by Englishman 24 Replies latest social current
The US needs to lighten up on the Brits especially. UK visitors are down 30%. The media is abuzz with tales of how rudely visiting Brits to the USA are treated sometimes as they go through the port of entry. The Brazilians are becoming admired by many in England in their insistence to treat their US visitors in just the same way as they are treated going through visitor immigration in America.
Englishman.
I must admit, when you are treated ***very*** rudely and impolitely by some little power-trip twonk at the border you do feel like grabbing them by the collar and telling them how they should be ***** nice to us as we're practically the only country that has supported their half-brained foreign policies.
Old chinese proverb: treat your customers like shit and watch them *not* come back !!
To be fair, the ones on our last trip were very nice & friendly. On our way back though they totally wrecked a case by opening it with a crowbar I think when it was unlocked and open anyway !!! (cause we were told to keep them unlocked). Inside was some shit-o-note basically saying "we wrecked your case ... nothing you can do about it ... tough shit". Nice.
I think there is a danger that they are isolating themselves and loosing the support of the everyday traveller. It's not like they have ever had a good reputation though it is?
On behalf of the US of A, I offer our sincerest apologies and regrets for any inconvenience our Boarder Officers have caused.
eman-
if its any consolation, we are experiencing extremely long delays, and sometimes very rude treatment as well (my personal experience), just traveling inside the country! the delays, to me, are a very small price to pay for extra security, and im happy to wait them out. as far as the rude treatment, well, i try to give the guys the benefit of the doubt, considering their job is to look for bombs and such all day long.....it would probably put me on edge too. its no fun to deal with though.
of course youll run into the power trip types as well, which stinks. one time, BEFORE 9-11, i was coming across the boarder with my s.o. from canada (at the time we had just met, and she was coming for a visit), and we ran into a power tripper at the boarder who denied us access into the country! the customs agent tore through all of her bags, questioned us for over an hour, and then sent us back into canada to aquire a long list of documents and proof that she was coming back........and the woman let me know that if we tried to cross at any other port without such documentation, i would be arrested for "smuggling canadians".....lol, i didnt even know there was a trade for that. anyhow, point is, most everyone i know has border horror stories, and most of us have had them even being a citizen of the u.s., and even before 9-11.....its only expected that they would be much worse now, and that the rules will only get more stringent for visitors.
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They are probably the same the world over. I can see the job postings now: "Wanted, one asshole. Must be obnoxious and have trouble communication and interelating with the general public" LOL
As I said, the ones on the last trip had not had the humour bypass and they smiled, talked and welcomed us to the US - the way it shoudl be.
I would not "not" go to the states because of the customs people but when people are rude for no reason, it doesn't endear you to them or their 'cause'.
There is something in the british psyche that sees the way Brazil responded to the US treatement of *their* citizens and copied like-for-like that makes us want to say "yeah, too right ... give 'em hell !"
I had no problem at all getting into the US last week. I had to fill in a short form to say I wasn't a terrorist or a drug dealer, chatted to the guy for about 30 secs and paid some money over.
Maybe they put the nasty ones on the Canadian border? That's where they kept my passport and made me walk back into Canada ! (the Canadians were very understanding and laid back about a stranger walking up with no passport !)
The daft thing is that the 4 Canadian passport holders in the car (whose country was *not* supporting the US) had no problem but us 4 with our UK passports (and country shoulder-to-shoulder) got the 3rd degree.
Being rude and nasty to my wife and kids is just not necessary. If the eoman had half a brain cell she could tell we were a family group on a day out. I'm sure all terrorists take wifes and kids on missions
Well if King George would have been a little bit nicer we wouldnt be having any of these problems now would we?
Blame the Brits!
I had no problem at all getting into the US last week. I had to fill in a short form to say I wasn't a terrorist or a drug dealer, chatted to the guy for about 30 secs and paid some money over.
Erm ... Gadget, you do know you went to Canada ... right?
In 1978 the US border guards denied me entrance to the US because of a very minor drug conviction I had in Canada. Since then I never went back until last July. I was apprehensive when I went, but crossed with no problem. Since then I've been there many times, and treated very well. Some of the border guards were actually very friendly. One jokingly suggested it would be very good for his career if I had drugs in my truck.
They must like Canadians, which is understandable. We ROCK! Maybe it's our beer they like so much.
Walter
