Stamping a passport - is there a method to the madness?

[Uzoma]

I've never quite understood why immigration choose the parts of the passport that they do, when they stamp it on entry and exit. They all seem to choose one page and leave all the others empty. Why is that? Is there something that they're not telling me? ;)

[spudqueen]

It's probably because after one page has been stamped once the passport automatically opens at that page next time some one needs to stamp it. It's like if you open a new book at one particular page and bend it back slightly (as if you were going to stamp it). Then flick through, or just go to open it, it will open at the same page.

[DTCwordfan]

secondly in some countries they nick or fold the page to indicate what you are bringing in - like a pc or a camera. India even does this and marks by brand. A mate of mine from Canada came in at Mumbai and was pulled over at Calcutta, having given his host a snappy camera. Big trouble......