My "trip" to DC
Nov 19, 2009 21:30:10 GMT 2
Post by ksheppard on Nov 19, 2009 21:30:10 GMT 2
So if ya interested here's what happened:
I do training for Revit (bim software that is taking over autocad's place). We have a 2.5ft x 2.5ft x 2.5ft stainless steel checkerplate box that holds our mobile lab - 6 laptops pre-loaded with all the software for training. Normally it gets shipped to the client a week before the training takes place then the teachers arrive to hold the sessions.
This particular time however the lab was in use mon-tues at a client in toronto and there was another session scheduled for that lab in Alexandria VA (I was to fly into DC) for an architect called Gruzen Samton on wed, thurs, & fri. The intent was therefore to carry the lab across the border with me on the plane.
At check in I found that the 6 laptop lab box is 3 laptops too heavy and moved 3 into my suitcase. The lab box is still about 4lbs too heavy but was allowed to pass. At customs I get questioned and asked to open the box, and produce the bill of sale (which BTW says that the 6 laptops come to less than $10k and if you know laptops, a machine to run high end parametric 3d software is worth more than $1666
) That's when I get a yellow folder. I don't do much border crossing and I have learned the yellow folder is bad! Off to the gate I head and notice a bunch of people pointing off to the side where I"M supposed to go, and there's these big tall doors magically opening for me!
Long story short, after 1.5hrs of being grilled like a criminal (they brought up my "criminal" past. What's my relationship to the company listed on the bill of sale - um we bought the laptops from them. Yes but what's YOUR relationship to them? Nothing. What do you do for a living? Work for a structural engineer. But what do you do? Cad manager 'mam. No WHAT do you DO? umm see that cloumn behind you holding up that beam at the roof (good thing it was an open concept airport
) the engineer sizes it to support the loads and I transfer that information to paper so the contractors can build it correctly 
Next we removed and booted and search all 7 laptops (the lab ones and my personal one) Excuse me may I go to the washroom? Yep - empty your pockets and leave your cell phone here, when you get back we'll search that too. Eventually I realize the trip is a no-go so I figure to save her and me some time and say "well if I'm not going can we just call it a day, stop here and I'll go back to my own country? No sir - I've started my investigation and I need to finish it. Let me get my blue gloves and we'll go through you're suitcase now. (I actually said to my wife as I was packing "I think I'll leave my simpson jammies here in case I get searched at the border.") The guard said she's seen much worse.
Anyway I was free to enter the USA but my lab had to stay (it was deemed a commercial enterprise and needed to have a carnet attached to it - WTF ever that is [actually I know now:)])behind so the trip was called off. That was Tuesday. Back in the office on wed. I was able to get our other trainer to cut his session short in manhattan (for gruzen samton NY thankfully) and get him on a train and 3hrs down the track to VA and into a hotel right behind gruzen samton VA.
Now I have a personal trip to Las Vegas on the 27th so we'll see if I'm flagged in the border computers
Who wants to travel with me?
I do training for Revit (bim software that is taking over autocad's place). We have a 2.5ft x 2.5ft x 2.5ft stainless steel checkerplate box that holds our mobile lab - 6 laptops pre-loaded with all the software for training. Normally it gets shipped to the client a week before the training takes place then the teachers arrive to hold the sessions.
This particular time however the lab was in use mon-tues at a client in toronto and there was another session scheduled for that lab in Alexandria VA (I was to fly into DC) for an architect called Gruzen Samton on wed, thurs, & fri. The intent was therefore to carry the lab across the border with me on the plane.
At check in I found that the 6 laptop lab box is 3 laptops too heavy and moved 3 into my suitcase. The lab box is still about 4lbs too heavy but was allowed to pass. At customs I get questioned and asked to open the box, and produce the bill of sale (which BTW says that the 6 laptops come to less than $10k and if you know laptops, a machine to run high end parametric 3d software is worth more than $1666
) That's when I get a yellow folder. I don't do much border crossing and I have learned the yellow folder is bad! Off to the gate I head and notice a bunch of people pointing off to the side where I"M supposed to go, and there's these big tall doors magically opening for me!Long story short, after 1.5hrs of being grilled like a criminal (they brought up my "criminal" past. What's my relationship to the company listed on the bill of sale - um we bought the laptops from them. Yes but what's YOUR relationship to them? Nothing. What do you do for a living? Work for a structural engineer. But what do you do? Cad manager 'mam. No WHAT do you DO? umm see that cloumn behind you holding up that beam at the roof (good thing it was an open concept airport
) the engineer sizes it to support the loads and I transfer that information to paper so the contractors can build it correctly 
Next we removed and booted and search all 7 laptops (the lab ones and my personal one) Excuse me may I go to the washroom? Yep - empty your pockets and leave your cell phone here, when you get back we'll search that too. Eventually I realize the trip is a no-go so I figure to save her and me some time and say "well if I'm not going can we just call it a day, stop here and I'll go back to my own country? No sir - I've started my investigation and I need to finish it. Let me get my blue gloves and we'll go through you're suitcase now. (I actually said to my wife as I was packing "I think I'll leave my simpson jammies here in case I get searched at the border.") The guard said she's seen much worse.Anyway I was free to enter the USA but my lab had to stay (it was deemed a commercial enterprise and needed to have a carnet attached to it - WTF ever that is [actually I know now:)])behind so the trip was called off. That was Tuesday. Back in the office on wed. I was able to get our other trainer to cut his session short in manhattan (for gruzen samton NY thankfully) and get him on a train and 3hrs down the track to VA and into a hotel right behind gruzen samton VA.
Now I have a personal trip to Las Vegas on the 27th so we'll see if I'm flagged in the border computers
Who wants to travel with me?
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