WASHINGTON, November 14 (RIA Novosti) - 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”.
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.
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.
