tomqbui

Being of Asian descent myself, you'd think that I would at least be slightly (or more so) offended by the many "riceboy" or "ricecar" or "stir-fried" or "chopstick shift" comments flying around this board. Not really. I have better things to do with my time (usually).

However, I would like to point out that people have been "suping" up their cars for a <b>very</b> long time. Before this "recent" wave of "powered by <i>blank</i>" stickers proliferated and made people sick. My step-father proudly looks back on his teenage days when he rebuilt cars with his brother or father, adding this and that, swapping parts, "ricing" out his ride. He's white and was raised in Portland, Oregon.

I will admit that there is a stereotype of Asian boys have modifying their cars (to extreme cases sometimes), and it is not that unfounded. I fail to see how this is so different than what has been going on for decades, with teenagers for years adding flames and decals, and dropping in new engines, and changing exhaust systems, and adding nitrous, etc. Why the vicious backlash against Asians? Why do you care so much than someone suped up his/her car and roars around town, making a racket (those darn kids!)? Do you want to feel superior to them, because you have a MB emblem on your car? Perhaps a man's car <u>is</u> a phalic extension (mine's faster than yours!).

I have my C230K (previous car was '77 Corvette) and am quite happy. Perhaps my Asian side, loving gadgets, wants to do something like add after-market COMMAND, but I have no desire to mod my car and plaster stickers all over it.

On a similar note, anyone seen <b>The Fast and the Furious</b>? Lots of suped up cars. Represents all ethnicities. If you have, please note the suped up Mustang.

David N.

I for one use the term "rice". But in no way, shape, or form am I making any kind of reference to Asian people. I am also not subliminally suggesting that ONLY Asians take POS cars and try to make them look fast. Everybody does. Here in Toronto there are tonnes stupid Gino's (Guido's for those of you in New York) who take their economy cars (civics in particualr) and try to look all bad *** in them.

Maybe the word "rice" originated from the misguided notion that only Asians ruin their cars. We all know that's not true.

So in short, DON'T GET OFFENDED. Because you have nothing to be offended about.

Take it easy.

lee2375

The fast and the furious was a horrible movie. I'm quite embarrassed of it actually. I am of asian myself and I can honestly say that rice boys are the laughing stock of the world. I don't think they meant that fixing up a car is "ricing" but rather ricing is a style (stickers, huge loud exhausts on auotmatics, clear or altezza style taillights, huge ugly aero parts that don't fit well, etc...) that people generalize. Am I proud of my heritage. Absoultely. Am I offended by the term "rice"? Absolutely not. I agree with it 100%. The term was coined because it was asians that originally started the style, fixing up their Honda/Acura products. Nowadays, it has gotten out of hand. These ricers think that more is better, that anything i add to my car makes it better. Is that true? Absolutely not. Have you taken a close look at some of these cars? The quality of work on most of them is horrible. You can see bondo waves down the side, or paint overspray on the rubber seals, 1/2 inch gap on the bumper to body clearance, wings 2x the size of the car, etc... That's not the way to fix up a car, IMO. If you're going to do it, do it right, or don't do it at all. As far as i'm concerned, I laugh at rice boys myself.

young

i definitely don't like the term... hence i always use rocket-boy

Flashman

Prior to this discussion, the only references I had seen to "rice racers" were in references to the car's country of origin. Signifying a japanese make car that had been souped up (big exhaust, lowered, big rims, stickers, etc.) in some extreme way. I don't think the term was intended to refer to the nationality or ethnicity of the driver.

In the east coast, where the asian population is much smaller, "rice racers" are most commonly seen in the hispanic community, so a reference to asians would not make sense.

Either way, you are correct that the term is derrogatory in some way, just not at the audience you interpreted. Though in this world where perception-is-reality, if you have felt it was aimed at asians like yourself, then it is probably a term whose use we should retire and not promote.

Rick

Rick

Ditto....but I have to add:

How else would you describe a 1981 Toyota Corrola SR-5, painted lime metalic flip flip to purple, with 20" rims, oil can exhaust tip, white stickers describing everyting from stereos to forced induction/injection systems that still has the original unmodified 1.8 liter mouse-power under the hood?

Also, for the record, not one of the owners of these vehicles was asian....maybe I should have augmented the term to reflect that...

tommy

I'd also assume that the term comes at least partially from the fact that these mods were being done on Asian economy cars as well. But, I try to not use the r-word, as it can be offensive to some, and it's really not my job in life to go around telling people how my comments shouldn't offend them.

I just checked B&N, and F&F comes out on Jan. 2. I'm sure that I'm going to buy the dvd. I've heard that some of the things in it are only possible in Hollywood, though RJ de Vera (from Super Street) was the tech consultant, I think. I'm sure that the deepest thing in the movie is the paint on some of the cars, but I'm sure that it'll be funny. I'm hoping that there are bonuses with the dvd that show the making of the film - that would be a hoot. Isn't there a really nice 'cuda in it as well?

One of the funniest things about these discussions is that people don't realize that some of these cars are actually damn fast, and would kill alot of higher-end "superior" cars. So, be careful when you're out pointing a fart can on another car - you might be looking as it pulls away from your car on the street.

lee2375

some of those cars are damn fast. I know, I used to build motors on turbo/hi compression NA Honda/Acura in the mid 90s. But most of the "riced" ones aren't. There are some exceptions, however. There's nothing wrong with fixing up Hondas or whatever, but the style that some of them have is just too outrageous for my taste. I guess it just depends on the particular car/style. Ricers term is not directed at asian people, but to the cars (and becasue most of the people doing it were asian). That's how the term was coined. However, the term ricer applies to anyone (no specific race) nowadays, just as long as the "style" is the same.

SoCal240/6

I am also of asian descent. My dad came to US as an orphan after WWII. I grew up in an area where there were no other asians, in an era when most asians (at least most in So. Cal. that we knew) were still gardeners, etc. (you didn't have a 50+% at UCLA like there is now). My mother is white. In the 60's and 70's interracial couples were not as common as they are today.

So, I am not so hypersensitive like so many people are today. My parents didn't have the luxury of having time and energy to worry about what others though of them or their race. They were too busy earning a living.

I certainly would not take offense to a silly little phrase like "Ricer." First of all, it has nothing to do with the ethnicity of the person who drives the car or who committed the atrocities on the car. It came from the fact that this fad started on Japanese cars. Is equating Rice with Japan racist? I guess some may think so. I don't.

But any car can be a Ricer. Look on riceboypage.com for many fine examples of American and Euro Rice. And any owner can be a Riceboy, regardless of race or ethnicity (although here in So. Cal, a large percentage of the ricers are Asian. But that is changing).

Living in a PC world, sure is fun!

(I attended an Ivy League university in the late 80s and early 90's, when the PC craze was born and ran rampant. For example, some argued that the word "history" was offensive and sexist, and actually seriously used the word "herstory" instead. And this was among the supposedly best and brightest in America).

young

jeez, i hope you didn't go to Penn! (beat villanova overtime, whoo hoo!)

PC? i don't care? i'm just not comfortable using the term. i remember going back to LA, and all my asian friends were uncomfortable w/ the word Oriental, but i wasn't. everytime i'd say it, they'd get mad. of course, now i've been indoctrinated.
and yes, i remember the herstory incident. but the fallacy is that this very minor event is the one that sticks out in your memory. common sense generally prevails (yes, i'm an optimist :p) and if something extreme becomes prevalent, well, then its the new common sense. remember when people would never even dare think about wearing the US Flag as an article of clothing? now its so common, no one thinks twice about it. that's how cultures change/evolve (unless your french) . ideas are introduced, crappy or otherwise.

btw, please, everyone, don't get defensive; i am convinced that most people who use the term are not using it in a racist manner. i just wanted to say imho, i don't like the term.

i still think much of the mod/rocket boy discussion is a lot of whoopla over something relatively very rare in the MB world...

tomqbui

Again, I would like to point out that I am not offended by the term. I think being PC is a bunch of crap anyhow.

I was just wondering why the term is used and how it came about, and why it had such a negative connotation. It especially seems to reference Asian boys who supe up their cars.

My main point was that teenagers all over the land, for a long, long time, have been modifying their cars. Long before Japanese imports, etc. My father loves vettes, and he has buddies who supe up their vettes. I've read magazines where all they talk about is suping up their beloved Corvettes. Is that "ricing" it up? Especially since it is an American car? Point being, Asian lil' boys did not start the trend. So where did this "rice" term come from? What was it called before, when a teenage boy from middle America plastered flames all over his car (see John Travolta and crew in <b>Grease</b>) and modified it like crazy?

I, myself, chuckle when I see these outrageously suped up cars. Again, I reference the car being a competitive tool for young males to jockey for position on the totem pole (aka pissing contest). Are you guys who scoff at this, trying to assert your position on the totem pole (MB, of course, being near the top)?

xy88

Well. I am an asian and had few friends here who all like to modify their cars. Their cars range from Acura to BM to Mercedes. The first several things we modify would always be the exhaust system, the bigger rims and air intake system. We do care about the appearence of the car so we wash and wax the car often to make them look nice and shiney. On the other side, for the most Americans around here, some of them own imports like Honda and Acura. One lowered the car but kept the stock wheels and tires, one had paint the car and installed chrome look muffler tips. My point is that most Asian do care about the look but improving performance is always more important. As long as there are cars out there, there are so called Rice Boyz.

Drew

What a constructive, level-headed discussion (amazing given the fact that Lee's a part of it ) !!!

Just kidding bro,

My question:

didn't the term "Rice", when used to describe a vehicle, originate with the Harley Davidson-set (of which I am a member) when referring to Japanese motorcycles? (hence: "Rice-Burner")

MB-BOB

You beat me to the thought, Drew. I thought that the Harley crowd coined the term "rice burner" to describe the faired in, bend over those 4 inch long handlebars till your butt crack shows "Crotch Rockets." I don't know but I've been told that a Harley ain't no "crotch rocket!"

People have had car biases (not necessarily related to people biases) since the invention of four wheels. People referred to VW beetles (the elder) as "Krautmobiles" for decades. And how about those FIATs (Fix-It-Again-Tonys), "Puke-Os" for Peugeot, and "Taco Wagons" for every third "riced-up" pick-up truck we have here in Texas, land of the "Boss Hog Brahma Bull" hood ornament. (Haven't seen one of those... ever, really... just making a point about stereotypes.) And I don't take offense when European and Japanese car owners point to detroit iron and say, "AMPOS" (American-Made Piece of Sh*t).

I had a friend whose father "suped" up a '56 Studebaker Golden Hawk in a manner that would drop a jaw on just about every Rice-boy today! And he was as lilly-white as they come.

In short, I think we can have civil discussion regarding all sorts of modification genres, without implicit stereotypical remarks concerning the ethnicity of people who drive them.

lee2375

very funny drew!!!

mleskovar

didn't the term "Rice", when used to describe a vehicle, originate with the Harley Davidson-set (of which I am a member) when referring to Japanese motorcycles? (hence: "Rice-Burner")
______________________________________________

Yes! Long before anyone thought of customizing a Honda Civic or increasing its horsepower beyond its capabilities or safety. In the '50s and'60s a lowered car, with twice pipes, candy apple red/ metalic anycolor, 'nosed' and 'decked', 'spinner' hubcaps, tuck and roll interior, with a car club plaque prominently displayed was called a "beaner wagon" in my neck of the woods (LA). The term was used with appreciation by some, and derogatory by others. "Beaner" did not mean it was from Boston either...but referred to the fact that Mexicans were associated with refried pinto beans (frijoles refritos) and often customized their cars. We (US) also still believed in segregation back then and no kid would own a stock car because that's what dad was driving. Nothing's changed with the cars, but we no longer support segregation, should not condone ethnic labeling, and I now understand why my dad kept his car stock. But every time I see a beaner wagon it brings a smile to my face and a warm spot to my heart.

vinmanc32

Its somewhat amazing that some people cant see that the term is derogatory. It is very nasty and is one of the things that I find disturbing reading posts. I can read something that I really think is great and then all of a sudden, there is the rice rocket comment. Click... next topic. I do believe that it is truly blind innocense here but it would be nice if all could be more sensitive to the various people that read and respond to the posts.

MyRa on FiYa

LET ME CLEAR IT UP FOR YOU BOYS!!

Rice this Rice that!...ok being a racer chick myself. Ive been through this alot.

RICE ROCKET is a term for "FIXED UP" CARS that are
1) UGLY
2) OVER DONE
3) WANNA BE (fake emblems) ie. a C320 wid the "0" cut off to look like a C32.
4) FAKE PARTS (intercoolers, exhaust) - when i mean fake i dont mean hyperwhites and other parts that work. I mean fake as in Intercooler when u dont even have turbo.

I think a car can be REALLY REALLY fixed up and not be a rice rocket. u guys are probably thinking "yah AMG, BRABUS...even TRD"...but it doesnt have to be as long as it doesnt fit in the categories above.

OK who agrees with me??????