have to prove. Or just don't want to seem "nice" for whatever reason...

there have been times where they dont even ask anything

pull up to the nexus window

CBP Officer: Thank You.


lol

The only less than ideal interaction I've had with a border guard was when Nexus closed early at 8:55PM forcing about 10 or so cars in the Nexus lines to the regular lines.

Told the officer I'm simply going to get gas, starts giving me a bunch of cheeky comments about how there's gas in Canada and why I come to the US to get gas so often.

I tell him I drive at least 100km/day and my car gets 450kms per tank.

He proceeds to ask me if I'm doing shady work in the US, I say no.

Lets me go.

:pokerface:

Otherwise Nexus is a breeze to and from the US.

Can't believe the border officer (US or CBSA) asking such a dumb question. Having gas fill up trips is one of the most common reasons for people to go down to the States. Cheeky comments about how there is gas in Canada? That very same gas is also roughly 20% more expensive...

I don't mind getting asked questions. But don't insult me, and don't insult your own intelligence by asking dumba$$ ones.

Wonder if its the same guy, had a similar experience, asking if we don't get gas down in Canada. After harassing me on whether I have a middle name, which I don't, he proceeds to say how it is a 'privilege' for me to enter 'his' country.

I understand it is not guaranteed that I can cross the border but I have to wonder how much of their business is surviving cause of Canadians.

I never had bad experiences going down either through the regular or nexus lines. If anything, the American guards have always been head-and-shoulders above the CBSA. If they aren't super-polite, they're making jokes. Not sure what it is.

One time I was going down to shop with my gf, mom, and sisters. Checks the passports, asks how we're all related. Looks at my mom and goes "WHAT? DEAH LAWWWWD YOU CAN'T BE THEIR MOM!" We all laughed and he let us on our way.

Coming back to the CBSA is almost always the exact opposite of that.

I've had the same experience as m3thods while driving over. Most of the time US guys are super cool and will crack jokes. I've definitely had my fair share of Canadians that were real pricks.

YVR airport seems to be the opposite though. The folks at US Customs seem to be way meaner (especially in Secondary screening).

$2.20 / gal at Angel of the Winds Casiono last night. Wow!


On the way into the US at 5:30 am, had this border guard start cracking jokes. I was laughing pretty hard.

Anyway onthe way back into Canada, I picked up my Sriracha 2 Go bottles at 24/7 Shipping in Sumas at around 11:00 pm and decided to cross back at Sumas. Hour and a half line up at PA, but zero line up at Sumas - no brainer. Got this middle-aged female border guard. She was pleasant, but asked me more than a few questions.......... I guess with two lanes open and no cars, she had the time. She asked for all the receipts. I had them all and on top of that, handed her a list with all the items, including total amount. For sure I thought I was going to get called in. Total amount was for $180.00. She handed back the papers and motioned me to go. It was very business like. No jokes, no god bless, no kisses. I was kind of disappointed.

I have these flourescent workshop lights in the garage. They flicker once in a while and have this annoying buzzing sound that's getting worse. Plus, the kind of light it puts out is driving me nuts. Costco in Bellingham have these 4 foot long, LED shop lights for $39.99. Gonna try them out. I've read reviews on them and it's mixed, so best way is to try them out. If they suck, I'll just return them to a Canadian Costco.

I've also read that each Costco gets one skid and that's it. I phoned the Bellingham location just now and they said they had 300 units left still. Woo hoo!!!

Since I have to go pick up an order from Squash Air at 24/7 Shipping in Blaine, might as well go get them tomollow.

change the ballast in your lights. You currently have the magnetic ballast that powers your flourescents thats why you hear the humming. Get the electronic ballast you wont hear it anymore and your lights will turn on right away. Also it will allow you to change your florescents into T8 which offers more brightness and whiter colour

Also, i donthink the LED lights will fit in your current socket which is T10

No, these are complete units. Plug and play and look like your average dangling shop light.

Being frugal Asian....... save on electricity, LOL.

i saw those too but could not figure out if there is a switch to turn it on. I couldn't see it on the display unit. I was under the impression you gotta plug it in the wall each time to light it up.

Let us know how it turns out after you install.

I have current lights on a power bar that has individual switches for each outlet, so it's a snap. I will let you know.

You can always plug them into these remote on/off things they sell at Costco here. I use them for strobes for my Halloween display. Works like a charm and can control three devices from one remote.

i think I saw a switch on the unit (right around where the power wire is connected to the unit.

Could be wrong though. Didn't spend much time looking at it while at Costco.

Holy carp, wall to wall Canadians at the Ferndale MCDs. Picked up free 10 piece nuggets coupon for buying a $25.00 gift card - a Seattle Seahawks card to boot.

That's usually my last stop on my way back home. I usually grab some nuggets then eat them at pilot while filling up

Munching on McNuggets with sweet chilli sauce while in lineup back into Canada. I discovered an Edaleen Dairy in Blaine, WTF? Ice cream business must be good. THey have four locations now.

BTW, the LED shop lights do not have a switch on them, but they are very nice. I like the type fof light they put out.

^pics?

Selfie of me munching on mcnuggets dipped in sweet chili sauce?

I did have pics of the LED lights, but deleted them, accidentally. They are nice. Slim profile and easy to install. Very nice light. Brings out the nicely tanned Asian skin of mine. Adds a nice glow to my face and majestic beard.

How bright is the unit would you say if using incandescent lights as comparison?

I've noticed lighting products is a lot cheaper in the US, not only Costco. I was in Hope Depot USA one time and saw Philip LED bulbs for $2 each after WA rebate. The same cost $12 each here:fulloffuck:

Even the LED bulbs equivalent to 60Watt at Costco, are only $12 for a pack of 3.