Why Do Jeep Drivers Have Rubber Ducks On Their Dashboard?

The sight of a rubber duck on the hood of a Jeep Wrangler is a bit confusing at first since it's clearly not a hood ornament that came with the car. Nor would it likely stay on while driving down the highway. So someone seems to have placed it there, and many people have been doing exactly that, in a movement called "ducking" and/or "Duck Duck Jeep" that's become a fun little trend sweeping across the country.

According to Elmore Autauga News, it began with Allison Parliament, who splits her time between Alabama and Ontario, Canada. While the movement itself is lighthearted, it began a few years ago when Parliament had a scary confrontation with a stranger, and later in an effort to cheer herself up, decided to buy a bunch of rubber ducks and leave them around the house with little notes to prank a friend. But after seeing a big Jeep in the parking lot, she had a moment of inspiration and decided to place one on it with a little note that said, "Nice Jeep — Have a Great Day!"

This interaction turned out much better. The Jeep owner walked out of the store and at first was a bit confused when he saw her putting a rubber duck on his Jeep, but read the note and loved it. "The guy had the biggest smile and he just cracked up laughing," she told Elmore Autauga News. That night #DuckDuckJeep was born after Parliament posted the picture on Instagram and quickly got a couple thousand followers. Many have since followed suit, and it's taken off with the Jeep enthusiast community in the U.S. and other countries. If you want to participate in this tradition, just make sure the vehicle you're leaving the duck on is not in fact a Wrangler Clone.

The rules involved in the rubber duck Jeep movement aren't exactly that complicated: one simply places a rubber duck somewhere on a Jeep in order to bring a smile to the owner for whatever reason. "For me, it was an act of kindness, a healing of sorts, as well as recognition of and greeting to a fellow Jeep owner," Parliament told Motor Trend. "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."

Ideally, the rubber duck is placed in full sight on the outside of the Jeep, and not somewhere invasive like the inside or the tailpipe. Place the duck in full view – don't make the owner go on a hunt like trying to find a hidden easter egg. One wants the driver to see it and smile as easily as possible, so you'll often find them on the front bumper, hood, or on top of side mirrors or door handles. The rubber ducks are often accompanied by little cheerful notes on the duck explaining why they're and/or offering friendly support of some kind. It's typically the classic yellow duck, but any color will do. Some owners have been "ducked" so many times they like to collect the ducks on their dashboard as a Jeep retrofit, which is colloquially known as the "duck pond."

It's an adorable movement with a message of kindness that continues to spread, and Parliament is now a BFGoodrich Ambassador member who travels to dozens of Jeep events across the country, usually accompanied by her duck-laden Jeep Wrangler, and various rubber ducks to hand out.