New Hampshire Resident Challenges State Over Long-Held Vanity Plate
For 15 years, Wendy Auger has proudly displayed her custom license plate, but now the state of New Hampshire deems it “inappropriate.” Custom license plates allow car owners to express their individuality through unique combinations of letters and numbers, but occasionally, state governments intervene to reject contentious messages.
Wendy Auger, a bartender from the Gonic neighborhood in Rochester, New Hampshire, recently faced this issue when her amusing vanity plate, “PB4WEGO,” was unexpectedly flagged by the DMV. Known for bringing smiles as she drove, the plate’s playful message, interpreted as “pee before we go,” is a common piece of parental advice. Despite this, the DMV found the phrase offensive.
Auger believes that the state is infringing on her freedom of speech, emphasizing that her plate’s message is neither vulgar nor inappropriate. Instead, she views it as practical advice often given to children.
The journey to acquire this plate was not a spur-of-the-moment decision for Auger. After years of waiting for the right combination to become available, she seized the opportunity when New Hampshire increased the character limit on vanity plates from six to seven.
The state asserts that their decision aligns with a court order from the NH Supreme Court, which led to more stringent regulations on license plates. Despite this, Auger is left questioning whether she should be forced to replace a plate she has cherished for over a decade.
Should Wendy Auger have to change her beloved license plate, or is the state overstepping its boundaries? The debate continues, highlighting the tension between individual expression and regulatory standards.
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