Jeep ducking

Jeep ducking, also known as Duck Duck Jeep,^[1] is a custom among owners of Jeep vehicles in which they leave rubber ducks on other Jeeps, originally Wranglers, but now including all Jeep models.^[2]

A white Jeep with a duck on a side mirror, and more ducks visible through the windshield

History

The origins of the gesture have been attributed to Allison Parliament, a Canadian resident of Alabama. In 2020, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, she had purchased rubber ducks to hide at a Canadian friend's house as a way to thank that friend for letting her visit. After having had an unpleasant interaction with another person in the parking lot of a convenience store, she stated that she felt inspired to leave one of the ducks on a Jeep in a store parking lot with a simple note stating "nice Jeep" as an act of kindness. The owner of that Jeep saw Parliament place the duck and suggested that she make a social media post. Parliament made a post, which then went viral and popularized the action of "ducking."^[3][4][5][6]

In 2022, it was estimated that Jeep ducking Facebook groups had around half a million members.^[7] By 2023, it had become common to see rubber ducks on the dashboard of Jeeps.^[8] Some owners only perform the gesture on certain more classic Jeep models, with some limiting it to the Jeep Wrangler model, while others are less selective.^[3][9] Ducking a Jeep is considered a random act of kindness;^[9] however, not all Jeep owners are enthusiastic about the practice, because most feel it is a Jeep Wrangler "thing".^[10] Drivers who are ducked use the hashtag #DuckDuckJeep to post to social media.^[11]

Similar trends

A similar "Moo Moo Subaru" movement Facebook group launched in June 2023, aimed at promoting imitating the gesture with rubber cows on Subarus, garnering 36,000 members in six months.^[12] Owners of Mini vehicles engage in the practice of ducking as well,^[13] and some Chevrolet owners have developed "sharking".^[14] Other copycat trends include "yoda yoda Toyota" and "buck buck Bronco".^[15]

Stellantis, the manufacturer of Jeep, rented the World's Largest Rubber Duck for the 2022 North American International Auto Show in celebration of ducking, displaying it outside the Huntington Place convention center.^[15] Rubber ducks also feature prominently at the Toledo Jeep Fest.

Allison Parliament's mother announced on Facebook that she had died unexpectedly of natural causes on June 22, 2024.^[16][17]

Philanthropy

Duck-themed fundraisers by Jeep owners have raised money for veterans, hearing centers, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.^[18][19][20] BFGoodrich hosted a sweepstakes in which they pledged ten cents to Allison Parliament's "Ducking for Teachers" for every entry.^[2] One hospital has utilized a Jeep toy electric car, complete with a duck on the hood, to help put children at ease before surgery.^[21]