7 ms·

To be honest, I'm afraid of travelling (to America even) and of leaving the relative safety of Canada because of that. I've heard so many stories about people

To be honest, I'm afraid of travelling (to America even) and of leaving the relative safety of Canada because of that. I've heard so many stories about people ending up in jail in the USA or Mexico or other countries from things that would be considered minor and them having to fight their way out of it. Missed bribe there, racist cops there, at least I'm safe home where the only time I have to worry about the police is during protests.

thesagan 11y ago
My cousins live in London, Ontario, but spend maybe 1/2 of their time in the states, where their mother (my aunt) was born and raised. They cross the border all of the time. They love to joke about the Canadian attitudes towards their risk exposure coming into the states; although it has become more frustrating to cross the border, the mythology is a bit hyped. I would say, however, and they'd probably agree, you'll find a huge variation in policing between regions and urban areas vs rural ones. I'm from the country (now in the city) and rural cops scare me more than urban cops because... hard to express.
drzaiusapelord 11y ago
>Missed bribe there Lived in the US my whole life and never had to bribe anyone. Europe? I've bribed people more than a few times to get shit done. Mostly Eastern, but the idea that the US is on par with Mexico via corruption is fairly laughable.
- Someone1234 11y ago
  Bribery in the US is definitely NOT a day to day occurrance. That being said, the US is definitely corrupt, but in the US corruption is legal as long as you follow the corruption rules. For example, I can donate $100K to my favourite political candidate right now and then ask them for favours, totally legal, but yet corrupt. We're coming up to election season and candidates have already started bragging about who is paying their way (e.g. Wall Street, Koch Brothers, Big Oil, etc) and if anyone doesn't think this type of thing is an investment into future political favours then they're very naive. PS - While there is corruption in every country, the US's electoral finance rules make it particularly bad.
- dragontamer 11y ago
  I've been in a car that's bribed police before. In the Philippines. Officer leaned in, said "I've got a ticket for you". The driver handed him a wad of cash, and the officer let us go. Its how it works over there. I have never, in my life, encountered bribery on the scale of what goes on in other countries, in the USA.
- Raphmedia 11y ago
  I worded this poorly. I was aiming the "racist cops" comment at the USA and the "bribable cops" at Mexico.
wil421 11y ago
Please don't use what you hear on the internet to base your option of the USA. Spent my whole life here and I have never once had to bribe anyone period. If you tried to bribe a cop you would be immediately thrown in jail. That being said just be respectful and they will be respectful back. Its been working for me for 29 years.
- davelnewton 11y ago
  Because only whites can be racist? I understand what you're saying, but phrasing it like that is just silly. And no, not all cops will bring you in for bribing them; I'm much more pro-cop than most people that blab on the internet, but that doesn't mean there aren't bad ones.
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
  - Frondo 11y ago
    I see that the original comment must have been edited to remove something about racism, but I have to add this elaboration because it so often gets missed: Of course anyone can be racist, but when the white people have nearly all of the economic and political power, and the black people have nearly none, it doesn't matter if black people are racist, because there are no structures to support that. Or, put another way, black people might call me "cracker" or "white boy" or whatever, and hate me because I'm white, but I can still walk into a bank and get a home loan. I was never red-lined out of living in a neighborhood at first sight.
    - Ntrails 11y ago
      Being of a race doesn't prevent you being racist towards it. A black cop can be just as racist to a black person walking down the street as a white cop can. Indeed, I seem to recall hearing on a few occasions that they often are. The assumption that all a black person can do to be racist is call you (a white male) "cracker" is rather disingenuous.
cylinder 11y ago
Bribe? Give me a break.
- Raphmedia 11y ago
  I was pointing bribes at Mexico and racist cops at the USA.
tremendo 11y ago
Anecdote. I am originally from México, living in the U.S. for over 20 years now where I have not, in all that time, had a problem with police. I've been stopped, and treated with respect. In México as a teen it was not the horror stories that most Americans believe, but well, "less civilized". I travel there on occasion without event always. Except once last year, I made the mistake to drive into México in a black car with tinted windows. I was stopped and interrogated at every opportunity, fined for going 60 Km/hr (40 mi/hr) on the "International" highway. In my experience having an education and being able to communicate coherently will save you from trouble in the US, but not necessarily in Mexico, if you happen to be unfortunate enough to attract the attention of cops, unless you can convince whomever that you have certain connections or "levers" (palanca) that you can use if needed.
robwilliams 11y ago
You fear entering the USA because you're afraid you'll go to prison? How often do you think random people get through into jail for "things that would be considered minor"? Racist cops are outliers and I've never heard of anyone bribing an officer. Come to America and your opinion will change almost instantly. The anti-US fear-mongering on this forum is incredible; it's as if all 300+ million of us are living in a dystopian police state where one wrong word gets you thrown in solitary.

thesagan 11y ago

My cousins live in London, Ontario, but spend maybe 1/2 of their time in the states, where their mother (my aunt) was born and raised. They cross the border all of the time. They love to joke about the Canadian attitudes towards their risk exposure coming into the states; although it has become more frustrating to cross the border, the mythology is a bit hyped. I would say, however, and they'd probably agree, you'll find a huge variation in policing between regions and urban areas vs rural ones. I'm from the country (now in the city) and rural cops scare me more than urban cops because... hard to express.

drzaiusapelord 11y ago

>Missed bribe there Lived in the US my whole life and never had to bribe anyone. Europe? I've bribed people more than a few times to get shit done. Mostly Eastern, but the idea that the US is on par with Mexico via corruption is fairly laughable.

Someone1234 11y ago
Bribery in the US is definitely NOT a day to day occurrance. That being said, the US is definitely corrupt, but in the US corruption is legal as long as you follow the corruption rules. For example, I can donate $100K to my favourite political candidate right now and then ask them for favours, totally legal, but yet corrupt. We're coming up to election season and candidates have already started bragging about who is paying their way (e.g. Wall Street, Koch Brothers, Big Oil, etc) and if anyone doesn't think this type of thing is an investment into future political favours then they're very naive. PS - While there is corruption in every country, the US's electoral finance rules make it particularly bad.
dragontamer 11y ago
I've been in a car that's bribed police before. In the Philippines. Officer leaned in, said "I've got a ticket for you". The driver handed him a wad of cash, and the officer let us go. Its how it works over there. I have never, in my life, encountered bribery on the scale of what goes on in other countries, in the USA.
Raphmedia 11y ago
I worded this poorly. I was aiming the "racist cops" comment at the USA and the "bribable cops" at Mexico.

wil421 11y ago

Please don't use what you hear on the internet to base your option of the USA. Spent my whole life here and I have never once had to bribe anyone period. If you tried to bribe a cop you would be immediately thrown in jail. That being said just be respectful and they will be respectful back. Its been working for me for 29 years.

davelnewton 11y ago
Because only whites can be racist? I understand what you're saying, but phrasing it like that is just silly. And no, not all cops will bring you in for bribing them; I'm much more pro-cop than most people that blab on the internet, but that doesn't mean there aren't bad ones.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
- Frondo 11y ago
  I see that the original comment must have been edited to remove something about racism, but I have to add this elaboration because it so often gets missed: Of course anyone can be racist, but when the white people have nearly all of the economic and political power, and the black people have nearly none, it doesn't matter if black people are racist, because there are no structures to support that. Or, put another way, black people might call me "cracker" or "white boy" or whatever, and hate me because I'm white, but I can still walk into a bank and get a home loan. I was never red-lined out of living in a neighborhood at first sight.
  - Ntrails 11y ago
    Being of a race doesn't prevent you being racist towards it. A black cop can be just as racist to a black person walking down the street as a white cop can. Indeed, I seem to recall hearing on a few occasions that they often are. The assumption that all a black person can do to be racist is call you (a white male) "cracker" is rather disingenuous.

cylinder 11y ago

Bribe? Give me a break.

Raphmedia 11y ago
I was pointing bribes at Mexico and racist cops at the USA.

tremendo 11y ago

Anecdote. I am originally from México, living in the U.S. for over 20 years now where I have not, in all that time, had a problem with police. I've been stopped, and treated with respect. In México as a teen it was not the horror stories that most Americans believe, but well, "less civilized". I travel there on occasion without event always. Except once last year, I made the mistake to drive into México in a black car with tinted windows. I was stopped and interrogated at every opportunity, fined for going 60 Km/hr (40 mi/hr) on the "International" highway. In my experience having an education and being able to communicate coherently will save you from trouble in the US, but not necessarily in Mexico, if you happen to be unfortunate enough to attract the attention of cops, unless you can convince whomever that you have certain connections or "levers" (palanca) that you can use if needed.

robwilliams 11y ago

You fear entering the USA because you're afraid you'll go to prison? How often do you think random people get through into jail for "things that would be considered minor"? Racist cops are outliers and I've never heard of anyone bribing an officer. Come to America and your opinion will change almost instantly. The anti-US fear-mongering on this forum is incredible; it's as if all 300+ million of us are living in a dystopian police state where one wrong word gets you thrown in solitary.