Unexpectedly, a post asking for help triggered a "war of words" between Americans and Canada. Perhaps, a long-standing grudge?
Answer the quarrel that is not asked
Recently, a Vancouver netizen Pizza2341 asked on Reddit's Bellingham subreddit whether Bellingham Costco has GoPro action cameras in stock, because all Costco locations in Vancouver can't be found.
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Presumably, the netizen planned to go south to grab the goods immediately if he found that Bellingham had goods.
It is said that Bellingham, a small and medium-sized town located in Washington State, USA, is the closest to Vancouver. The difference in prices between the two countries has made Bellingham the first choice for Vancouverians to go south for shopping and even refueling.
Soon, the netizen received an unexpected reply.
Some netizens responded, "We paid a great price on the beach in a foreign country to make gasoline so cheap, and these Canadians came to grab it as a matter of course, as if it was their birthright." ”
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Hey, people are asking about camera goods, how do you get to refuel?
There is more than one such netizen. A netizen asked in a weird voice, "Can you promise not to take five gasoline barrels with you and spend 20 minutes filling them up in front of a gas pump?", the implication is that if the Vancouver netizen made a promise, he would have gotten the right answer?
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Another seemed to be much more friendly, "Good luck, Canadian," but didn't forget to add, "Please don't refuel during rush hour, maybe just one or two, as others have requested." ”
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Fortunately, there are those who take a neutral stance, and they accuse some Americans of the way they treat Canadians.
"Some of these answers are very rude, and this only represents ugly Americans. In fact, this guy just wants to know if GoPro is on sale, I suggest you make a call, and the customer service's computer should have a record. ”
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In response to the remarks of American netizens, some Vancouver netizens directly countered, "Are you deficient in vitamin D? Is it necessary to be so rude?
The two places have been "grudging" for a long time
In fact, there has been a lot of bickering about Vancouvers going south to shop or refuel.
Because of oil prices and exchange rates, Bellingham has always been a "consumer paradise" for Vancouver residents, such as Costco, which has a rich variety and low prices, and has become a sweet spot in everyone's eyes. Especially after the price hike in Canada, more and more people choose to drive south, especially during the holidays.
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As one Canadian shared the reason for going to Bellingham for a big purchase, "We come here at least once a month, if not more, because your petrol is cheap, your dairy is good, your chicken is half price, and the restaurants are great." ”
However, the Vancouvers are buying in Bellingham, which often leads to food shortages in some of the smaller towns in the surrounding areas. Some small supermarkets often do not have enough fruits, cooked vegetables, and dairy products, and become a "food desert". In addition, the influx of a large number of Chinese in Vancouver often causes local traffic jams, pomp and circumstance, etc., which makes the locals feel frustrated.
Angry locals even once created a Facebook page called "Costco in Bellingham Needs Special Time for Americans," which received thousands of likes.
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Some Americans who objected to Canadians coming to shop wrote on the page, "You have not only given Costco a bad name, but Bellingham as a whole." ”
"Your city is busy, please don't bring this situation to us, there are many places in the United States that are willing to attract customers. ”
"What really me off is that it's clear that a big part of the reason they're here is that Canada has strict standards for food quality, which means they're mainly here to pick up our garbage," one netizen said. ”
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Another American netizen admitted that Canadians do contribute a lot to the local economy, but local residents hope that they will not act so self-righteous and be more considerate of local residents.
In the eyes of some Vancouver, going to Bellingham to shop and refuel is an act that drives the local economy, and Americans should be grateful, not drive Canadians away.
In response, a Canadian reddit user apologized on behalf of other Canadians.
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"As your Canadian neighbor, I apologize for these idiots, if it makes you feel better..."
Whether southbound spending is worth it is debatable
If living in Metro Vancouver close to the U.S. border, is it worth traveling across borders to places like Bellingham Costco to save some money?
According to posts on the Reddit subreddit in Metro Vancouver, most people believe that this is not the case.
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Many people believe that due to the current exchange rate differences, it seems that it is not so valuable to go south to shop or refuel. At the current exchange rate, 100 Canadian dollars can only be exchanged for about 76 US dollars, plus the time cost of customs clearance, travel and fuel costs, the cost may be greater and not worth it.
However, someone calculated that even if the exchange rate difference is considered, the price of many foods at Bellingham Costco is less than half of that of Vancouver Costco, especially salads, dairy products, pizza, chicken and other household ingredients.
In addition to the price, some people think that it is still worth it after a comprehensive analysis of the shopping environment, product comparison, and travel by the way.
Dear friends, what do you think?