For over a decade and a half, Wendy Auger of Rochester, New Hampshire, drove her car with a sense of humor and a practical parenting tip displayed right on her bumper. Her vanity license plate, “PB4WEGO,” was a lighthearted nod to a phrase every parent in history has uttered before a road trip:
“Pee before we go.” It was a family trademark, a conversation starter, and a harmless joke that had earned her countless smiles from fellow drivers since the mid-2000s.
However, the laughter came to a screeching halt when a formal letter arrived from the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). In a move that left the mother of four stunned, the department demanded she surrender her plates immediately. The reason?
The state’s bureaucratic censors had suddenly determined that the letter combination was “offensive” because it referred to “sexual or excretory acts or functions.” After fifteen years of incident-free driving, the government decided Wendy’s parental advice was a violation of public decency.
The irony of the situation was lost on no one, especially given New Hampshire’s iconic state motto: “Live Free or Die.” Wendy, a paralegal who described herself as far from a political activist, felt the sting of the irony immediately.
“If I have to take it off the plate, then I’m not going to be able to live free,” she noted. She argued that the phrase was a universal part of the childhood experience—a gentle, relatable reminder used by mothers and fathers everywhere to avoid unnecessary rest stops. To her, the DMV’s sudden crackdown felt like a massive overreach of power over a non-offensive family joke.
Facing a ten-day deadline to turn in the plates, Wendy refused to let the issue go quietly. she took to social media, sharing the recall letter and photos of her car. The internet’s response was swift and overwhelming. The post went viral, sparking a wave of support from thousands of people who found the state’s decision absurd. Supporters called the situation “ridiculous” and “cute,” with many pointing out that the plate was a helpful reminder for anyone with a small bladder.
As the story gained national traction, appearing on major news networks like CNN, it eventually reached the highest office in the state. New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu caught wind of the “potty humor” controversy and decided that common sense needed to prevail over red tape. In a personal move that bypassed the DMV’s rigid ruling, the Governor contacted Wendy directly.
“Hey Wendy, it’s Chris Sununu,” the Governor said in a message. “Just want to let you know we took care of that issue… sorry for that little bureaucratic holdup.” He acknowledged that the situation had lacked common sense and officially overturned the DMV’s demand.
On August 28, Wendy took to Facebook one last time to announce her victory to the thousands who had followed her journey. “This Sassy Momma Has Her Plates!” she triumphantly wrote. The reversal wasn’t just a win for a funny license plate; it was a win for common sense in a world of increasingly strict regulations.
Wendy’s story serves as a reminder that sometimes, standing your ground—even over something as small as a seven-letter plate—can lead to a victory for everyone who believes in a little bit of freedom and a lot of humor. Wendy and her “PB4WEGO” plates are back on the road, proving that even a “little bureaucratic holdup” is no match for a mom on a mission.
