Urgent - car stranded in Niagra Falls NY

Just got word that John G is going to make his last attempt at crosssing before taking the car to storage.

Likely 2 hours max before car is either across, or in the storage yard waiting for chapter two of this adventure.

Rabin

Just talked to John G.
He's going with a great attitude and new bridge.
This'll work.
rz

Awesome Randy - thanks for reaching out to him!

I've been working like mad with options for him to try and feeding him advise via his blackberry!

I've got every limb crossed hoping for success!

Rabin

Any new developments (5:45est)?

Other than a complete lack of nails or finger tips - no. Nothing yet.

Apparently hitting refresh on my e-mail every 6 seconds doesn't help either.



Rabin

Looks like it's Chapter 2 time.

Finally got an update at around 10 PM. 3 hours of interviewing and it was a no go. He's back at another hotel in NY, with plans to go to the Canadian Embassy tomorrow at noon.

Randy - if there's a chance in that you'd be able to take the car over with a letter of permission from John G, I can make arrangements with Dave's tow guy to pick it up on the Canadian side and have it taken directly to Toronto. John said it was no problem to take the trailer the car is still loaded on, only requirement is that paperwork and such change hands early morning, and the trailer is back for him to take back at ~4 PM. We did line up storage for $43/month, but if you know of a better place please let me know. (If you can help - let me know how much, and how to pay)

I'll also pursue if Dave's tow guy can go pick up the car from storage on the US side and tow it through with a similar letter of permission. (I checked and that's all that's needed. Even though John G can't get in personally - they have no problem letting the car in, they just need permissions and a contact number for him to verify.)

John G is currently staying at
> Falls Motel
> 5820 Buffalo Avenue
> Niagara Falls
> New York 14304
> the falls motel phone number is 716 283 3239

At this point - I'd really be happy to just go through extra trouble and costs just to get the damn thing done and over with and in Toronto. The idea of doing a car grab on a family vacation is bound to cause me SEVERE grief with the wife - but I'll burn that bridge when I get to it.

Thanks again for the help, and any and all ideas are definitely appreciated!

Rabin

canuckistani border crossings are getting to be just silly sometimes. I know they do not allow visitors who have had an OWI violation, and I heard of one or two people being disallowed just because they had too many speeding tickets on their record.

The one time I went to canada, Thunder Bay Ontario back in the blizzard of 1995. It was me and two girls in a Ford Escort LX, and since we were all from different places (wisconsin, ohio, and illinois), they made us get out of the car and stand in the freezing cold, asking us all sorts of questions, searching the car and us, and being general assholes.

this was all just to visit an internet buddy, I can imagine the frustration when trying to do something actually important...

--sarge

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---** To be in compliance with the Anarchy **---
Jorden R. Kleier
Baraboo, Wisconsin, USA
1990 Mazdog Protege 4WD
1973

I always hear of Canadian horror stories of US border guards - this is the first time I've been involved with a US horror story trying to cross into Canada.

Still not sure what happened, or what the issue is, but it's seriously messed John G up as he's had plans to expand his business into Canada in the works...

I'll be calling Dave's tow guy in the early morning, and then see what's the best plan for him to get the car. Crossing my fingers that he can just go across and pic it up directly from John G - it'd save so much grief.

Rabin



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2009 05:18AM by bean.

Can't sleep - had the idea to see if anyone knew if it was possible to access the Canadian Crossings from the Canadian side without going to the US and then back into Canada again.

If John G can meet the tow truck driver at Canada Customs, and the tow operator can get to him without crossing into the US - that will save a ton of grief.

E-mailed customs Canada with that possibility, and will phone as soon as they open to see if it is.

Rabin

All this time I thought the problem was the car.
No one said it was John G. that wasn't kosher.
OK, if the tow truck deal doesn't work, let me know.

Sorry - issue is definitely John G for some reason. Car is OK to go, just trying to figure out how to get it through the crossing. Has all the paper work and John G just has to give a letter of authorization for the car to go through for work in Toronto, with an estimated time of repair. (2 months or so)

If the tow driver doesn't even have to cross to access the Canadian boader crossing buiding - there might be a way to get the car and not even cross for the tow driver.

John G would then just have to meet them there in the parking lot of Canada Customs.

Kicker is if the tow truck has to go in and come back...

Rabin

There will definitely be a way for the Tow truck driver to reach Canada Customs from Canada -- the guards have to get to work

And Canadians often have to check in to get documentation for various things.

Sorry, I didn't realize your owner was persona non grata either.

Biggest trick in dealing with customs is to never get visibly frustrated and keep asking for "other solutions" or "other options", they can be difficult and rule-bound at times but if you're pleasant and persistent their human side will peek out and they'll try to help. If you're a dick to them, even a little bit, you're screwed.

Fingers Crossed, Ted

FWIW, if you're ever looking to cross into Canada through the Thousand Islands bridge from Alexandria Bay, NY to Gananoque, ON there is a rally friendly guard there who imports old Pugs and Citroens and tinkers with them -- I met him a few years back when I brought my VR4 into Canada.

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Pure mathematics is the enemy of every truly creative man -- Sir Alec



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2009 08:31AM by Ted Andkilde.

Just called Customs and they she said the tow truck will be able to get to the car without crossing if the car is at the station itself.

Have two messages into Stuart the tow truck driver friend of Dave's, and a call into John G to see if we can make this happen.

Save a lot of grief, and a lot of bother to a bunch of different people if we can make this fly.

Ted - thanks for the tip on the other crossing! Will have to keep that in mind for any future deals!

Rabin

Chapter 2 update...

John G doesn't want to even go back to the parking lot of Canada customs. Has lots on his plate now and only has till 1 PM est to check out.

Randy - I still need to get a hold of Stuart to see if he'd be able to do the pick up, and then you two would have to get in touch to time a pick up of the car and transfer of documentation. (g'damn I hate even asking!)

If you two can meet at a Canadian border crossing, neither actually has to cross the border, and all customs needs is the permission letter granting Stuart permission to transport the car to Toronto for it's repairs.

Failing all this - car goes to it's storage spot and we start the importation process.

Car is currently loaded and ready on the trailer at the storage facility, and John G would need the trailer back to him before 4 PM est so has time to get home.

Let me know if this is at all possible. (306) 569-4981 is my home number. Actually fighting a stomach flu with this going on - not fun.

The whole scenario has just taken a ridiculous tangent - but I'll try everything I can think of to salvage this and make it happen today.

Rabin

Stuart is at work untill 1900 today. I'll try and get ahold of him. I'm good to go tonight and I'm sure Stu won't mind depending on how tired he is. In the mean time call me @ 905-520-3806.


Dave

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Gone fishing