Why don't Pittsburghers visit Toronto? (York: food, car, bike)

[ny789987]

Originally Posted by canadian citizen

Greg42:

US cars with NRA decals and USMC decals get extra attention, re weapons and attitude problems. Yes it is profiling, and yes it works.

Jim B

Toronto.

Profiling doesn't work. Statistically, NRA members tend to be more responsible & law abiding than the population at large. Subjecting someone to interrogation and tearing their car apart just because an NRA brochure was found in their backseat says more about politics, pettiness & prejudice than it does about actually keeping anyone safe on either side of the border. Same thing with racial profiling, it's disgusting. The fact of the matter is that it just isn't worth that level of hassle to visit a city like Toronto. Quebec City/Vancouver maybe, Toronto not. People deal with enough pettiness and grief at work, I doubt they want to risk having to deal with the pettiness & vindictiveness of a bunch of petty border officials with Napolean Complexes on their few days off.

[gortonator]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

I have crossed the border around 12 times in my life without a single problem.

Pro-tip: act like a completely harmless rube (think Fargo) and no one will bother you.

I think you have the answer to your question in the thread subject line - the border is too much hassle. People need ... wait for it .... gosh .... PASSPORTS!!!. Or passport cards. Incredible. And they have to suffer the indignity of being asked a couple of questions - both going in to Canada and even, unbelievably, coming back to the US. Unreal.

Only in 'Merca, eh?

[UKyank]

Originally Posted by gortonator

I think you have the answer to your question in the thread subject line - the border is too much hassle. People need ... wait for it .... gosh .... PASSPORTS!!!. Or passport cards. Incredible. And they have to suffer the indignity of being asked a couple of questions - both going in to Canada and even, unbelievably, coming back to the US. Unreal.

Only in 'Merca, eh?

Well if people don't think Toronto offers enough to make the hassle worthwhile then I don't see how this is irrational in any way in choosing not to go there. Kind of like that restaurant whose food is so so & has a parking lot that is hard to get in & out of - you're probably going up eat elsewhere.

I've been to Toronto & did not find it compelling enough to care to go back to (nothing against it, I just find find other Canadian cities much more interesting & Toronto blah)

[Copanut]

Screw the Canucks.

Canada is the United States without the Army.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by gortonator

I think you have the answer to your question in the thread subject line - the border is too much hassle. People need ... wait for it .... gosh .... PASSPORTS!!!. Or passport cards. Incredible. And they have to suffer the indignity of being asked a couple of questions - both going in to Canada and even, unbelievably, coming back to the US. Unreal.

Only in 'Merca, eh?

We have passports, but that's pretty much it in a nutshell. I'm not the least bit insulted by your making fun of it. ATC wanted answers and we answered. Many of our visits to Canada were unplanned. We were near a border crossing and decided to go on the spur of the moment. We don't carry our passports around in the US. We get them out of the safety deposit box for trips we plan. We just don't feel Toronto is worthy of a planned trip. I'm glad you enjoy going to Toronto. It's intriguing you chose to make fun of people who prefer to go elsewhere.

[greg42]

Even going just with a passport card it's $55 for a first time cost, for each person. That is not insignificant when choosing to do such a trip. A full passport runs $135 now for first timers.

I'll be springing for my $110 renewal passport before my renewal period is up (the document itself is already expired but I have some time yet). I do hope to travel out of the country again someday. But I can't see brushing off this applying for and paying for passports/cards as no big deal. Because the US is so large there's a whole lotta good stuff to see both far and near without bothering to get the extra ID. Not that I think people should limit themselves that way, but that is the reality.

[carfan11]

i think its a combination of things

passport, being out of one's familiar territory, etc

but I agree, its a great place to go...from niagara falls, to downtown proper, to the restaurant/arts offering....there is also hunting in canada

we go once a month, less often in winter b/c the lake effect snow between buffalo and erie is so unpredictbale and scary

[gortonator]

Originally Posted by Hopes

We just don't feel Toronto is worthy of a planned trip. I'm glad you enjoy going to Toronto. It's intriguing you chose to make fun of people who prefer to go elsewhere.

But Hopes, earlier in this thread you may have said something like ...

Originally Posted by Hopes

Toronto is a great city. I grew up going to Toronto often. My husband and I did the same with our family.

We went to Toronto regularly until the passport requirements. It's a hassle getting back into the US now.

And what do I know, I haven't been to Toronto in 13 years. But hopefully I will this year ... I've been to Canada twice this year already though. You know, there's some foks who speak French up there too ...

[gg]

I have crossed many times. Canada ripped my car apart once, but I didn't care that much. I got to were I was going. Toronto is okay. I liked Chinatown, but I didn't think it was nearly as fun as NYC or DC and the food was just okay. The locals seem to like chain type places and we were encouraged to tourist type places. We loved Niagara by the Lake and the wine people knew food WAY better and directed us to amazing restaurants way out of the way. That was fun. I would go back to Toronto and probably will, but it was just pretty nice, not great.

[greg42]

And PS it's not the indignity of a few questions that anyone is worried about. It is when things spiral horribly out of control (note, typically from the US side reentering, not from Canada side). You don't have all your US rights at the border because you're not back in until they say so. Unreasonable searches are perfectly permissible at that level. And having nothing to hide doesn't really help if they've singled you out for some reason.

We like to think that this system works well and only catches up people who deserve it. But every day innocent people are caught up in such schemes. Which isn't to say don't go, or even that I wouldn't go. The chances should be pretty small that something goes wrong. But they aren't zero and do weigh on my thoughts of crossing the border.