In West Hempstead, Long Island, 69-year-old Seth Bykofsky expressed deep disappointment after the New York Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) revoked his personalized license plate, "PB4WEGO." He had legally used the plate for over five years.
Mr. Bykofsky received a notice from the DMV in January, stating that his license plate was "no longer appropriate" and did not comply with regulations following a "rigorous screening process." However, he shared that he had driven through about 15 states and consistently received positive feedback from the public; one police officer even stopped him just to compliment the "very funny" plate.
The phrase "PB4WEGO" is an abbreviation for "Pee Before We Go," a common saying many parents use before trips. Mr. Bykofsky asserts that no one he has ever met found the plate offensive.
The idea for the plate came from his experience raising two children and later, four grandchildren. He recounted, "Ten minutes into a trip, it would be: 'Dad, I have to go to the bathroom.' So I always said: pee before we go."
Although he reluctantly removed the plate and installed a standard one, Mr. Bykofsky still believes the revocation is an excessive administrative overreach, affecting citizens' freedom of expression. He is sending a direct petition to Governor Kathy Hochul, urging her to reconsider the decision. He also cited a similar case in 2019 in New Hampshire, where Governor Chris Sununu allowed residents to keep plates with similar messages.
If the plate is not reinstated, Mr. Bykofsky plans to frame it and hang it in his bathroom instead of destroying it as requested. He emphasized: "With all the big things going on in the world, this seems small. But for me, it's the principle of the thing." The New York Department of Motor Vehicles has not yet provided detailed comments on this specific case.
