Does a Parent Have a decision on who their scout rides with while traveling?

[Stosh]

Vehicles are filled by patrol. Dash radio only, driver's choice. PL selects the vehicle. SPL makes final decision if two patrols want same vehicle. The ride up is not the time for entertainment, it's a time to review last minute details and make plans for when they get there, i.e. who does what, etc.

 

Stosh

[Buffalo Skipper]

Hear! Hear! Stosh.

Where possible, out scouts travel by patrol. SPL decides which patrol is where. I usually like to have the SPL ride with me as SM, but that does not always happen. I support the SPL in his decision.

 

If there is a problem driver, that is something which should be worked out by the SM and/or committee. I avoid letting parents pick out anything which the scouts should be resolving amongst themselves.

[Eagledad]

Gotta agree, its the PL's and SPLs responsibilitiy to find drivers, assign seats and make sure everyone is in the car. The only time we ever left a scout behind (Philmont) was when the new SM told the SPL that he had already checked the cars. Problem was he really didn't know who was assigned to what car. He never did that again.

 

Barry

[asm 411]

"Vehicles are filled by patrol. Dash radio only, driver's choice."

 

Absolutely by patrol and the SPL rides shotgun for the SM.

 

The Scouts can listen to any of my CDs or the radio or their iPods (an personal music device). The funny thing is about 9 months ago we put the control of the electronic devices policing on the PLs. Since then the desire to bring and use an iPods while traveling has dropped way down. The Scouts prefer to pick from the CDs they and don't use their iPods. Since they are picking from my collection it is always something I like.

[resqman]

Drivers stand to side of parking lot and raise fingers representing the number of seats available in their vehicle. The scouts choose which vehicle they ride in. Usually it is loosely patrol based but commonly vehicles only hold 4 scouts so patrols get split and mixed. Odd man out rides in which ever vehicle has an empty seat.

 

Each driver determines what music or entertainment is available. Many of the scouts bring ipods/mp3 players for the ride but must leave in the vehicle during the weekend.

 

Typically the only parents still standing around waving to their kids are the new parents. Most park, empty scout and gear out of vehicle, hand meds to leader, and leave. A few stand around and gab.

 

If parents have a concern about which adult(s) is/are driving, I would expect that to be addressed before the event with troop leadership. Most often all drivers are uniformed leaders. Occasionally we have a parent drive simply to provide enough seats. That most often occurs on patrol campout weekend when the 6 patrols head off to different directions and uniformed leadership is spread thin.

[Gunny2862]

Concur, SPL's and PL's make seating arrangements - and ensure seats are actually filled. Of course they also ride back to pick up anyone who's left behind. !!!

If the Scout doesn't like it - lump it.

If there's an actual problem between Scouts then it better be getting heard and dealt with. Tommy doesn't like Jimmy and they have to sit together doesn't cut it as a problem. Time to put the Scout Oath and Law back into action for both of them.

 

If the Parent has a problem; why not take the SM aside and quietly make your point sometime in the period BETWEEN Now and the NEXT outing. If the issue is so big you need to throw a fit immediately prior to a trip(in the parking lot loading up) then it should have been done before now. Otherwise it's just someone's need for Drama kicking in.

 

MOST IMPortantly,

Yes, ANY parent has EVERY right to decide if the Scouter or other adult their child is riding with is unsuitable - but then they also have the right to drive their Scout...

[Stosh]

Cars too small for a whole patrol? PL + 3 members one vehicle, APL + 3 members other vehicle, PL/APL have decided prior to event who does what, patrol officers organize the duties enroute. Heck, the PL/APL have cell phones, they can work out glitches enroute as well.

 

Time to leave? Each PL/APL collects up their 3 boys, APL tells PL he's ready, PL tells SPL he's ready, hop back in car and you're ready to go. No head counts and patrol officers take responsibility for their boys.

 

Stosh