The term “rice burner” comes from the fact that the CARS are Japanese. It has nothing to do with who is driving them.
“Ricer” is not a direct shot at the race of the driver, but rather the origin of the car. For one, most of these kids drive Japanese cars, which have obvious rice connections, considering the stereotypical view of Japanese quisine. Ricer also derives from the term rice rocket. It’s not hinting at all that the drivers are necessarily Asian in origin. It’s a common slang term used among many types of car enthusiasts, including the ricers themselves, if they have any sense of humor about the whole thing. I would assume the reason why this kind of modding is so common in America is that mommy and daddy buy their child a really good vehicle (read cheap, safe, easy on gas, reliable) which is typically going to be a Civic, Sentra, Corolla, Neon, or something like that. The kid doesn’t pay for the car, but does have extra change to drop on both cosmetic and performance mods. Thus the attempt to make a civic into something that it wasn’t originally designed to do and/or look like. A chief problem that most car enthusiasts have with this type of driver (ricer) is the fact that more money gets spent on the cosmetic mods than the performance ones, thus the saying “all show and no go”. Yes, you can sink the money in a Civic to make it a 9 second car, or even enough to get it to hang with the American 8 cylinder competition, but to a lot of people, it seems like an exercise in futility (making a front-wheel drive car a sports car). This was happening long before The Fast and the Furious, but that only help spread this way of life.
You guys think modifying Civics is bad? There is a hilarious trend in Sydney for guys to mod Hyundai excels ha ha ha I’m serious! Civics are looking pretty cool next to one of those. Personally I cant understand the whole thing, why they do it, do they feel bigger, stronger tougher when they cruise in the modified cars? What the hell happens then when they get out??do they feel insecure again? Man why not spend the time and money improving yourself, but whatever smokes your tyres ha ha ha.
What’s really annoying is when one of these
decides to get in an acceleration contest
with you at an inappropriate time.
Just day before yesterday, I was in a lane
that was ending, needed to pull over, and
there was a small modded import car hanging off the right side of my car, its front bumper
about even with the middle of my car, and it had been there for a little while traveling at the same speed. I put on my turn signal and accelerate. I’d easily have gotten ahead of the rice rocket with several car lengths of courtesy room before needing to pull into that lane.
What does the female rice rocket driver do? Nails her gas. So now I’m on the horn while
keeping my turn signal on, accelerating because I need to change lanes and I know I can out-accelerate the other car but for all I know if I put on the brakes to tuck behind (which I should not have to do) the idiot will get on the brakes too.
Luckily there was quite a bit of lane
available, enough to edge her out.
So the teenage girl with her modded car gets beat by a Mercury Sable. Good thing I got it with the 200 hp DOHC 24-valve motor. 
But what kind of driving is that, nailing the gas when the person in front of you at the same speed needs to get ahead to change lanes because the lane is ending? Drivers like that should have their licenses revoked.
Ever notice how it’s always the drivers with the marginal equipment that act this way?
Arnold Schwarzenegger actually has a famous quote about that, to the effect that the guys with the little sporty cars will all the time be trying to race around hoping to show everyone they have some speed, while the guys that have the really fast cars like Ferraris, that they know could go 180 mph if they wanted to, will just slide around town comfortably instead of driving like idiots.<P.
I promise you, a driver of a seriously good car would have felt no need to try to outrace a Mercury Sable.
Okay, my two cents. First of all, I don’t get too upset about terms “rice burner” or “ricer” though I’m Asian. But then again, ask a Mexican-American to be tolerant of the term “beaner” and you’re not likely to get a favorable response.
The original poster obviously was making racist innuendo with his complaints about the typical driver of “ricers” being 4 feet something and hardly speaking English. I don’t like that crap. Grow up.
Finally, a lot of you guys have completely the wrong impression about how an ordinary Civic can be souped up. I’m not much into street racing, but a couple of my friends are. A modified “ricer” can easily dust a stock Corvette. The high power to weight ratio makes for a fomidable combination. By the way, a Neon is a Dodge, not Japanese.
As for the type of person involved in this fad. I’ve seen all races and economic backgrounds, not just spoiled white kids and Asians. In my area it’s mostly hispanics. More an issue of where you live (local demographics), than a specific type being attracted to it. About the only common trait I’ve noticed is that they are usually in their late teens to early twenties.
As for the fad being annoying. What “youth” fad isn’t? When I was a teen, it was heavy metal, mullets, and cameros/mustangs. Today, it’s rap, shaved heads, and modified imports. Part of being 15-22 is doing stupid and annoying things. Ten years from now, these guys will be annoyed by the next generation.
Yes, Neons are American cars. American cars are included in this fad as well. (If it can be called a fad.) Other American cars included would be Cavaliers and Escorts. The term “ricer” does not just apply to Japanese automobiles. VW’s are quite popular as well. Most cheap 4 to 6 cylinder cars fall in this class of cars. I would like to actually see what kind of money it would take to get a Civic faster than a Vette. (New Civic compared to new Vette.) You would come out cheaper than a Vette, I’m sure, but there seems to be a difference of opinion in how to go about getting speed between different kinds of motorists. Either buy a Civic and sink $10000 into performance mods, or buy a Camaro (V8) and sink $1000-$2000 into it for similar speed. You’re also fighting an uphill battle with front wheel drive cars as far as traction goes. If you like to work harder and spend more money to get off the line speed, that’s cool. It’s impressive to see a Civic rip off a 10 second quarter mile. There are just some cars that make getting speed a lot easier. Even some in the ricer crowd. Typically the guys that have the money to spend on some of the nicer ricers also have the money required to make them obscenely fast. Examples of these kind of cars would be Eclipses (the turbos, not the new ones), 300’s, RX-7’s, and Supra’s. Turbo = quick, cheap power. These cars (except the GS-T’s) are either rear or all wheel driven, thus making getting off the line and handling so much easier. Anyway. Really off topic there, sorry.
So would Mexican made cars be called “beaners”? Also, a car is to get you from point A to point B.
Thank you Hyok!
Kip Noll put it very well. Most of the people on this thread are acting like normal old people. Your parents didn’t understand your trends either. I’m part of the generation, so I understand much better. The only thing I’m very opposed to is street racing and I will not participate in it. I choose not to participate in car modification, as I have better ways to spend my money.
Um, I dunno, not many people call lowered Chevy Malibus or Impalas with airbrushed Aztec scenes signed ‘Chewy’, ‘beaners.’ Usually ‘low riders,’ and little offense is taken to that term. The term is for the car, not the driver. Just like 1983 camaros are starting to be known as ‘mulletmobiles.’ And I still hold strong to my theory that few of them speak English, irrelevant of their ethnic background…they usually say shit like, “What’s the skizzle on the grizzle, my nizzle.”
I hate the ricer trend too, but it’s even worse for me since I’m 16. Practically everyone in my school is a ricer. If they’re not, they hate cars and don’t understand the need for speed. By the way, I drive a 1995 Camaro Z28 (V8) that I paid for by myself (11 grand). I’m selling it for a 1998 Formula Firebird soon. My car is an automatic and completely stock–I get comments like “fuckin’ automatic!” and “American POS” alot. That stopped happening once I had a rice-burning marathon near my school. I smoked every wannabe racer that showed up, even some of them in Overdrive. Ahh good times
I’m white and I found the rice and other comments to be kinda racist. In fact I agree with JeffT that it’s more like 95% of asswipe drivers are white kids with mommies car driving like a prick. Hey I don’t like senseless violence either but some of these little shits have to learn or their gonna kill someone. I don’t think the original poster was serious about smashing them with a cro-bar. It would be nice if they had their liscenses revoked or at least had the shit scared out of them.
Jared is right on here… 16 year old kid says “I want a sports car.” Parents say “heck no” and get him a civic - a good, reliable, economical car. Kid wants a sports car so he drops his cash into modding it. In general kids of age 16 are too young to handle a sports car. They should wait until they have some experience and then look into a sports car if they want it. Im 21, and I just got a 1998 Honda Prelude (200hp stock). Before now I drove a 1990 Isuzu Trooper… perfect starting truck. I still have it for when 4x4 is necessary (beach, etc)
As a former 1996 Corvette owner who raced many dozens of ricers, let me assure you it’s not too easy to beat a Vette - I never lost a race to one. My Corvette was bone stock, and ran quarter mile times in the mid to low 13’s. To get a Civic to run similar times requires many thousands of dollars, and usually a motor swap. I don’t know how many ricers I raced that claimed they had an 11 second car that I stomped into the ground with a BONE STOCK Vette. They claim that they buy a ricer for the handling. Sorry, front wheel drive cars don’t handle. If they did, Nascar or Indy would be front wheel drive. Or at least one single sports car. I used to autocross in my car (not the vette) and my times were better through the tight, twisty turns than any of the front wheel drivers. What car was it? A 1995 Impala SS; a big, fat, 4-door American sedan. Every Asian I’ve known with a ricer was very racist and anti-american in their sentiments, and every white guy I’ve known with a ricer is just a plain dumbass. I’m big into street racing and have been since 1995.
just kids being kids. You might have been a bit of an ass growing up as well. I know I was on occasion. Most individuals grow out of it.
Hey Jack, I checked with a friend who is into street racing, and he did confirm that the the front-wheel drive don’t do well beyond a certain point, due to the loss of traction. But, apparently the Mitsubishi Eclipse (Eagle Talon, if you prefer) in particular does do well with a turbo modification, due to its all-wheel drive. Anyway, I think people’s attitude towards cars tend to be too wrapped up in emotional, patriotic fervor, when the best thing for everyone, including domestic car makers, would be to buy the best car you can afford, regardless of the country of origin.
As for Bill’s rant, I have to second the opinion that too many parents worry about being liked by their kids, rather than properly disciplining them. My next door neighbor is a prime example.
The kids nextdoor like to take batting practice in their backyard. Unfortunately, if you swing and miss, the ball hits the fence. After several hundred times, the slats of the picket fence have been knocked over onto our side.
I talked to the kids’ mother about it, and she made excuses for the kids, saying that the wood of the fence was rotten to begin with. I suggested that the kids go to the park to play, which is only two minutes away. She merely promised to fix the fence.
The next day, the sound of baseball hitting the fence came from the yard once again. What do I see, but the FATHER wielding the bat. What an idiot. I told him the same thing–that they should go to the park and play. He was nice enough and all, but he was so mamby pamby about the kids liking to play ball in their backyard, I could tell that it wasn’t going to happen. What do you do with a household where the kids make the rules?
I agree 100%. By the way your last post…I think I might print it off and read it right before I try a 1 rep max.
Eclipse/Talon AWD w/mods = good off the line, not as much return up top. Eclipse/Talon FWD = no traction, but can be devastating up top. Turbos = cheap, quick hp. Especially if put down through the rear wheels. (Supras, 300’s, rx-7’s). Simple mods jack the hp quick. These cars can easily hurt a Vette for very little aftermarket money.
Hey guys,I’m Asian too.But I don’t soup cars.
Hehe…But I don’t like those loud exhausts and crap.
AHHHA…oh,my friend’s dad has a Mercedes SL500.Some Montero Sport came beside him,and initiated a race.Reved his engine and stuff.Needless to say,someone got smoked.And it wasn’t the SL500.HAHAA…my friend’s dad even used the words “I smoked him!”,and my friend was like “Say that again?!” HAHA…well,enuff about that.