- Jeep Ducking is gaining popularity across the country and catching people’s attention.
- The practice involves leaving rubber ducks on Jeeps as a friendly gesture of camaraderie.
- A Florida police officer recently shared the legal ramifications tied to Jeep Ducking
If you’ve ever spotted a rubber duck perched on the dash of a Jeep and wondered “What in the world is that about?”, well, today’s your lucky day. And no, it’s not some kind of obscure Jeep ritual designed to summon off-road gods. It’s a quirky, harmless tradition that’s sparked some curiosity and yes, even some questions about its legal standing. Now, a law enforcement officer is weighing in with some advice for those who partake.
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Different people from different places have various names for this act, like “Jeep Ducking,” “Duck Duck Jeep,” “Jeep Jeep Duck,” and more. That said, the premise is a simple one: Jeep owners keep rubber ducks (in all shapes and sizes) handy while they’re cruising around.
Read: Jeep Brings The World’s Largest Rubber Duck To Detroit Auto Show
Should they see a Jeep that they especially like, they’ll often leave a rubber duck on it . That’s their way of saying “nice one”. When the owner returns, they presumably feel a little camaraderie with their fellow Jeep owner. These folks generally are pretty friendly with one another, and this is just one more proof of that.
For those wondering where this tradition came from, according to Click Orlando, apparently it started back in 2020 in Canada. “A Jeep owner named Allison Parliament began the tradition after a stressful personal experience,” said the report. “She placed a duck on a stranger’s Jeep just to make them smile – and then posted about it online. From there, it snowballed into a global Jeep phenomenon, fueled by social media hashtags and Jeep groups.”
That said, it’s not unusual to see some Jeeps with, let’s just say, a copious amount of ducks piled up on their dashboard, almost to a comical degree. Is that legal? Technically speaking it is, according to Florida State Trooper Steve Montiero. However, drivers should be careful about how high the ducks climb in the dash. “Anything that obstructs your view can become a safety issue,” Montiero says.
Interestingly, we’ve seen several interactions with parked Teslas that are vandalized by people who find it a good idea to express their frustration with Elon Musk’s political beliefs – and, if caught by police, will face some quite serious charges. Setting a duck on a Jeep, however, is as legal as it gets so long as you don’t damage the Jeep in question, trespass to do it, or interfere with someone’s vehicle in a harmful way, says Montiero.
So here you have it – the origins of Jeep Ducking, the legal lowdown, and a reminder to maybe leave a duck on a Jeep next time you spot one you love. Just make sure you don’t go full hoarder with it. And as long as you’re not blocking the driver’s line of sight or doing anything remotely sketchy, it’s all in good fun.
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Lead image Stephen Rivers for Carscoops
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