Small but brightly colored rubber ducks have been becoming more common on the dashboards of Jeeps and some other vehicles in Cherokee County.
The term for the phenomenon is called “Jeep Ducking” – sometimes referred to as “Duck Duck Jeep” – and is an exercise in kindness that spreads love to other Jeep owners with a friendly gesture. The tradition is said to have started in 2020, when Allison Parliament, a Jeep owner from Canada, left a rubber duck with a note on another Jeep after a negative encounter with the goal of spreading a little cheer.
Another claim suggests The Big Duck, a well-known landmark, was where the tradition started. The landmark sits by a roadside in Hampton, Long Island, and was happened upon during a MINI gathering some years ago.
Ed “MAXAMINI” Smith was a whimsical man many grew to love. He drove a 2003 MCS electric blue mini with white wheels.
During Ed’s visit to the Long Island icon, he was fascinated with The Big Duck and purchased a rubber duck at a souvenir shop. He then placed the duck on his antenna and, ever since then, it has been an icon.
While it’s primarily a Jeep tradition, similar lighthearted acts have also been seen in a variety of other vehicles. “Moo Moo Subaru” is another example of folks spreading joy in a fun and colorful way, as little rubber cows are dropped off on Subarus just as ducks are on Jeeps.
A small rubber or foam shark, such as those seen on keychains, are left on windshields or vehicle door handles to show admiration for the Chevrolet models they’re left on. This is known as “Chevy Sharking.”
The gesture of camaraderie and kindness that utilizes small toys has caught on with other vehicles as well. Leaving a little deer on Broncos, called “Buck Buck Bronco,” or a toy Flamingo on Fords, called “Flamingo Ford,” is a fun way to admire another person’s vehicle of the same make.
Sometimes those leaving the toys on a vehicle will also include a cheerful note. The act is similar to a thumbs up or a head nod of approval for the owner’s choice and spreads some cheer.
Ducking for the Jeeps is still the most popular of the tradition, and it’s hard not to notice the ducks adorning dashboards once one is aware of the phenomenon. Regardless of where the tradition actually started, it continues to gain popularity among local vehicle owners.