| Author | Message | ||
     Loves_to_ride |
FYI I just returned from a 5 wk trip thru the western states and BC Canada. I hauled 3 bikes, a uly, a 12ss, and a suzuki dr650 in a 14' cargo trailer. My son lives in Kelowna, BC and I was taking the bikes so we could ride together to the "Canadian Death Race" in Grand Casch, in which he was competing. When I went to cross the border the customs agent immediately became suspicious, questioning why I had 3 bikes. When I explained why [my son and I riding together to the race] I was told I had just confessed that I intended to commit a criminal act and would not be allowed to enter and was immediately ordered to turn around. Needless to say I was extremely upset, having just bought the trailer, prepared it for the trip, got all the bikes ready, and had just driven almost 3k miles from Pensacola, Fl. I was told by the US agent to try the next crossing at Oroville, Wash., about 60 miles west, and talk to a supervisor there. I did that and was told there that since nothing had changed I still could not enter and was warned to not try to cross again as they had my license and information. I was so upset I was ready to turn around and go back home. A barrage of calls from the rest of my family convinced me otherwise and after cooling off the rest of that day and half of the next I ended up storing 2 of the bikes and at that point they let me cross. This agent was nice and we even discussed mc's and he actually knew what a Buell was. My son's team did quite well in the race and his father- in-law had a friend with several bikes, one of which he loaned my son [a sporty] so that after we returned from the race we did get to take a nice ride together. The rest of the trip was great [covered all the western states] but had a major flashback when I crossed into Cal. and pulled into the fruit check station and was asked what I had in the trailer. lol Want to know what the criminal act was? Apparently, it is illegal for a Canadian resident to operate a US registered vehicle????? As a side note, the 4 other members of my son's team were all RCMP and none were aware of this law. I was also told by the owner of the storage unit that 2 couples on bikes were turned back because 1 had a DUI in his history from some years back. be forewarned. | ||
| Discochris |
The DUI thing is pretty common. I know a number of people who have been denied entry to Canada for that. The Canadian Resident/US vehicle thing makes no sense. That's basically saying you couldn't go to the US and rent a car. WTF? | ||
| Loves_to_ride |
Apparently some Canadians have been traveling to the US and buying vehicles and not registering them in Canada, thus depriving the Canadian gov of taxes and fees. Canadians can rent or drive a US reg. vehicle in the US. I would think that exceptions could be made for circumstances such as my own. My opinion at the time was WTF many times over plus some. | ||
| Rangeridn |
The issue I believe is insurance. A rental car has the minimum liability coverage so there is no problem for a US citizen renting and operating a vehicle in Canada. The issue is your personal coverage may not cover a non-US licensed driver in another country. The issue is not buying a vehicle and not registering it to pay tax. Given you pay the tax at the time the vehicle is registered - tough to avoid unless you want to put unregistered plates on it...but if you're going that route no more difficult to do on a vehicle from US than on a similar vehicle from Canada. Just about any North American made vehicle can be imported into Canada as long as it meets safety/environmental standards. |
