Rep. Alice Graham Underhill encountered some rocky going today when urging the House Transportation Committee today to approve putting the designation visitnc.com on state license plates.

Some of her sample license plates — meant to show the addition of the state's tourism Web site — displayed the ill-fated combination WTF, Thomas Goldsmith reports.

The state previously had to offer replacements to nearly 10,000 license plate holders after learning that the letter were a common abbreviation for a vulgar phrase starting, "What the ...?"

When committee members questioned whether the addition was in large enough type for other drivers to make out at interstate speeds.

"Is there a way to make the Web site more prominent?" asked Rep. Ty Harrell, a Wake County Democrat.

Not without redesigning the plate, Underhill said, adding: "My goal is to get the Web site on the plate. This is the only way to get the Web site on the plate."

The bill didn't move forward, but committee vice-chairman Nelson Cole appointed a subcommittee to study the issue further.