A word to the wise when dealing with any enforcement authority...

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Its never about what you say, its the consequences everyone keeps forgetting.

It was a joke

 

[Zef]

Hi Zef! Generally I agree with what you've sad. My biggest frustration is the inconsistency I've experienced. I take the time to check on security and customs rules when I travel, but I can't tell you the number of times they simply don't jive with what happens. Additionally, from one trip to the next the rules seem to randomly change, even at the exact same location.

Example: A German TSA agent got angry at me when I didn't remove my CPAP from my carry-on. But, in that exact same airport checkpoint I was told exactly the opposite not 30 days before.

I've had to find, print, and carry the TSA and airline policies with me when traveling, just to avoid agents who seem to just makeup rules or policies randomly.

Sometimes I fly with firearms, and I really fear some ignorant ticketing agent flipping out and screaming because I have a gun in my suitcase (with the proper paperwork and locks).

Thanks. I empathize with your experience. Just remember that you are dealing with people and they are all not trained to the same standards, even within a country, or even the same airport. They certainly should be, but if we go through life tilting at every windmill because something should be different than what it is in reality then life will certainly be more exhausting than it currently is. If one airport security guy says to leave your cpap in your bag cool, leave it...if the next indicates to take it out? do it. Arguing or putting up a fuss gets you no where quick.

Here is a story...I was flying back to Belgium from the US and had a long layover in Copenhagen Denmark. I checked a couple of hours before my flight and the guy at the counter checked my bag in, verified the weight of my carry-on and handed me back my ticket. I proceed to the gate. When it was time to board the airplane there were two lines where the airline staff were scanning boarding passes. The guy who checked my bag in and issued my boarding pass an hour earlier was one of the two people scanning boarding passes....his colleague was staffing the line I was in. When I got to the front of the line to have my boarding pass scanned the guy gave me a bunch of grief because my boarding pass was not "stamped"...I told the guy he shouldn't lecture me about it but instead his colleague sitting next to him as he is the one that issue the boarding pass to me and should have stamped it in the first place. The guy gave me more grief, and the other guy said nothing. I mumbled something under my breath to the guy along the lines of "thanks dad" as he continued to lecture me. He followed me through the checkpoint and snatched my ticket/boarding pass from my hands and threatened to not let me board. This was clearly over the top from an incredulous standpoint....he demanded that I apologies to him or he would not give me back my boarding pass. I swallowed my pride and gave the most sincere fake apology that i could possibly muster. I knew in that situation that had this gone further management and security would definitely have been called to be involved, and I am certain that in the end it would have fallen out in my favor given the facts of the circumstance....but I also knew that I would have missed my flight and after an 8 hour flight to Denmark and a 7 hour layover, all i wanted to do was get back to my family in Belgium. I realized that being right is one thing....insisting that one is right is completely another thing...and sometimes it is much more facilitative to swallow one's pride and just move on and try to enjoy the life we have. If we stop to deal with every arsehole we come across we will be stopping so often we will never get where we want to go and never get to live the life we want to live. Flexibility and adaptiveness are qualities that are good to have even if they are tested to their limits sometimes. When choosing which battles to fight in life, step back. take a deep breath, and evaluate whether the result of winning the battle will be worth the effort to fight it....that is hard to do sometimes, but man that is one of the keys to success in life in my opinion.

As my US Marine Corps bretheren say: "Semper Gumby"

-Z

 

[gr8jab]

Thanks. I empathize with your experience. Just remember that you are dealing with people and they are all not trained to the same standards, even within a country, or even the same airport. They certainly should be, but if we go through life tilting at every windmill because something should be different than what it is in reality then life will certainly be more exhausting than it currently is. If one airport security guy says to leave your cpap in your bag cool, leave it...if the next indicates to take it out? do it. Arguing or putting up a fuss gets you no where quick.

-Z

Um... I didn't tilt or fuss or argue.

I just don't think the German TSA agent should have yell at me for doing exactly what I was previously told to do.

And if you don't ever tilt or argue or fuss at something ridiculous, they never get fixed. Granted, there is a time and place, and a TSA or customs checkpoint is not it.

 

[aldertyler]

Sometimes I fly with firearms, and I really fear some ignorant ticketing agent flipping out and screaming because I have a gun in my suitcase (with the proper paperwork and locks).

I have had this happen. It worked out fine in the end, but there were a couple of slightly tense moments until another ticketing agent with more experience intervened.

 

[gwklein]

First, I am an American. The transportation restrictions of items does not just apply to international boarders. What many Americans don't realize is that it is often improper to transport common products across U.S. state lines There are limitations of the amount of tobacco and alcohol in most states. These are generally based upon the differing tax rates between the states. The fines for transporting more than allowed can be severe. Several states, e.g., California, Hawaii, and Florida, have very strict rules relating to bringing fruits and veggies across their boarders because of the potential to disrupt the agricultural industry in those states if certain pests are introductions. Carrying an orange into Florida sounds totally insignificant until you realize that one orange might contain a pest that could destroy the whole state's citrus industry. On the really weird side of things, Consumer Reports had a story early this summer that it was also improper to transport for sale into Massachusetts, a carbonated beverage, La Croix water. Don't know what happened with the story.

 

[Lorenzoid]

First, I am an American. The transportation restrictions of items does not just apply to international boarders. What many Americans don't realize is that it is often improper to transport common products across U.S. state lines There are limitations of the amount of tobacco and alcohol in most states. These are generally based upon the differing tax rates between the states. The fines for transporting more than allowed can be severe. Several states, e.g., California, Hawaii, and Florida, have very strict rules relating to bringing fruits and veggies across their boarders because of the potential to disrupt the agricultural industry in those states if certain pests are introductions. Carrying an orange into Florida sounds totally insignificant until you realize that one orange might contain a pest that could destroy the whole state's citrus industry. On the really weird side of things, Consumer Reports had a story early this summer that it was also improper to transport for sale into Massachusetts, a carbonated beverage, La Croix water. Don't know what happened with the story.

And as a Southerner you know there are "dry counties," too, that place restrictions on bringing alcohol in. While interesting, I'm not sure any of the restrictions on goods being transported from one US state to another are relevant to divers. The limits are based on amounts for "personal consumption" and are usually pretty generous--probably much higher than what tripped up the OP on his visit to Mexico. Customs limits for international travelers are low enough that people need to pay attention.

 

[gwklein]

While interesting, I'm not sure any of the restrictions on goods being transported from one US state to another are relevant to divers.

Agreed to the general statement. My intent was just to point out that America has some weird transportation laws and we shouldn't just blame another country for its sovereign right to control things in their country.

The limits are based on amounts for "personal consumption" and are usually pretty generous--probably much higher than what tripped up the OP on his visit to Mexico.

You might be surprised about the "personal consumption" limitation. By law, each Pennsylvanian may possess up to one carton of cigarettes not bearing PA cigarette tax stamps.However, the purchaser is still responsible for paying Pennsylvania cigarette and use taxes on those out-of-state cigarettes.Depending on the quantity of unstamped cigarettes a person or retailer possesses, he or she could be criminally charged with a summary, misdemeanor or felony offense and sentenced to fines and/or imprisonment.

 

[Wookie]

The only thing I can think of for the LaCroix water is that Mass has a bottle bill, and (I haven't lived in Maine in 35 years) states with bottle bills don't like out of state beverages....

 

[WetInPortland]

Regarding the original subject of this thread, "A word to the wise when dealing with any enforcement authority..."

Over the years I've had the opportunity to attend training and presentations by:

• Former prosecutors
• Elected District Attorneys
• US Deputy District Attorneys
• Law enforcement officers
• Criminal defense professors

They all agreed. To summarize:

IT IS NEVER, EVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, AT ANY TIME, IN ANYONE'S SELF-INTEREST TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES.

Or to put it another way, "Officer, the truth will be the same tomorrow, after I've spoken to my attorney. I'll answer your questions then."

As for the OP's issue, when asked the cost of the cigs, the best response might have been, "I don't recall."

 

[Jcp2]

Midnight Run... Turkish prison...