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Bob: Your comment about diesel is important, always shut it down in the booth. Some customs officers don't mind but most do. I got in a bit of hot water one night at US Customs, usually I'd get a chance well back in the line up to stop, get out and shut down refer. This night no one was ahead of me, thus I got out at stop sign and shut the refer down. When I pulled into the booth, he asked what I was doing out of the truck. I advised him what I did. He got quite out of sorts about it, told me he didn't need the refer off to hear. I said, "sir this not about your hearing what I have to say, this is about me hearing what you have to say." He didn't want to let it drop, thus I further advised him, since I was still in Canadian jurisdiction the other side of the stop sign it was very little of his business what I was doing. I broke down one night in a line up about 100' from that stop sign, air valves under dash blew up and within 30 seconds my maxies were on. It was pouring rain, I made a dash to US Customs, told them my plight, then phoned my employer at a pay phone. Cell wouldn't work that close to customs. When I came back through he advised me they had phoned Michigan State Police. 3 hours later I was still sitting in cab, still raining like hell. My employer came, got hold of bridge management at toll booth, they found me. The bridge manager told me I should have went to bridge toll booth, they would have had a tow truck in 20 min., which did happen then. He further advised me, neither US or Canadian Customs can get this straight. The bridge manager advised me Michigan State Police would have dismissed that call as a prank, as they have no jurisdiction on the US bound bridge. It's OPP jurisdiction right down to stop sign at US Customs, and just the reverse on the Canadian bound bridge. In fact the Bridge manager told me neither police force bother with either bridge unless it is a criminal matter. Bridge management handle all breakdowns and traffic violations, and they can call on the police when they deem necessary. Custom Officers can also call on police for criminal matters, but not traffic flow.
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