Yesterday (25th), our newspaper reported a dispute between a grandfather in Long Island and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) over a personalized license plate. One day has passed, and the issue has been resolved satisfactorily. Upon learning about the situation, Governor of New York intervened personally and ordered to allow the retention of the pun-filled license plate “PB4WEGO,” which translates to “Pee Before We Go.” The individual involved stated that this was not just a family joke but also a matter of freedom of expression.
The 69-year-old West Hempstead resident, Seth Bykofsky, has been displaying the “PB4WEGO” license plate for many years. The abbreviation is derived from the pun of “Pee Before We Go,” a humorous reminder he used to tell his daughter and granddaughter to use the restroom before going out.
According to him, this license plate has been in use for over five years, driving through at least 15 states during this period without receiving any complaints. On the contrary, it often brought smiles and even led to police officers pulling him over just to praise his humor and creativity.
However, in January this year, the New York State DMV notified that upon a reevaluation, they deemed the content of the license plate unsuitable for use on public roads, requesting the plate number to be revoked and the plate destroyed. Though Bykofsky removed the plate, he disagreed with the decision of the DMV and made a public appeal directly to the Governor, claiming that it was an infringement of the First Amendment – freedom of speech – by the government.
After the incident was exposed, according to the New York Post, Governor Hochul personally called the individual within hours of the report being published, stating that she believed the message was “humorous and harmless” and jokingly said, “I think everyone should be reminded to pee before they go out,” expressing her support for keeping the license plate. In the end, the state government decided not to revoke the plate.
Bykofsky expressed that this outcome made him feel “relieved” and believed that it showed the government’s willingness to respect citizens’ right to expression within a reasonable range. He believed that such humorous phrases were not malicious and did not have a negative impact on society.
A similar case occurred in New Hampshire in 2019, where the state government also allowed for the retention of a license plate with the same content.
This incident has sparked discussions on social media, with many questioning whether the standards of administrative review are too subjective. Some people believe that humorous expression is part of daily life and should not be excessively restricted.