Hi Everyone. Well, after 15 years the RV-Dreams Community Forum is coming to an end. Since it began in August 2005, we've had 58 Million page views, 124,000 posts, and we've spent about $15,000 to keep this valuable resource for RVers free and open. But since we are now off the road and have settled down for the next chapter of our lives, we are taking the Forum down effective June 30, 2021. It has been a tough decision, but it is now time.
We want to thank all of our members for their participation and input over the years, and we want to especially thank those that have acted as Moderators for us during our amazing journey living and traveling in our RV and growing the RV-Dreams Family. We will be forever proud to have been founders of this Forum and to have been supported by such a wonderful community. Thank you all!!
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.
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................
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)
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MarkS & Jackie MSgt, USAF, Ret 2004 Volvo 780 530 HP Cummins 13 speed 2014 Trilogy 3650RE fulltime since Oct 8, 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 !!!
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1998 ...Harney Renegade DP class A
rers1@mail.com
My Service dog and life partner " Nikki"......Klee Kia Miniature Husky....(she Runs the ship!!)
We are not lost in the Woods.....Just Extreme boondocking!!!!!!
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.
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Clay (WA5NMR), Lee (wife), Katie, Kelli (cats) Full timed for eleven years in a 2004 Sightseer 35N. Snowbirds for one winter and now settled down in CO.
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.
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.
