US woman wears 'Idiot' sign as punishment

WASHINGTON.  November 14. KAZINFORM  A US woman, who was caught on camera driving on a sidewalk to get around a stopped school bus, completed the first of a two-day court ordered punishment on Tuesday that requires her to publically hold a sign for an hour each day branding herself as an "idiot".

photo: QAZINFORM

Thirty-two year old Shena Hardin from the state of Ohio, received the sentence after a September incident  when instead of waiting for the school bus, she drove on a sidewalk to bypass the bus as it was loading and unloading children in the city of Cleveland.

A school bus driver using a cell phone camera captured the video of Hardin driving on the sidewalk to move around the bus,  RIA Novosti  informed.

A Cleveland Municipal Court judge ordered Hardin to hold a sign reading: "Only an idiot drives on the sidewalk to avoid a school bus."

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, when Hardin arrived Tuesday morning to begin her punishment, she was met by a swarm of reporters and television camera crews, but refused to answer questions or comment on the sentencing.

The newspaper also posted a video  of Hardin, bundled up in the 34 degree Fahrenheit weather (1 degree Celsius), holding the sign, wearing headphones, dark sunglasses, and smoking a cigarette, her face partially covered by a hat.

In addition to holding the sign, as part of her punishment, Hardin's driver's license was suspended for 30 days and she was ordered to pay a $250 fine.

Hardin is scheduled to complete her final day of court ordered "idiot" punishment Wednesday.