Border Patrol "Sign Cutting"

[tvscum 43]

I did a solo ride along the border fence from Otay to Barrett Junction Sunday. I passed about 20 border patrol agents and they all waved. One stopped and helped me with directions regarding an alternate route to Barrett. Then, this morning, I read this article on border agents "Sign Cutting" -- basically tracking immigrant footprints to determine which ones got away. I actually saw an agent on foot who looked like he was doing some tracking and he had a friendly wave for me, too. I wondered if my off-roading along the border fence might mess with this effort? I hardly ever put my feet down -- except at the 250 marker -- so maybe not. The agents didn't seem to care either way.

http://www.cbs8.com/story/22036592/under-pressure-border-patrol-now-counts-getaways

[bikeslut 1]

I've never been turned around by the BP down there; in fact, all my interactions with them have been very good...

Even the time I crossed the fence line to take a picture from the other side. MAN they got there fast!!

Nice pics!

Flip side of us " hindering their efforts"... More than once I have alerted them to potential issues

[2Wheels 0]

If someone walks across a dirt road and leaves footprints, then someone in a car drives over them at 60 mph, that'll almost erase the tracks. Drive over the tracks at a walking pace, and it only erases them where the tires ran over them. Motorcycles at the same speed would erase tracks less than a car.

[Afry 1]

I have an fishing/hunting buddy that is a BP agent that does just this and I can assure you that our tracks will not confuse him. I will look at the ground in front of me and see nothing then he will point out all I missed - pretty amazing.

[CalNub 0]

Paging Wekert to the white courtesy phone.

[wekert 0]

you won't hinder the bp sign cutting efforts. don't worry about it and enjoy your ride. The road is the only thing you'll be disturbing when driving through at high speeds, but the road isn't the only thing an agent looks at when cutting sign. Even if, for example, you were to stop, Get off the bike and walk into the bushes to take a leak, then walk back to the bike and ride away. When the border patrol comes across your sign later on you may confuse them for a few mins, but nothing more than that.

That's the short answer.

[2Wheels 0]

I have an fishing/hunting buddy that is a BP agent that does just this and I can assure you that our tracks will not confuse him. I will look at the ground in front of me and see nothing then he will point out all I missed - pretty amazing.

It's one thing to look at a small piece of ground and see whether someone walked back and forth or walked across the road and it's totally different thing to look at 10 miles of road to see what tracks went across.

Tracks naturally disappear with time. Wind, rain, more traffic on a road makes them disappear quicker. On the shoulder of Highway 98 in the Imperial Valley, tracks can disappear in a few hours from the wind cars make when they go by. The more traffic there is on a road, the faster tracks disappear. Go ahead and ask your buddy.

[2Wheels 0]

you won't hinder the bp sign cutting efforts. don't worry about it and enjoy your ride. The road is the only thing you'll be disturbing when driving through at high speeds, but the road isn't the only thing an agent looks at when cutting sign. Even if, for example, you were to stop, Get off the bike and walk into the bushes to take a leak, then walk back to the bike and ride away. When the border patrol comes across your sign later on you may confuse them for a few mins, but nothing more than that.

That's the short answer.

If you're already following a trail, it's no problem to look past a place where the tracks have been stepped on and obliterated. If you have to cut 10 miles of drag road, every time the tracks have been run over makes it easier to miss something.

[wekert 0]

Yes, it will be easier to miss. But by no means does it erase sign. You're just disturbing loose dust on the surface if the road. If an individual is walking north across an east / west road they leave a lot more than just foot prints.

[2Wheels 0]

Yes, it will be easier to miss. But by no means does it erase sign. You're just disturbing loose dust on the surface if the road. If an individual is walking north across an east / west road they leave a lot more than just foot prints.

No one's going to get out of his truck and look on both sides of a long drag road every time he sees a flat spot. Guys miss stuff on drag roads all the time. It's not unheard of for someone to pull a fresh drag over a road that's all tracked up.

More traffic = harder to cut

[wekert 0]

Yes, it will be easier to miss. But by no means does it erase sign. You're just disturbing loose dust on the surface if the road. If an individual is walking north across an east / west road they leave a lot more than just foot prints.

No one's going to get out of his truck and look on both sides of a long drag road every time he sees a flat spot. Guys miss stuff on drag roads all the time. It's not unheard of for someone to pull a fresh drag over a road that's all tracked up.

More traffic = harder to cut

Well.. now we're getting more into the personality of individual people. Some bakers burn bread, some bankers suck at math, and some border patrol agents are lazy and miss sign. But, if said border patrol agent missed the sign because a vehicle drove by and dusted out the road, then the chances of that same agent finding the sign before it was disturbed were low to begin with. And there are a lot of factors to cutting sign.

One point I think I should make is that each station has an area of responsibility, and each agent at that station knows the area very very well. A border patrol agent with five years on the job is still considered the new guy. A border patrol agent isnt even allowed to ride on their own until they have a year and a few months on the job. If someone has to go and patrol the same 10 miles of border, 10 hours a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year, for several years, they become very familiar with nto just the terrain, but also with the smugglers. It isn't just knowing how to look at the ground and know if something has been through the area, it's being able to combine knowledge of smuggling tactics and trends with current situational awareness and decide on the probability of something coming through said area.

Another thing is that nobody has a 10 mile cut. Not in San Diego at least. Each station has, for internets sake, lets say 10 miles of border, and 100 agents to man it. Now brake that up into plain clothes inteligence units, admin guys, supeorvisors etc etc, you're left with... 50 guys to patrol this fake 10 miles that im making up right now. Then factor in days off, agents who called in sick etc etc, and you still have around 30 guys for that 10 miles of border. Each agents assigned daily area is relatively short. So in response to you're initial assumption that the Agents wont get out and check every flat spot, they will. They will, because that's what they're paid to do. And if that agent's personality is that he will not check every flat spot, then he would have missed the sign regardless.

You're right about more traffic = harder to cut, and that agents will pull drags over roads to wipe the slate clean and get a decent time line on new sign that is found. However, since we are discussing wether or not a group of happy guys on their dirt bikes can go about their business without disrupting the border patrols daily operations then the answer is yes. It really doesnt make that much of an impact on the terrain, and even if it did, most of the border is public land.

So, ride through and enjoy yourself! The border patrol doesn't care, I promise.

[paulmbowers 236]

The border patrol doesn't care, I promise.

Well, they certainly seemed to care the times I've been turned around. Professional and courteous, each one. But would not let me pass, and in one case made me ride back and out nearly 10 miles.

[wekert 0]

The border patrol doesn't care, I promise.

Well, they certainly seemed to care the times I've been turned around. Professional and courteous, each one. But would not let me pass, and in one case made me ride back and out nearly 10 miles.

I apologize if i mis-spoke. What I meant to say was, if the border patrol doesn't like you being there, it isn't because you are interfering with their sign cutting abilities. It's probably because they have something going on in the direction you're headed.

[paulmbowers 236]

I apologize if i mis-spoke.

Unnecessary- I hereby return your apology in mint condition, never accepted or used, still in the box.

I just didn't want people to think it does not happen. Although it's been a while since I was stopped at all. Maybe because the KTM 990 Adventure is such a fast bike, and amazingly beautiful.

[tvscum 43]

Thanks for the info guys. Glad I stirred up some dirt and stayed on this side of the fence.

[Slaugo 35]

I rarely stop for the BP, I let them do their job and try to pass through as quick as possible.

If I short cut off the main route and its not as legal as The main route I feel obliged to stop.

But they have complained about my dust. Speed, route selection and have grabbed my bars and turned off my bike when I did stop they've suggested I find another place to ride also in the past. BP have their good days and bad days. Wekert schooled me on the 25 mile rule so I understand that now.

But for the most part I try not to disturb them and let them do their job.

Of course I've been riding out there since the early 80s and its only normal to run into confusion out there. ESP since 9/11.

And I have made some great aquamtences on the guys on quads and bikes that patroled the area.

Just my .02 worth.

[paulmbowers 236]

Agreed.

I only stop when they stand in the road with their hands out.