I know in my land based home and also on my boat, I cannot be invaded by the Coast Guard, DEC or the Police with out inviting them aboard, inside or having a warrant. I also know they are not allowed to inspect my car without my permission or having probable cause.
I am driving a Diesel Pusher accross country and plan on staying in National and State Parks.
Is this the same for my RV?
TRAILERKING said
11:28 AM Apr 23, 2016
Any time crossing Canada/US border...............They do what they want. I don't mind them coming in and checking but it's uncomfortable that they make you get out and they go inside ALONE. Be nice if they would slip on some disposable shoe/boot covers before wandering through a 1/4 million dollar motorhome all over the carpet with their boots on................
MarkS said
12:27 PM Apr 23, 2016
Trailer king, (thanks iPad for correcting my perfectly good spelling) which way is more stringent, Canadians or americans? (Oh sure, don't bother correcting my capitalization)
Lucky Mike said
03:25 PM Apr 23, 2016
fortunately.......my door can be locked upon exiting by pushing the key fob........after that its simple , its locked and the windows are above normal line of sight......get a warrant !!!
Clay L said
03:41 PM Apr 23, 2016
According to the concealed carry course I took - here in CO if you are parked and connected to shore power and sewer they consider it a house. If just parked and able to drive off or if driving they consider it a vehicle.
Neil and Connie said
12:55 PM Apr 25, 2016
MarkS wrote:
Trailer king, (thanks iPad for correcting my perfectly good spelling) which way is more stringent, Canadians or americans? (Oh sure, don't bother correcting my capitalization)
Depends on the day of the week, the border crossing, and what they need to cook their dinner more than being a Canadian or US thing. We've generally found that US are typically more laid back but thought it might be because we had US passports…but our Canadian friends have concurred with that. Generally speaking the farther west you go the nicer they are for both countries and the smaller the crossing point is traffic wise the nicer they are. We had several on our Alaska journey last summer that essentially looked at our passports and waved us through.
Food wise you hear all sorts of stories…but for us they've (CA) taken eggs once because they were from a state with avian flu and her fresh garlic and limes taken (US) in MT. Had a couple of chicken breasts taken once as well last summer but don't remember which way we were going that time.
We've had them tell us to open all slides and they go in alone…and we've had them have us open up just enough to get to the fridge then went in with us and asked us to show them stuff in the freezer…and even had them tell us to bring our chicken and eggs inside the building for inspection. There's really no standard way they operate in either direction.
Our general impression is that the Canadian ones are ruder and completely uninterested in talking to you…again confirmed by Canadian friends. Seems to me that you can do your job and secure the border and still be nice about it…as US ones generally are.
Just never, and I mean never…tell the CA border guard in Maine that you're going to Halifax for a concert then when he notices your SD plates asks you if you drove all the way from SD for a concert tell him that you actually drove from VA for the concert…that will get the car searched for drugs every time. I guess he thought we were going to a Grateful Dead concert or something and were bringing in dope…I hated to burst his bubble by telling him it was a symphony concert we were going to see.
Howard said
02:07 PM Apr 25, 2016
Yes, same rights apply. Cannot enter your motorhome without 1) your consent, 2) a warrant, or 3) probable cause that there is contraband in the motorhome (or the motorhome itself is contraband). Probable cause searches (i.e. without a warrant) are allowed of vehicles due to their mobile nature - they can be gone by the time it takes to get a warrant.
The exception is at border crossings (Border Exception) where "routine" searches may be conducted without any of those three (consent, warrant, probable cause) under the theory that the country's interest at the border outweighs the individual's interest in privacy and expectation of privacy at the border. In order to go beyond a "routine" search at the border, there is supposed to be at least reasonable suspicion of contraband and the search can proceed further on a limited scope.
There is also a 100-mile zone along the borders where Border Patrol can stop a vehicle if they have reasonable suspicion of an immigration violation or a crime, but they still must have consent, a warrant, or probable cause to search. Refusing to allow a search in this zone does not legally constitute probable cause.
My question: What are my rights?
I know in my land based home and also on my boat, I cannot be invaded by the Coast Guard, DEC or the Police with out inviting them aboard, inside or having a warrant. I also know they are not allowed to inspect my car without my permission or having probable cause.
I am driving a Diesel Pusher accross country and plan on staying in National and State Parks.
Is this the same for my RV?
Depends on the day of the week, the border crossing, and what they need to cook their dinner more than being a Canadian or US thing. We've generally found that US are typically more laid back but thought it might be because we had US passports…but our Canadian friends have concurred with that. Generally speaking the farther west you go the nicer they are for both countries and the smaller the crossing point is traffic wise the nicer they are. We had several on our Alaska journey last summer that essentially looked at our passports and waved us through.
Food wise you hear all sorts of stories…but for us they've (CA) taken eggs once because they were from a state with avian flu and her fresh garlic and limes taken (US) in MT. Had a couple of chicken breasts taken once as well last summer but don't remember which way we were going that time.
We've had them tell us to open all slides and they go in alone…and we've had them have us open up just enough to get to the fridge then went in with us and asked us to show them stuff in the freezer…and even had them tell us to bring our chicken and eggs inside the building for inspection. There's really no standard way they operate in either direction.
Our general impression is that the Canadian ones are ruder and completely uninterested in talking to you…again confirmed by Canadian friends. Seems to me that you can do your job and secure the border and still be nice about it…as US ones generally are.
Just never, and I mean never…tell the CA border guard in Maine that you're going to Halifax for a concert then when he notices your SD plates asks you if you drove all the way from SD for a concert tell him that you actually drove from VA for the concert…that will get the car searched for drugs every time. I guess he thought we were going to a Grateful Dead concert or something and were bringing in dope…I hated to burst his bubble by telling him it was a symphony concert we were going to see.
Yes, same rights apply. Cannot enter your motorhome without 1) your consent, 2) a warrant, or 3) probable cause that there is contraband in the motorhome (or the motorhome itself is contraband). Probable cause searches (i.e. without a warrant) are allowed of vehicles due to their mobile nature - they can be gone by the time it takes to get a warrant.
The exception is at border crossings (Border Exception) where "routine" searches may be conducted without any of those three (consent, warrant, probable cause) under the theory that the country's interest at the border outweighs the individual's interest in privacy and expectation of privacy at the border. In order to go beyond a "routine" search at the border, there is supposed to be at least reasonable suspicion of contraband and the search can proceed further on a limited scope.
There is also a 100-mile zone along the borders where Border Patrol can stop a vehicle if they have reasonable suspicion of an immigration violation or a crime, but they still must have consent, a warrant, or probable cause to search. Refusing to allow a search in this zone does not legally constitute probable cause.