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Second thoughts on travel with Camera backpacks?


jeff_drew4

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I am considering leaving my system backpack at home and just not

taking the gear I need on a week long trek through the Great Lakes.

What do you think?

 

For your consideration from The Washington Post/Bloomberg News:

NEW YORK, July 25 -- Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg ® apologized Monday

for an incident in which heavily armed police ordered 60 tourists off

a sightseeing bus and detained them for 90 minutes while checking out

what he called an erroneous report of five suspicious passengers with

backpacks.

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Perhaps you are right, but I will be in & out of Canada a couple times. I am concerned about getting back into the US instead of entering Canada. I don't think I am anymore suspicious looking than the next guy, but the ones removed from the bus were not middle-eastern ethnicities either. They were Asian tourists. Perhaps this is a more appropriate question. Will carrying a backpack full of camera gear through points of entry arouse more curiosity and cause me delays?
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Just don't take a picture of anything ... I was reported to "Homeland Security" Tuesday morning by a government employee for taking a photo of a bridge that's most likely had a million photos taken of it ... it's all OK for somebody else ... until it happens to you.
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Firstly, there is a world of difference between New York City, which is understandably edgy after events in London, and hiking in the wilderness. You need a backpack for what you want to do, so take one.

 

Secondly, border crossing security will see people every day with every combination of luggage possible. They are used to it. You might be searched, but so might the guy behind you with a holdall or briefcase; it's part of travel these days.

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"... and just not taking the gear I need". Frankly, that sounds just plain stupid. Like parachuting without a parachute, or going for a walk in the desert without any water.

 

On the other hand, leaving camera gear behind may make for a different sort of experience.

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I usually carry as much of my photo equipment with carry-on laugage on plane and never had any problems. Sometimes I need to open backpack, sometimes I even need to turn camera on or take lens off. Other times it happens so as it happend few weeks ago on flight from LA back to Europe. Guy seating behind x-ray machine saw my backpack on screen and said "gee what a equipment.. hey look at this!". Another guy turned to see, gasp something like "holly sh***" and they handed me my backpack laughing.<br>

It might take you few seconds longer then not having it with you but for me it was never more then minute. But you should consider they are just doing their job and they should check your laugage. If you start to be ass when they ask you to open your backpack, then I'm pretty sure you will spend quite a while there :)

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I usually say, in a jovial manner, "please be gentle, that's all a poor boys' camera gear", gives them a heads-up in a non-beligerent manner, and I've been treated very nicely. These folks know what photo gear looks and feels like in a backpack

 

Just go with the flow, they can make a lot more trouble for you than you can for them, but they don't really want to

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Hello Jeff,

 

I know you have NOTHING to worry about. I live just on the Canadian side of the US/Canada border and cross over many times a year. With hugh backpacks and without. I have never had a problem taking my camera gear or any other "legal" item across going either way.

 

I was detained shortly one time a few years ago when some inexperienced guard mistook the flaking inside of my shaving case for some "B.C. Bud" but that was quickly confirmed as being what it was. Green plastic!

 

If you anticipate electronic search, it's a good idea to take any batteries out of the cameras as the border guards show a lot more interest in electronic items that contain batteries. A concern, I whole heartedly support in regard to air travel.

 

As to the report you mentioned above,don't you think 90 minutes lost chasing "an erroneous report" is better than ignoring it altogether and finding out it was not an error? That might put a big hole (pun intended) in your time!

 

One more point, if you are coming to Canada from the US, leave your guns and big knives at home (pocket and camping ones O.K.). Canadian border guards REALLY do not like those.

 

Most of all have fun, as you will be going through some of the most beautiful country on the continent!!!

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Scott, thanks for the tips! No guns & knives this trip! I have not had any trouble with

those at the border in the past except when trying to get back in. Hunting trips seem

to be more acceptable as long as the paperwork is done. I can't hardly wait to get out

and see the world again! It's been 18 months since my last vacation and wish I could

do a longer one. Oh well. I AM going to scale back the trek so that my wife does

not whine about carrying the backpack! :-)

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  • 2 weeks later...

As I understand it, there was an unwritten element to the New York incident in that there

was confusion over the tourists' culture & ethnicity. The party in question were Sikhs, they

were obviously so because they were wearing turbans, they had backpacks, someone saw

one them rummaging industriously in their backpack, misunderstood the turban,

panicked, alerted the bus driver who went along with the panic, and so on. The NYPD were

effectively told there was a full-scale terrorist incident going on. Hence the eventual

apology from His Honour.

 

So the question is: Jeff, will you be wearing a turban on your trip?

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