You’ve probably seen them – tiny rubber ducks adorning the dashboards of Jeeps.
Ducks of all kinds. All different colors and patterns, some wearing sunglasses, some wearing hats, some decked out in glitter. Just all kinds.
And, if you’ve seen them, you’ve probably wondered, what it is all about.
The answer is simple – it’s something called Jeep ducking.
What is Jeep ducking? It’s the practice of placing a rubber duck on someone’s Jeep. And there is a good reason for doing this.
Here are some facts about Jeep Ducking.
How it all started:
This movement started in 2020 during the COVID pandemic in Ontario, Canada, by a woman named Allison Parliament. She had had a frightening physical encounter earlier that day with someone, and to make her feel better, her friend took her shopping. As a way to thank her friend, she bought a bag of tiny rubber ducks with the intention of leaving them all around his home. Upon leaving the store, she saw a Jeep Wrangler like hers in the parking lot, and, on impulse, left a yellow duck on it with a note that said, “nice Jeep.” The owner of that Wrangler saw her leave the duck, laughed, and suggested to Parliament that she should post about it on social media, which she did.
With that simple act of ducking someone, Parliament unknowingly started a movement of kindness, fellowship and recognition among Jeep enthusiasts that has more than 70,000 fans on Facebook. Thousands of people post their ducks and their ducking on social media with the hashtag #duckduckjeep.
“Jeeps get ducked for many reasons and with lots of motivations and meanings. For me, it was an act of kindness, a healing of sorts, as well as recognition of and greeting a fellow Jeep owner. But it can just be that you like their Jeep, or it’s the same Jeep you have, or maybe a classic Jeep you would like to own one day. You don’t really need a reason for Jeep ducking other than to connect, bring a smile to someone’s face, and have fun,” Parliament said.
The purpose of Jeep ducking
The main purpose of ducking someone is to make them smile. It’s just a random act of kindness among Jeep fans that bonds them together. It’s a way to make friends and strangers feel they’re a part of something. And let’s face it, the world can use a bit more kindness.
The rules of Jeep ducking
There is really only one rule of Jeep ducking and that is to practice kindness. You can randomly place a duck on other Jeeps, or you can even re-gift a duck you were given. Re-gifting is perfectly acceptable in this situation.
You can duck someone for many reasons – you like the color of their Jeep, or the Jeep is the same model as yours, or just because. You can even color coordinate the duck to the Jeep or use seasonal ducks to match an upcoming holiday.
Whichever way you do it, make sure to stock up on ducks so you’ll always have them on hand to make someone’s day.
Where to put the ducks?
Most Jeep ducks are placed just outside the driver’s side window, near the windshield wiper or on the door handle so the driver will easily see them. Some people get creative and leave them on the hood or on the tires. Just make sure that they can be easily seen so the driver doesn’t miss them.
Is there a specific Jeep model to duck?
No. The Wrangler was the model that was ducked, but now any model of Jeep — Cherokees, Liberties, Gladiators, Compasses — are acceptable to duck.
Do you leave a note with the ducks?
If you want to you can leave a note with the duck but it’s not necessary. Some people write a message on the duck itself like “nice Jeep” or “cool color” or “Happy Halloween” or “Jeep life.” Anything nice and positive is acceptable. You can also attach a tag to the duck with the message “You’ve been ducked.”
What type of rubber ducks do you use?
The traditional two-inch bathtub and playtime ducks are the preferred choice as they will easily fit on the dashboard. Ducks come in a multitude of colors and patterns, so the choices are endless. You can leave a classic plain yellow duck, or one dressed up as a pirate or pet or superhero. Again, there are no rules. Just choose whatever duck quacks to you.
Mississippi Ducking
Mississippi is no stranger to the Jeep Ducking craze. Just drive down any road and you’ll see numerous Jeeps adorned with ducks. They are certainly a great conversation starter and a way to make new friends.
Anna Rains of Pascagoula has only been a Jeep owner for two years but has already been swept up into the Jeep ducking trend. She received her first duck shortly after purchasing her Jeep Wrangler. While out driving, another Jeep owner stopped her and handed her a duck. Now, she has almost two dozen ducks. Her favorite duck is one sitting in a raft wearing sunglasses and a tiara.
Ever since she had a Barbie Jeep as a child, Rains couldn’t wait until she was old enough to own a Jeep. She loves everything about them from the way they drive to how cool they are in the different colors and patterns they come in. And, of course, Jeep ducking is a fun perk about owning a Jeep. She, like most Jeepers, keeps a stash of rubber ducks to give out when the opportunity arises.
“I think it’s a fun gesture from one Jeep owner to another. It’s just something nice to do in this crazy world,” Rains said.
The Jeepin the Coast (JTC) event is taking place right now through Sunday, June 2, along the MS Gulf Coast. Per the event’s website, its mission is to unite thousands of Jeep enthusiasts from all around the US to hang out together or to find their own adventure along the Gulf Coast.
Rains plans on attending JTC and hand out ducks tagged with her favorite Bible verse – Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
And that is a rather fitting message to go along with the random act of kindness of Jeep ducking.
