Why wouldn't the Canadian Border Crossing Guards allow this
motorcyclist into Canada |
after they had allowed this guy in on two previous occasions? |
| On October 16th 1993 a couple of friends and I decided
to travel up to Montreal to enjoy the night-life they have up there. We
had all done this before on two different occasions when we had
something in particular to celebrate. This time, it was my upcoming 40th
birthday. |
| Normally, when you get to the Canadian border, you stop
at the booth and answer a few routine questions (name, nationality,
address, purpose of your visit, Etc.) and then you're allowed to
continue on your way. This is how I was treated on both previous visits
to Canada. But, when I showed up at the border wearing my comfortable
weekend (Biker) clothes, instead of my office work clothes, they asked
me about two dozen questions about what clubs I belong to, and the Hells
Angels. They then sent me inside for further questioning. |
| Once inside, I was interrogated for over an hour. They
wouldn't return my drivers license so I could just return home. They
asked me the same questions over and over again as though they were
trying to catch me in a lie. I answered all of their questions
truthfully. Finally, they hit upon something they could use to prevent
my entering their country (an arrest that lead to my paying a $50.00
fine for a stupid stunt I pulled over 21 years ago when I was eighteen). |
| Next, they asked me how much cash I was carrying on me.
After I told them I was carrying about $250.00, they suggested that I
might be allowed to enter Canada if I paid them a $100.00 (cash)
processing fee for the supervisor to process a special exception form.
Like the comedian says; "I may have been born at night, but it
wasn't last night". I wasn't about to pay a $100.00 BRIBE just so
we could spend our hard earned cash in Montreal. |
So, let this be a warning to motorcyclists everywhere! If you
want to enjoy your vacation, don't believe those TV commercials that
portray people having all kinds of fun in Canada.
They don't like bikers up there and they will make sure you don't
enjoy yourself! I suggest you plan a vacation right here in the
good old U.S.A. and spend your money where you're treated with a little
more respect. Personally, I'm planning our next excursion to Daytona for
Bike Week 1994. |