A woman from New Hampshire has been asked to surrender her 15-year-old vanity license plate by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) because it features the word โPeeโ. Wendy Auger, who lives in the Gonic neighbourhood of Rochester, NH, had chosen the licence plate โPB4WEGOโ because it was a playful nod to the parental saying โPee before we goโ.
However, the DMV said that any vanity plates featuring bodily fluids were forbidden. Auger has described the decision as an attack on her free speech, and others have supported her, saying that the stateโs motto of โLive Free Or Dieโ should apply in cases like these.
Auger has joked that if her licence plate is removed from her car, โit would just stinkโ. She has also said that she has always wanted the licence plate and โjumped on itโ when the state issued an expanded character limit.
The state has said that it is unable to comment on Augerโs case as her registration is covered under privacy laws. However, an email from the state explained that the rules on vanity plates were made โvery specificโ after being changed in response to a court order from the New Hampshire Supreme Court.
Auger is currently waiting for a final decision from the state and has said that she believes โtalking about peeing isnโt offensiveโ.
