Winter Tire Thread (was: GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ New Jersey Devils - 7:00pm ET - TUE. Feb. 1, 2011)

tim1_2 wrote:I'm just not sure how you would get caught if you were wearing the new shoes and didn't have any evidence (i.e. an empty shoebox) to suggest that they were bought in the States. Same goes for a car stereo or new tires....how can they prove that stuff was purchased in the States?

Not sure about the shoes but as for the stereo: what I was told is the border guard was suspicious of him and noticed the stereo looked brand new so he inquired about where he purchased it and the guard suspected he was full of Dung and asked him to produce a receipt which the driver said he didn't have on him. The guard told him that was fine and to go home and bring it back. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a matter of just leave and never come back because he had his licence plate, name and address etc... so it wasn't a question of come back if you feel like it. He ended up coming back a few days later and confessed it was bought in the states because he was left with little choice.

Edit: I think he played the "I don't have the receipt anymore" card if I'm not mistaken, memory is a little fuzzy on this, and the guard said that's fine go back to where you bought it/had it installed and have them reprint it.

I’ve never heard of that happening. I would’ve just said that I didn’t have a receipt/it was a gift/my friend installed it for me/whatever. That’s really weird that the border agent thought the stereo looked “new” and went after it…. I dunno, I have pretty limited experience with the border, so maybe this type of thing does happen regularly.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Edit: I think he played the "I don't have the receipt anymore" card if I'm not mistaken, memory is a little fuzzy on this, and the guard said that's fine go back to where you bought it/had it installed and have them reprint it.

Isn’t this a situation where it’d be up to the accuser (customs) to actually prove wrongdoing rather then the defendant (random guy x) to prove innocence? Seems like a lot to ask someone to go back to the store and get a receipt reprinted. Maybe the customs agent was just bluffing and the poor guy fell for it. It’s kind of tough to stand up to that much pressure in an already tense situation.

tim1_2 wrote:I’ve never heard of that happening. I would’ve just said that I didn’t have a receipt/it was a gift/my friend installed it for me/whatever. That’s really weird that the border agent thought the stereo looked “new” and went after it…. I dunno, I have pretty limited experience with the border, so maybe this type of thing does happen regularly.

Do you often smuggle brand new stuff across the border? I know I don't. I'm sure he didn't use the look of the stereo as his only clue though. I'm pretty sure it's the people with a conscience that generally show signs that they're doing something wrong and when questioned are not quick enough on their feet so to speak to make up a plausible lie on the spot.

He probably saw something in the driver that made him suspicious and made him look around the vehicle a little more closely I'm guessing.

I remember once I moved ahead past the "Stop" line because I thought I was waved ahead but was mistaken. The guard motioned to stop so I did. Once he waved me forward he interrogated me much more than I was normally used to and even searched the vehicle including the trunk.

tim1_2 wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Edit: I think he played the "I don't have the receipt anymore" card if I'm not mistaken, memory is a little fuzzy on this, and the guard said that's fine go back to where you bought it/had it installed and have them reprint it.

Isn’t this a situation where it’d be up to the accuser (customs) to actually prove wrongdoing rather then the defendant (random guy x) to prove innocence? Seems like a lot to ask someone to go back to the store and get a receipt reprinted. Maybe the customs agent was just bluffing and the poor guy fell for it. It’s kind of tough to stand up to that much pressure in an already tense situation.

It could be it was a bluff but most people, including myself, don't know how far reaching their authority is and how much they're actually allowed to ask of you and how much you are obligated to follow along with either.

Yeah, I know I don't mess around at the border. I'd rather pay some money in duty than get messed with.

I priced tires in the US and found that with the hassle, gas money spent, tolls, etc. I was better off getting my tires at Pinkus Tire and Battery Kingdom in Williamsburg, ON, CANADA.

The non-verbal communication training these guys get is insane. I had a border guard as a guest speaker in one of my lectures and the guy could pick out a liar with so much ease based on nervous twitches, breathing patterns, ect. I wouldn't wanna try and get anything past these guys.

stempniaksen wrote:The non-verbal communication training these guys get is insane. I had a border guard as a guest speaker in one of my lectures and the guy could pick out a liar with so much ease based on nervous twitches, breathing patterns, ect. I wouldn't wanna try and get anything past these guys.

Thank you. I didn't realize the level of training they got but it makes perfect sense.

SeawaySensFan wrote:I priced tires in the US and found that with the hassle, gas money spent, tolls, etc. I was better off getting my tires at Pinkus Tire and Battery Kingdom in Williamsburg, ON, CANADA.

But if you're, say, going down for a week on vacation or something. For me, Williamsburg would also be a hassle.

SeawaySensFan wrote:I priced tires in the US and found that with the hassle, gas money spent, tolls, etc. I was better off getting my tires at Pinkus Tire and Battery Kingdom in Williamsburg, ON, CANADA.

Believe it or not, COSTCO is a great place to get tires. Got my set of BFG's there.

wprager wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

shabbs wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:You know what's also pretty neat? Hockey. And talking about hockey.

True.

I wonder if there are any other threads that are talking about hockey. Man, I really hope there is one.

If not, someone should start one.

*sarcasm off*

This thread has been JACKED! It's now the Winter Tire Thread.

Hey, this is a Game Day Thread posted under the Ottawa Senators forum. There's a place for Tire talk if you want to engage in it -- the miscellaneous section or whatever -- but it's not here.

Check again

Thanks for proving a point I've been making for a while: some people here can hijack a thread, & it's tolerated -- whereas others (usually me) can be accused of doing the same thing (when in fact hijacking = me saying things they don't want to hear, like a certain someone being a big fat fraud), & they get threats from moderators and threads gets closed down.

I love the smell of hypocrisy in the afternoon. Smells like... victory.

Great points about winter tires guys. I personally can't bring myself to get them since it extends the life of my free tires which lowers the value of said benefit so that is where I sit on the issue.

We should think about changing the title to include border talk as well though. Thoughts?

Speaking of winter tires. Being that I live on Carp road the end of my drive way gets a significant pile of snow when the plow goes by. It was fun trying to smash through it in my little Hyundai Elantra this morning.

As to the border guard training I'll take your word for it Stemper. My only experience with that is going through as a civilian and once I wrote the exam to apply to be a border guard. I never pursued it further since I got this job which has better hours and is safer.

wprager wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:I priced tires in the US and found that with the hassle, gas money spent, tolls, etc. I was better off getting my tires at Pinkus Tire and Battery Kingdom in Williamsburg, ON, CANADA.

But if you're, say, going down for a week on vacation or something. For me, Williamsburg would also be a hassle.

I got a quote for one of my staff and he thought it was worth the drive from Gatineau. To each their own.

My buddy lives in Carp...hear about that old house that burned down? That was his neighbour.