Should Councils ban the use of lead (Pb) in PWD cars?

[Stan Pope]

My son gets his pocket knife badge in cub scouts, had to start over in boy scouts to get another bad to be able to use it.

Think of the "totin' chip" as a concealed carry authorization that is issued by one state but which is not recognized in another state. A more apt example might be a driver's license. In Illinois, some of us must be reexamined periodically to demonstrate that we haven't lost what we knew before.

If we wish to participate in an organization, we should expect to abide by its rules. His troop does not say that he can not use the pocket knife. It only says that he can not use it in the context of a troop activity.

It seems a trivial concern, but think about what the totin' chip represents in terms of learning and responsibility.

[sporty]

No, Unfortunetly my son had enough and has left the boy scouts program.

He no longer liked or enjoyed it. I hope given some time he will change his mind.

I think he also got tired of all the camping trips. I know inside of him also he prefers the soap box derby racing over the boy scouts. Which often comes into schedule conflicts often.

When you cant sleep in the same tent as your parents or with your dad. I think thats a issue for him also.

Sporty

[Stan Pope]

Yes, different strokes for ...

A camping trip "to be outside" is fine once in a while. But the trips really need to be coordinated with other skills learning, and it sounds like this was not happening for him. Review the program as it was being applied, and think whether a different troop program might be appropriate when/if he tries again.

I don't recall any BSA prohibition regarding tenting with parents. Must be local. It should be an option, although many youngsters want to excape the "apron strings" at least most of the time. And if it were his long-standing preference, he could get some "peer flack" as he grows older.

[psycaz]

Yes, different strokes for ...

A camping trip "to be outside" is fine once in a while. But the trips really need to be coordinated with other skills learning, and it sounds like this was not happening for him. Review the program as it was being applied, and think whether a different troop program might be appropriate when/if he tries again.

I don't recall any BSA prohibition regarding tenting with parents. Must be local. It should be an option, although many youngsters want to excape the "apron strings" at least most of the time. And if it were his long-standing preference, he could get some "peer flack" as he grows older.

Actually Stan, my son's troop has the same restriction - no parent with scout. They say it is from BSA.

[gpraceman]

Hey guys, veering off topic...

[idpwdnut]

I certainly wouldn't be opposed to some formal BSA unified guidelines and standardized warnings.

Although not a unified guideline the BSA offers a training module at http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/boy ... ewood.aspx

It states:
"Often a set of electric drills with a variety of fairly wide bits will reduce any excess weight violations and inexpensive lead weights can be affixed with screws or even tape to raise the weight."

At the national level, lead does not seem to be much of a concern and actually endorse it's use.

They say it is from BSA.

My experience has unfortunately been when somebody goes to that line, they are just trying to get out of having to try to defend there own personal opinion and are unable to do it.

Even though I voted for not to ban it, I believe it is going to happen. We still use lead in the builds of our own cars, but as a race coordinator, I stopped having lead at workshops, check ins and the such as I did not want to be held liable for any problems that could have come from it. A personal choice not to provide others with a "toxic" substance. If they brought it, they could use it.

[FatSebastian]

At the national level, lead does not seem to be much of a concern and actually endorse it's use.

That's for turning up that info, idpwdnut. If National BSA seems okay with it, Council-wide bans would appear much more difficult to justify.

Even though I voted for not to ban it, I believe it is going to happen.

Like you, sporty, Darin, etc., I also sense that, sooner or later, government authorities may regulate lead beyond our convenience usage; if that happens then Council rulings become immaterial. (We still find derby rules forbidding the use of elemental mercury as a movable weight - good luck even finding that stuff!). You seem to understand the original intent of the poll question: should individual BSA Councils (such as Northern Star Council) ban lead (Pb) in cars (especially considering that there seems to be no requirement to do such)?

... If they brought it, they could use it.

Your approach seems quite reasonable IMO.

[idpwdnut]

That's for turning up that info

You are welcome. I enjoy researching this type of thing, which is why I have lurked around in DerbyTalk for a couple of years.

sooner or later, government authorities may regulate lead beyond our convenience usage

It's here and getting worse. The EPA's Lead Renovation, Remodel and Painting program is making it so I won't work on home remodel projects if the home was built before 1978 unless everything is just as I want it. Not cost effective and to much liability to just change out a handfull of windows. The government just made that decision for me as well as many of my fellow contractors!

[GravityRacer]

Interesting topic, to say the least. I have a couple of comments, one off topic.

Note that the Scout Shop only sells ZINC weights. What an individual decides to do in his/her own home and decides to appropriately encapsulate in wood, plaster, Bondo, whatever, is at the risk of said free US citizen, despite what the BSA may say you may do. They say a lot of things people don't (or DO), like.