Crossing the border into a new country can elicit lots of random, sometimes silly questions by the border control agents looking to protect their respective countries. A Reddit thread asked travelers to share the weirdest question they ever got asked when crossing the border to and from Canada. Here are some of the more eyebrow-raising responses.
“Sir, is there a
REASON
you’re not looking at me??”
“I have trouble maintaining eye contact with people that are treating me with hostility.”
I met this girl on a flight coming back from Las Vegas; we hit it off and became close friends. She lives in Canada and I live in Michigan, so I drove over to visit one weekend …
Agent: “Where are you headed?”
Me: “London, Ontario.”
Agent: “What are you doing there?”
Me: “Visiting a friend.”
Agent: “How do you know this friend?”
Me: “I met her on an airplane a few weeks ago.”
Agent looks through my passport and notices stamps from my various travels across the world.
Next thing I know, my car was being searched.
Returning to the U.S., had the U.S. guard repeatedly asking us if we were smuggling drugs into the US. This really pissed off my buddy and that prompted a search of the trunk. The trunk was full of my buddy’s dirty laundry he brought back home from college. Guard asked what it all was, and my buddy told him it was his dirty underwear and he is more than welcome to root through it to look for drugs. Guard just gave up at that point and let us go.
5.
Two Too Many States
Border patrol officer asked me where I was from. I replied “United States” because I thought she needed to know my nationality. Her reply:
“There are 52 states in the union. Which one are you from?”
I was and always will be a smartass. But … I bit my tongue, screwed on a serious face, and said, “Michigan.”
Then we laughed ourselves to the bar and did what all underaged border rats do: draw straws for DD and then drink until the money ran out.
About 25 years ago I get pulled off for a random check. The agent roots through the items in my trunk and pulls out a gas can that had a few drops in it. Enough to tell that there was a small bit of liquid in there.
Agent opens the can and takes a huge whiff. Looking slightly lightheaded, the guy says, “Is this gas in here?”
The smart-ass in me alllllmost said something, but I caught myself.
Going into Canada: How long have you had that beard? I gave him a sarcastic reply about my fiancee (who was next to me) hating it and that spiraled into a couple minute conversation consisting mostly about how his wife makes him shave everyday.
8. Un-American
Long version: Friend went drinking in Windsor and his sister was passed out drunk in the back seat. Needless to say, she couldn’t answer the “Citizenship?” question, so they had to go inside.
They’re finally able to wake her and drag her inside into a very bright room and she’s not happy at all.
‘What’s your name?’asks the guard. She says her name and the guard says, “That doesn’t sound American!”
Well, she was a mean drunk and replied, “What the f*** do you mean that doesn’t sound American?!” as my friend winced.
“Oh, you can go,” said the border guard, figuring only a real American would cuss out a border agent.
9.
Beers Over A Spare
Agent: “You know that spot in the back of your car where you keep the spare tire?”
Me: “Yes”
Agent: “Is there a spare tire there or beer?”
Me: “Uh, a spare tire?”
Agent: “Go ahead”
10. Concealed Carry
Well, the weirdest thing that happened was when I was moving over to Michigan for school. I had to import my car and get my visa checked and all that fun stuff that takes 1-2 hours. The officer at the border was like ‘Canadians normally don’t import their cars for school, what, you plan on sneaking in here permanently????’ I was shocked he said this, but I laughed a bit as well. He did not join in with my laughter… I was like “oh, sorry, no… But I’ll be here for minimum 4-5 years, it made sense to import my car” and hes like “alright!!! head on through!”
They once asked my buddy why he was smiling. Because hes just a happy guy, right? Its funny that smiling is cause for alarm, but they have never questioned it when I tell them I’m going to meet friends from the internet.
