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Provided by: NBC News
Last Modified: 3/7/2008 12:49:08 PM

A Florida teenager faced an unusual punishment after police caught him driving more than 100 mph.

Adam Clark was pulled over going 107 mph in a 55-mph zone; neither the police nor his mother were pleased.

Adam's mother, Heidi Wisniewski, not only took his car away, but also made him a sign to show outside of his school every morning and every afternoon.

He was forced to hold a sign reading, "I was STUPID. I drove over 100 mph and got caught. Thank God! I could have killed me and my friends."

Adam said he got some strange looks and laughs from classmates at Merritt Island High School, but said he accepts his punishment.

Despite the humiliation, he said he isn't mad at his mother.

"She was mad," Adam said. "She gave me the silent treatment. But I think I deserve my car getting taken away and everything."

Other students laughed, but said they also understood the punishment.

"This kid here, he's lucky," said Avery Brinson, a student at Merritt Island High School.

"He's lucky the cops seen him speed before he did something bad that he'd really regret."

Wisniewski said her son would be in front of the school before and after school for a month, and added that she didn't think the punishment is over the line.

"I love my son very much," she said. "I think more parents need to be tougher on their children."

Most students agreed with her, and said the punishment made them think.

"Well, people should definitely think about it, I mean, because it's true. It happens all the time," one student said.

Students said a month of embarrassment was far better than the alternative.

"I think that's a lot better than, you know, killing somebody," said Kamron Clark, a student at Merritt Island High School.

Adam said the punishment worked.

"I've learned my lesson," Adam said.

(NBC News)

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A suitable punishment from the mother, but it doesn't say anything about the fine on the guy's speeding ticket! I imagine it's pretty high! What's rather funny in an ironic way is that one of our Driver's Ed teachers in high school was Mr. Wisniewski! I wonder if they're related...

On the serious side, I'm glad nobody was hurt. A car accident is one of the worst things that can happen to a person.

Albert

Amusing and appropriate, which is rare in this politically correct age.

I do not think it's appropriate, and would not have worn that sign even had I surpassed the speed of light. I'd feel insulted. Making a mistake doesn't mean you must pay for it by sacrificing your dignity!

Wouldn't a mother to son talk have worked fine?

it's been proven punishments like this are far more effective than jailtime and high fines.

And they're funny to the community, what more do we want?

Julian Carter wrote:I'd feel insulted. Making a mistake doesn't mean you must pay for it by sacrificing your dignity!

That's the whole point of the punishment, Jules. It's called "tough love" for a reason. This is just the modern tar-and-feather treatment.

Anything lesser (such as just the loss of his car) could possibly say to him "okay, for a month I don't have a car, but when I get it back again, I can do whatever I want so long as I don't get caught!". Having the sign is a reminder to himself, and he helps serve as an example to everyone else. Remember, he got caught, and he's now grateful that he did.

Albert

Now this is an awesome punishment.

I love it!

and in today's world, kids need all of the "tough love" they can get from their parents. Too many parents are caught up in the "lets be friends" idea and forget that they are actually IN CHARGE of raising their children to grow up and be decent people....
or...something more eloquent, haha.

Great punishment! I saw a father did that to his son for doing and selling drugs. And he has to do it in front of his school so everyone saw him.

Fact is, these kind of punishment works. With a fine, they pay it and go on their merry way, often doing it again. With public embarrassment like that, it makes them think twice. Their friends, family, co-workers, etc will see them and know what they did. It all goes down to "if you can't do the time, don't do the crime". If you think you won't like any punishment they give you, be it jail time, fines, or wearing a sign, then DON'T do the crime. You have to pay for it.

Also 9 times out of 10, judges who order this kind of punishment give them a choice. Stand outside with a sign and get a lower sentence/fines or don't do the sign and get a higher sentence/fines. Most choose the sign thinking its easy, but once out there, they feel all the eyes on them.

Escapay wrote:

Julian Carter wrote:I'd feel insulted. Making a mistake doesn't mean you must pay for it by sacrificing your dignity!

That's the whole point of the punishment, Jules. It's called "tough love" for a reason. This is just the modern tar-and-feather treatment.

Anything lesser (such as just the loss of his car) could possibly say to him "okay, for a month I don't have a car, but when I get it back again, I can do whatever I want so long as I don't get caught!". Having the sign is a reminder to himself, and he helps serve as an example to everyone else. Remember, he got caught, and he's now grateful that he did.

Well, er ... I see your point, but it still sounds pretty extreme to me. Now, since it seems that I'm the (only?) one opposing the idea I should bring forward arguments to support my views ...

... which I'm not doing because I don't really feel like.

Julian Carter wrote:Well, er ... I see your point, but it still sounds pretty extreme to me. Now, since it seems that I'm the (only?) one opposing the idea I should bring forward arguments to support my views ...

... which I'm not doing because I don't really feel like.

Why too busy making DVD lists?

Besides you must admit, if your mother made you stand with a sign if you broke the speed limit. You'd definitely think twice about doing it again.

Julian Carter wrote:I do not think it's appropriate, and would not have worn that sign even had I surpassed the speed of light. I'd feel insulted. Making a mistake doesn't mean you must pay for it by sacrificing your dignity!

Wouldn't a mother to son talk have worked fine?

Well, driving way too fast you could just in an instant find yourself sacrificing a lot more than your dignity.

@ Bod + Lars

I give up!

I think this is a good punishment, because it means that he'll probably never do it again, and his friends won't.

an awesome punishment if only some of the parents around here would do something like that....

Hmmm... its a punishment but I admit that if it happened to me, I'd probably have quite a few thoughts of violent revenge but that's just me.

Maerj wrote:Hmmm... its a punishment but I admit that if it happened to me, I'd probably have quite a few thoughts of violent revenge but that's just me.

Ahem! So! Somebody actually ge- ... kind of gets what I mean.

And Maerj, totally random I know, but are you that smiling middle-aged woman you once had as your avatar? It's a mystery I can no longer bear to endure.

Julian Carter wrote:And Maerj, totally random I know, but are you that smiling middle-aged woman you once had as your avatar? It's a mystery I can no longer bear to endure.

I doubt he would be a smiling middle-aged woman. Maybe on Halloween.

Albert

I'm not impressed. They could have broken one of his legs, then made him hold up a stone sculptured carve-out of those words: "I am stupid..." I mean, that's if the most important thing in this case is a memorable punishment.

Julian Carter wrote:

Maerj wrote:Hmmm... its a punishment but I admit that if it happened to me, I'd probably have quite a few thoughts of violent revenge but that's just me.

Ahem! So! Somebody actually ge- ... kind of gets what I mean.

And Maerj, totally random I know, but are you that smiling middle-aged woman you once had as your avatar? It's a mystery I can no longer bear to endure.

LOL, nope. That was a lady that I met at work years ago. Neither of us work there anymore and we sometimes say hi via email. She actually works with one of my best friends right now. So, I don't really talk to her but she sent me that picture in an email one day and I just found it to be funny. So, she ended up as my avatar for a while. Now it is the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the guy who introduced transcendental meditation to the west. He founded the Maharishi University of Management. I chose that picture for pretty much the same reason I chose the other one.

Hope that clears things up!