## Considering Scouts

Post by AussieBoy » Mon Feb 16, 2015 6:12 pm

So Ive never been a part of scouts. But in want of something to occupy myself Im considering joining the local rovers. Can anyone provide any info/imput in the matter? As I said never been in scouts so what is it like? (I do admit Im hoping for some scout tugs irl but thats only prt of my reasoning for wanting to join haha

### Re: Considering Scouts

Post by NemesisPrime » Mon Feb 16, 2015 6:41 pm

Part? I'm willing to wager 50% of it being the reason xD
I can only speak from my brief experiences as a scout but if it's anything like it is in the US then if you're of the outdoorsy verity you might like it. Get to go exploring and learn interesting things and there's been one lesson I took away from being one and it's to always be prepared for anything.
You also might like the uniform but that's just me
Here's part of the wikipedia article if you're interested: "Rover Scouts began in 1918, and are based on founder Baden-Powell's book Rovering to Success and the theme of knighthood. Rover Scouts are actively encouraged to become better citizens through taking part in Scouts Australia's training programs, developing leadership skills, participating in outdoor activities, attending national and international events, providing service to the community and generally building their life skills."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rovers_%28Australia%29 - Full article
Everyone speaks in multiple languages...But gag talk is universal and a sock in your mouth is the perfect translator!

### Re: Considering Scouts

Post by tony2 » Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:25 pm

Your TUGS can often depend on how much of a tease you become to the other boys. As a former scout leader, I've discovered several boys --- usually in their underwear, holding up a tree with their back and the help of some rope.... Or late for breakfast because they couldn't get out of their sleeping bag, etc. It's a good chance to find a few fellas who at least know how to tie a knot. Just start bragging that you can get out of anything they try to tie you up with. You should get plenty of action from that.
good luck...
If you believe in yourself enough -
nobody else will figure out you're faking it.
ANTS viewtopic.php?f=85&t=22496
Talk is cheap viewtopic.php?f=78&t=21971

### Re: Considering Scouts

Post by viking » Fri Feb 20, 2015 1:03 pm

i have 15 years of experience with the scouts and i have spent the last 4 years as the functioning leader for the rover team in my town.
just to clear things out, there are no guarantee that there will ever be any TUGs during the meetings or scout trips.
personally i had many of them and like tony2 said it can happen if you kinda make the challenge, but scout leaders have different toleration levels on certain subjects so there are no guarantee that it will be allowed among the scouts in your group.
now, TUGs or not, i highly recommend that you give it a try.
in the scouts you get to travel around the world. for an instance there is going to be a huge Rover-jamboree in Japan this year.
also you will get the chance to create a huge worldwide friendship. me personally, thanks to the scouts i have got to know people from Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Russia, Sri Lanka, Iceland, Finland, Spain, Greece, Canada, Northern Ireland and of course a lot of other people from my own country. and even if you can't get a TUG done with your own group, maybe you can find someone from other scout groups both in your own country as well as international.
you will also get the opportunity to learn about nature and wild-life, other cultures from all over the world, survival techniques, pioneering, orientation, morsecodes and so much more.
want some work out? you will get a lot of that too with the scouts as they often arrange obstacle runs, hiking, mountain climbing and rappeling.
you will also learn a lot of wisdom. Lord Baden Powell who started the scouts organisation had several inspiring quotes like "show me a poorly uniformed troop and i'll show you a poorly uniformed leader" or "when you want something done 'don't do it yourself' is a good motto for scoutmasters".
now, i don't know what your view on religion is, but there is one thing you should be aware about.
there is a lot of religion involved with the scouts, but once again this depends on every scout leader about how they will practice it with the scouts.
i for an instance only used the moral lectures that are used in many religions to teach my scouts some wisdom in behavior toward other people, but some other leaders will practically spread religious propaganda.
in the end, you don't necessarily have to be the kind of guy that goes to church every sunday (personally i only go to church if there is a funeral, baptize, or wedding i have to attend), but at least you should have respect for other peoples religion, no matter what they believe.
if you have no tolerance at all for religion then you might not find the scout that interesting, but if you are able to respect other people no matter what they believe in or don't believe (and that is no matter what you believe or don't believe yourself) then you should be able to tolerate it.
like i said, i don't know what your religious stand is, i just felt i should make you aware about this because i know a lot of people who attended one meeting and quit right after because they discovered that it was some Christianity involved.
oh, if you are interested in TUGs, you might get the opportunity to play a TUG, or not at all, but i promise you that if you stay with the scouts for a long enough time, you will learn how to use the many uses of a rope.
you will learn at least 4 different ways to lash a rope (which is good for tying limbs) and if you are paying enough attention you can learn all kinds of knots for many uses.
in the end, how much we tell you about the scouts, there is only one way for you to find out if you like it or not.
and that is to you try it out for yourself.
keep in mind that the first meeting may not be at all like the other meetings either.
the first meeting can have a boring result or a good result, but the next meeting could give you the complete opposite experience.
and no matter how many meetings you attend, you won't truly know what it's like to be a part of the scouts until you have attended at least one jamboree.
i hope this was helpful information for you. and no matter what you decide, BE PREPARED
Once a scout, always a perverted pyromaniac with a fetish for knives and duct tape

### Re: Considering Scouts

Post by tony2 » Fri Feb 20, 2015 4:04 pm

Viking,
All I can add is AMEN! That is a very filling piece of advice and it holds true in Boy Scouts and Explorers in USA as well.
If you believe in yourself enough -
nobody else will figure out you're faking it.
ANTS viewtopic.php?f=85&t=22496
Talk is cheap viewtopic.php?f=78&t=21971

### Re: Considering Scouts

Post by Kyle » Sat Feb 21, 2015 11:54 am

I was in the Boy Scouts for 3 years. No one ever got tied up while I was there, even when we learned knots. I had some pretty strict group leaders who probably wouldn't have put up with it if we'd tried. I'm assuming this group does something similar based on the comments above. So if you're joining for that you might be disappointed, although who knows what might happen. I did use the rope I got to practice knots as my first self-bondage tool though. I got out when I was 11 and I had that rope all the way up around the end of high school.

### Re: Considering Scouts

Post by drawscore » Sat Feb 21, 2015 4:13 pm

I spent three years in cub scouts, and another four in boy scouts. The adults pretty much left us alone, stepping in only if they thought it was absolutely necessary. It was a rare campout if no one got tied up, probably because there were some kids that were very good at escaping, who often ASKED to be tied up. Frequently. Mainly so they could show off how well they could get loose. Not to mention that the other kids thought it was great fun to tie them.
Drawscore

### Re: Considering Scouts

Post by crackers1978 » Wed Mar 11, 2015 4:08 pm

Have to agree that every camp i ever went on someone got tied up!

### Re: Considering Scouts

Post by truly_trussed » Wed Mar 25, 2015 6:01 am

I thought scouts were trustworthy, not trussed worthy.
https://www.latoilescoute.net/IMG/jpg/bleus.jpg
This illustration is by Michel Tacq a longtime illustrator from Belgium. He was probably to the Belgian Scouts what Norman Rockwell was to the BSA and Boys Life magazine.
Although it does look a little scary, I'd like to think it's a little more benign. Maybe it's Halloween and the kids are visiting a haunted house attraction.

### Re: Considering Scouts

Post by tony2 » Wed Mar 25, 2015 10:20 am

There were times as a Scout leader in the US I would have liked to do the same thing. (grin)
If you believe in yourself enough -
nobody else will figure out you're faking it.
ANTS viewtopic.php?f=85&t=22496
Talk is cheap viewtopic.php?f=78&t=21971

### Re: Considering Scouts

Post by tie_up_kathy » Mon Apr 06, 2015 6:26 pm

Hmmm
Maybe dating a boy scout is the way to go, lol

### Re: Considering Scouts

Post by tony2 » Mon Apr 06, 2015 8:40 pm

Now I know the real reason all the scouts wear the neckerchiefs. Prepackaged TUG targets --- assembly required.....
If you believe in yourself enough -
nobody else will figure out you're faking it.
ANTS viewtopic.php?f=85&t=22496
Talk is cheap viewtopic.php?f=78&t=21971

### Re: Considering Scouts

Post by truly_trussed » Tue Apr 07, 2015 2:36 pm

Here's a painting from 1946 by Norman Rockwell, the iconic American illustrator.
http://www.scouters.us/images/r1946.jpg
I'm sure today's youth will snicker at this but it was a lot more innocent time back in the day.

### Re: Considering Scouts

Post by LordNelson » Sun May 17, 2015 3:46 am

> truly_trussed wrote:Here's a painting from 1946 by Norman Rockwell, the iconic American illustrator.

Let's give the girls equal time. Here in North America the Scouts now accept girls as members. The ones that transfer over from the Girl Guides can show the boys a thing or two about ropes.
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=22117&p=161304#p161304

Attachments
    The Ropes.jpg (36.01 KiB) Viewed 1567 times

### Re: Considering Scouts

Post by truly_trussed » Tue May 19, 2015 8:24 am

[quote="LordNelson"
Let's give the girls equal time. Here in North America the Scouts now accept girls as members.[/quote]
Actually in the U.S. BSA is coed only the upper level Venturers. That is 8th grade (age 14) up to his or her 21st birthday. The Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts are still boys only. Hopefully that'll change someday IMO. I do know Scouts Canada and Scouts de Mexico are coed at all levels.

### Re: Considering Scouts

Post by LordNelson » Tue May 19, 2015 11:40 am

I'm in Canada where girls outnumber boys in many troops at all age levels.