A mother of four was left stunned when New Hampshire’s Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) ordered her to give up the vanity plates she had proudly displayed for 15 years.
The playful plates served as a simple, lighthearted reminder for her sons to use the bathroom before hitting the road.
But instead of appreciating the harmless message, the DMV ruled that the plates contained references to “sexual or excretory acts or functions.”
A 15-Year Tradition Under Fire
In 2019, Wendy Auger from Rochester, New Hampshire, was notified by the DMV that she had to surrender her longtime custom plate.
“It would really stink if I have to give it up,” said the mother of four, who regularly received compliments on her witty choice.
Referring to the state’s motto, “Live Free or Die,” Auger quipped, “If I have to take it off my plate, then I won’t be able to live free.”
Her plate, which reads “PB4WEGO” (a clever nod to “pee before we go”), was a practical and humorous nudge to her kids before every car ride.
“What parent hasn’t told their kids that before leaving the house?” Auger, a paralegal, questioned. “I’m not one to protest, but come on.”
She insisted that there was nothing offensive about the message, telling CNN, “I’m not a political activist, but this plate is part of who I am and who we are as a family. There was absolutely no reason to take it away.”
A Viral Show of Support
According to the official notice from the DMV, her plate was being revoked because it allegedly referenced “sexual or excretory acts or functions.”
Auger was given 10 days to turn it in, with the option to pick a new custom plate at no extra charge.
Frustrated, she shared the DMV’s letter on Facebook, along with photos of her plates—and the post quickly went viral.
Support poured in from social media users, with one person commenting, “This is ridiculous! Not only is it funny and harmless, but it’s also a great reminder!”
Another added, “You’ve had that plate FOREVER. What’s going on?!”
Someone even joked, “Would that be ‘Pee’ or ‘Pay’…??? lol”
New Hampshire governor steps in to help woman keep ‘PB4WEGO’ vanity plate https://t.co/Sf9kp5ff8l pic.twitter.com/cvCdstikxK
— Tulsa World (@tulsaworld) August 29, 2019
“Live Free or Die, My Arse”
Encouraged by supporters urging her to fight back, Auger responded with humor, saying, “Live free or die, my arse.”
She even joked about her next possible plate choice: “I think ‘DMV SUX’ will be my next one… but I might get pulled over a lot, lol.”
As her story spread, it eventually caught the attention of New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu—who stepped in to overturn the ruling.
Leaving a message for Auger, he said, “Hey Wendy, it’s Chris Sununu. Just wanted to let you know we sorted out that issue. Sorry for the bureaucratic mess… but common sense won in the end.”
Victory for Wendy
On August 28, 2019, Auger shared another update on Facebook, announcing her triumph.
“This Sassy Momma Has Her Plates!!!” she wrote.
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