[landau88]

Hey guys,

I was just wondering if I may have offended some of my co-workers by using the term "riced out" the other day. I was under the impression that, though it may seem racist on the surface, anyone familiar with the term knows that it just means a car heavily modified with poor taste. In fact, when I bought my 335i, the salesman who happened to be korean, told me "yeah maybe throw some tints on it, but keep it fairly stock, you don't want a bmw to look ricey".

I've used the term several times in front of asian co-workers and am starting to think one of them may have been offended by it. I know that many asians have used term in conversations with me several times, but do asians who are not familiar with the car scene think the term is racist? I'm starting to think the rule is...asians in the car scene don't find it racist, asians not in the car scene think its a racial slur. Thoughts?

[Q4P]

There is definitely 2 ways to use that term. In the car scene, it's just funny and means absolutely nothing. I guess there is some way you could offend someone of the Asian descent if you said that in another case but most people will probably agree it's not an improper term.

[idrift4wd]

riced out is car slang, not a derogatory word towards Asians lol

there are plenty riced out civics with spanish, black, white, asian, indians, middle eastern.

[scott_uw]

asians in the car scene don't find it racist, asians not in the car scene think its a racial slur.

yes, exactly.

Those in the car tuner scene would recognize the term for the use you use it.

Those who aren't would think you are referring to asian vehicles or asian people in a negative way depending on how much of the conversation they picked up.

Rice/ricer has had some racial tones for a long while, but isn't as common as the "go.." or "ch.." words.

[ken1137]

Ok...I am 4th generation Japanese-American...I do not find it offensive at all and actually use it to describe honda's and acura's that are modded tastelessly. That said...I have seen a couple of threads with "Jap" used which I do find very offensive.

[Los Angeles]

I'm not Asian but I find it slightly offensive and ignorant.

[BTM]

I don't say ricer anymore...I say racer. They like that more. My friends still get the jist.

[immiketoo]

Only to people who are overly sensitive. Rice happens...

[TK-421]

Try typing "rice" while posting on M3Forum and see what happens. Obviously it's extremely offensive over there.....

[ptack]

The origin of ricing (tuning used economy cars) has more to do with the make of the car (Japan) than the race of the owner. The fact that some of the young males who driver ricers are asian is more about local demographics. I think ricing also tend to be an urban thing, but less so than 20 years ago.

[EenyBear]

The degree to which it is offensive may vary, but of course it's a racist term.

BTW, Yesterday I saw a guy from Iowa driving a corned-up pickup truck. You know... corned-up... with a blown hemi, 10 extra fog lights, super lift kit, dual cab-mount air horns, playboy mudflaps, a gun rack, and "I'd rather step in sh*t than smoke it" bumper sticker. Those "corn-ers" really know how to dress a truck.

[Jay60642]

The fact that more than a few posts connect "modded tastelessly" to an Asian heritage--whether it be car or driver--indicates somewhat of a racist connotation of term. Why not just say that a car was modded tastelessly? I've seen enough shitty looking El Caminos in my time to have associations with what kind of people drive them, but I don't fixate on the fact that the drivers are white, just on the fact that the cars are ridiculous.

[Jay60642]

Furthermore, as a high school teacher, I am tasked with teaching the kids not to say that something is "gay" when they think it's "lame," which in itself is denigrating disabled people. Most of my students are not homophobic, but that doesn't mean it's okay to equate something they find unappealing with a whole segment of society.

Using such terms without being conscious of their etymologies not only offends people but also makes the users sound rather ignorant (think of such terms as "invalid," "dumb," "lame," that are used to describe people who are not actually handicapped).

[vioaltec]

i call them rice rockets all the time

[koreez88]

Rice is describing tasteless modding. So by calling someone ricer, you basically say that a person has bad taste. Could be offensive.

[Los Angeles]

Originally Posted by koreez88

Rice is describing tasteless modding. So by calling someone ricer, you basically say that a person has bad taste. Could be offensive.

Go ahead and dance around it like it isn't a term founded in the tasteless modding of Asian cars.

[koreez88]

Originally Posted by Los Angeles

Go ahead and dance around it like it isn't a term founded in the tasteless modding of Asian cars.

Could be asian, could be anything. Bad taste is bad taste, regardless of race.

[Los Angeles]

Originally Posted by koreez88

Could be asian, could be anything.

[mpbruin108]

Originally Posted by koreez88

Rice is describing tasteless modding. So by calling someone ricer, you basically say that a person has bad taste. Could be offensive.

I am asian american and was once part of the import racing scene back in the late 1990s and I never liked the term. Back then it meant to me those cars with huge garbage can sized exhausts and spoiler wings that would block out the sun. The term "riced" out means to me NOW what the above quote says and I do still find it offensive, even if it is slight.

The term is asian connotative in origin and so many stereotypes comes up in my mind, and I'm sure many others out there, when I hear the term so now I never use it. To me, its negative and I now think its best to just be careful who you say it around.

I like the saying "to each their own" much better.

[TK-421]

People who still get offended by racist terms need to wake up and realize it's the 21st century.

[ptack]

Originally Posted by TK-421

People who still get offended by racist terms need to wake up and realize it's the 21st century.

Is your galaxy also far, far away?

[Jay60642]

TK-421, do you have a point to make? If so, can you help readers by pointing out the logic in such a vapid statement?