Where do these ideas come from?

[scoutingagain]

Thanks for clarification on the Convoy question. The responses make sense.

 

When we travel, all vehicles usually have a map and directions, but we occaisonally end up with two or three vehicles traveling one behind the other. It's not planned that way, it just sometimes happens. Since everyone usually knows where their headed, we have not had a problem with a driver trying to stay with the group, but I could see where it might happen.

 

We also exchange cell phone numbers and also use the Family Service Radios to stay in touch while travelling. (Not by the drivers, but usually a second adult or older scout in the vehicle.) This has helped to keep some from getting lost once in a while, or if they have had car trouble(flat tire) to let the rest know they will be late.

 

SA

[Hunt]

I can accept the concept that when a Scout is traveling from home to a meeting (or to the pickup point for a trip, perhaps), he isn't doing Scouting yet, and so the rules don't apply. However, I do wonder whether there is liability on the troop when he leaves the meeting. Maybe it's not against the rules technically, but I think it would be a bad idea for an adult to drive a boy (not his son) home alone unless there is no alternative, or for the adult leaders to let a younger boy ride home with an older boy driving unless they knew it was OK with the younger boy's parents at least.

[Bob White]

You are correct hunt, the BSA does not want a registered adult alone with a scout who is not their sone either. And, although it may be a bad idea for a driver under 18 to drive another scout home, that does not make it the BSA's responsibility to monitor and control. That responsibility is left to the parents of the passenger and driver.

 

If on an actual scouting trip, the parents of the passenger would be required to give written permission for their son to be with an eligible driver who is under 18.

[eisely]

Here is a hypothetical question...

 

Your troop meeting has broken up. The meeting place is locked up and you do not have a key. It is raining cats and dogs. There is no space under cover outside. You are alone. You see a scout standing in the rain with no raingear on waiting for a parent who is late. Nobody has a telephone. You and your car and the scout are the only people around. To make things even dicier, the scout is starting to exhibit signs of hypothermia. What do you do?

[dsteele]

These things are not that bad if we think them through.

 

In the example you gave, Eisely, you drive the Scout home. Do not touch the Scout, but do walk him to the door and make sure there is a responsible adult to take care of the Scout.

 

Think about it from all points of view. If you left the Scout alone in the driving rain with no protection simply because you felt you couldn't drive him home without another youth or adult, you would probably be convicted of negligence if something happened to the young man by your leaving him there. If you drive him home and he accuses you of sexual abuse, you're in trouble as well.

 

You, in this situation, would have to ask yourself, "which is worse, leaving him to the darkness and the elements, or risking him saying something false about me abusing him while taking him home?"

 

Sometimes common sense has to prevail.

 

Take the kid home. Make sure he's cared for -- even if you have to find grandparents, etc. Make sure the parents know where their son is and that they are responsible for picking the kid up or making other arrangements.

 

DS

[Bob White]

It helps to plan ahead "be prepared" as it were.

The assistant scoutmasters in my son's troop make sure that one of us stays at the meeting room with the SM until all scouts are gone. That way we never have to worry about situations like eisely presented.

 

The problem was not the locked door, or the rain, or the cold. The problem was that to many adults left too soon. If you solve the two-deep problem then you solve all the other situations similar to eisely's.

 

Bob White

[evmori]

In eisley example you drive the Scout home. Then when you get home you call the Scout's house & talk to his parents & explain why you did what you did. Bob is correct in stating we need to be prepared but there are times when things like this happen.

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

 

 

[eisely]

I felt that the common sense thing to do was to take the scout home. BW's suggestion about assuring two adults present until you are sure that all scouts have in fact departed the area is even better. I wonder how many units have thought of that? I hadn't.

 

I have never confronted this particular situation, but I did encouter a somewhat similar situation involving a child not picked up after soccer practice many years ago.

[NWScouter]

My old troop had been doing it for at least ten, fifteen years. It shares the pain of waiting and the Scoutmaster is the only one exerting pressure, a little parental peer pressure goes a long way, to encourage parents to be on time.