That means seeing Washington upside down on a vehicle is not automatically evidence that someone made a mistake.
In many cases, the mistake is the point.
The Rainy-State Joke
One of the more playful interpretations connects the sticker to Washington’s famously wet reputation.
The Pacific Northwest is often associated with rain, clouds and misty weather, particularly in western Washington.
That has produced plenty of local humor.
One explanation of the upside-down decal is essentially a joke that Washington has received so much rain that the state has been “flipped over.”
It is not an official state symbol.
It is simply a humorous interpretation that fits the region’s personality.
The joke works because the sticker does not explain itself.
You have to notice that the shape is Washington.
Then you have to notice that it is upside down.
Then someone can tell you the joke.
For people who grew up in the Pacific Northwest, that kind of understated humor can be part of the fun.
