Question 2: Subcultures

Introduction
In this paper I analyze the problem of street racing and argue that this phenomenon is a subculture.
The research shows that street racing has all components of subculture concept such as own
values, norms, language and artifacts and deviation from dominant culture.

So, what exactly is ‘street racing’ and can I argue that it is subculture? First of all I want to present
historical aspect of street racing. How it grows and what are roots of that interest. Then look at
sociological (or statistical) aspect of phenomenon alongside with problems this behavior cause to
society or dominant culture. As example I would like to present USA street race community.

Street racing in most cases is an illegal (non-official) sport or modified cars racing events what
take place at night in remote areas of city (abandoned roads or industrial estates). But it is also a
way of living for large amount of people around the world.

The USA tradition of street racing grows back from 1930’s and American movies of that period.
But the most popularity it reached when 2001 “The Fast and the Furious” movie hit come out. The
film boosted street racing communities all over the world (Peak and Glensor 2004).

There are few different demographic groups of street racers in USA. First group is 18-24 years
people with low income. Second group consist of older (25 to 40 year old) white males who prefer
to drive American ‘muscle’ cars (Corvette, Camaro, Mustang and etc.). Last group consist of
Asian and Hispanic males of all ages who prefer later model ‘imported’ cars (Honda, Acura,
Mitsubishi, and Nissan) (Peak and Glensor 2004).

One of problems that create street racing is that “police suspect that many racers engage in illegal
activities in order to finance their hobby; some agencies report that stolen vehicles have been
stripped of parts that were later recovered from street racing” (Peak and Glensor 2004). Another
problem is dangerous of street racing to participants and third party. “Root of the problem is the
fact that youths have always had, according to one scholar, a ‘profound need for speed.’” (Peak
and Glensor 2004).

According to information provided above I can create profile of street racer. Usually it is male
between 18 and 40 years old with passion to ‘speedy’ (sporty) cars and ‘need for speed’ attitude
with deviant and sometimes criminal behaviour. In this paper I argue that this type of personality
can be considered as subculture.
 Subculture
To understand concept of subculture first of all need to know definition of ‘culture’ which it is
come from. By ‘culture’ some sociologists understand “norms and the larger systems of ideas and
symbols that people use to understand their own and other people’s behavior” (Fulcher and Scott
2007, p.117). In other words it is a system of communication and behavior normalization between
large amount of people who live together, have similar language, share values, norms and rules of
that system.

‘Subculture’ is “cultural patterns that set apart some segment of a society’s population” (Macionis
and Plummer 2008, p.139). Milton (1947) understands concept of subculture as “sub-division of
national culture” which has some specific differences as ethnic, religious, class and regional
background “but forming in their combination a functioning unity which has an integrating impact
on participating individuals” (Milton 1947 cited in Gelder 2005, p.46).

In some cases subculture can “arise as form of symbolic resistance” (Oxford Dictionary of
Sociology 2005, p.646) to culture it come from, when people of that subculture feel difference
from dominant society.

In my understanding, subculture is smaller group of people who share similar values, norms, rules
and language, which can be deviant or different from parent culture. But it is not necessary that
values, norms, rules and language of dominant culture is totally forgotten or even forbidden.
Subculture is coming out from parent culture and is differences between this and that groups of
wider society.

In case of street racers, I believe, we can call them as subculture as they have some norms, values,
language and artefacts that distinguish them from national culture.

Values
Some sociologists describe ‘values’ as “standards people have about what are good and bad, which
vary from culture to culture” (Macionis, J.J. and Plummer 2008, p.134). Values are sets of people’s
beliefs about how things are and might be. For dominant culture it is normal to share values
between its members. But for each deviant subculture can be different set of values which not
equal or totally opposite to dominant culture (Milton 1947 cited in Gelder 2005, p.48).

In situation with street racers there are some values that they share with mainstream culture. For
example, to fund their cars most of street racers prefer to work. Also was noticed, that same people
who take part in illegal racing events may attend legal car races (Leigh 1995, pp.5-6). But there are
some deviations that distinguish them and cannot be accepted by national culture:

• ‘need for speed’ – passion to high speed and extreme situations at that speed or even
accidents – if member of race survive during car crash he become even more popular (Peak
and Glensor 2004);

• ‘Masculinity’ – attention to car ‘power’ when people do they best and spend a lot of money
to modify their cars (Peak and Glensor 2004) and strong competition to show dominance in
region, that is why most of street racers are young man (Leigh 1995, p.6);

• Criminalization – parts from stolen cars used in modified street vehicles (Peak and Glensor
2004); most events are illegal and street racers do they best not to be caught by police –
“cell phones, police scanners, two-way radios, and walkie-talkies; and websites that
announce race locations and even calculate the odds of getting caught by the police. Some
websites even provide recaps of the previous night’s races, complete with ratings of police
presence, crowd size, and a link to the police agency so the curious can see if a warrant has
been issued for their arrest” (Peak and Glensor 2004);

This is not a full list of values that opposed to national culture. But it shows that street racing
community has selection of deviations and from that point of my research I can argue that it is the
subculture.

Norms
Norms are “rules that regulate how people behave” (Fulcher and Scott 2007, p.14). It is
expectations people have about other people actions, because they believe in and product similar
way of behavior.

For culture it is very important that all members of society follow its norms. In other case deviant
action will be not understandable by other members of that culture or even dangerous for them.

As it was explained above, for subculture is normal to have different (additional) sets of norms and
rules (Milton 1947 cited in Gelder 2005, p.48). For street racers following rules are ‘normal’ and
distinguished from mainstream culture:

• ‘Speeding’ – braking speed limits on roads even if they not take place in street race (Peak
and Glensor 2004); it is not only increases level of adrenaline, but do same with respect
level in community (Fry 2009);

• ‘Escape’ attitude – they prefer to run away and do they best to not surrender in situation if
they chased by police (Peak and Glensor 2004);

• Accidents are normal for street racers and, although it may cause problems for them, but if
it is exciting and spectacular “it worth it” – said one of street race community participant;
they “admire accidents as a sign of respect” (Fry 2009);

• ‘Modifying’ – for major percentage of street racers are normal to modify and customize
their cars and they spend thousands of dollars for that (Peak and Glensor 2004) although in
many countries it is illegal to do such modifications.

From list above I can conclude that street racers not only brake rules of wider culture but create
their own sets of rules which can confirm them as subculture.

Language and artifacts

Language described as “system of symbols that allow members of society to communicate with
each other” (Macionis and Plummer 2008, p.131). Symbol is building block of language and can
be anything that carries meaning for people who share culture (Macionis and Plummer 2008,
p.130).

Language of street racing community is complex and has a lot of different words and definitions. I
can provide just few of them as they depend on location, type and even different group of racers:

• Hit/jump/move – get in to start first (CobaltSS.net 2007);

• The Guns/Chuchazo/Chucho - Nitrous Oxide (CobaltSS.net 2007);

• Stage – a public road which the illegal street race occurs on (StreetSceneRevolution.com
2010);

Artefacts are any products, tools or even non-material objects that group of people create to solve
problems or use to communicate to each other and give information about culture of its creators
(Wartofsky 1973, pp. 195-206).

Artefacts that used to distinguish street racers from mainstream society:

• Modified cars – the car itself become an artefact but parts and enhancements too – neon
lights, wheel alloys, Nitrous Oxide and etc.;

• Media – film franchise “Fast and Furious” and other similar media such journals and etc.;

• Music – “the combination of the excessive engine sound and music with heavy bass lines
provides a sensual rhythm in which racers can indulge” (Fry 2009);

For most street racers that language and artifacts become ordinary way of life. I believe that
information from this paragraph supports my statements that street racing as subculture has own
language and sets of artifacts.

Conclusion

In modern world street racing community is quite large and fragmented layer of society. It has
different groups and traditions around world. But they have common set of values, norms and
rules, language and artifacts that distinguish those groups from mainstream culture they come
from. The deviations that groups have cannot let them be fully acceptable by parent culture and in
most cases it is illegal activity. But participants also share values and norms of parent culture what
do not let separate them completely.

Sociological study and my research of that community let me feel confident enough to call street
racing as subculture.

Bibliography
CobaltSS.net (2007) Miami street racing dictionary [online], available:
http://www.cobaltss.net/forums/lounge-42/miami-street-racing-dictionary-75852 [accessed 11 Oct
2010]
Fry, M. (2009) ‘Speed, Respect and Modified Cars: The Street Racing Subculture’,
associatedcontent.com [online], 24 March 2009, available:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1571043/speed_respect_and_modified_cars_the.html?
singlepage=true&cat=9 [accessed 11 Oct 2010]
Fulcher, J. and Scott, J. (2007) Sociology, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Gelder, K. ed. (2005) the Subculture Reader, 2nd ed., Oxon: Routledge.

Leigh, A. (1995) ‘Youth and Street Racing’, Current Issues in Criminal Justice [online], vol.7,
no.3, available: http://people.anu.edu.au/andrew.leigh/pdf/Youth%20&%20Street%20Racing.pdf
[accessed 11 Oct 2010]

Macionis, J.J. and Plummer, K. (2008) Sociology: A global introduction, 4th ed., Essex: Pearson
Education Limited.

Peak, K.J. and Glensor, R.W. (2004) ‘Street Racing’, Problem-Oriented Guide for Police;
Problem-Specific Guides Series [online], 28, available:
http://www.popcenter.org/problems/pdfs/street_racing.pdf [accessed 10 Oct 2010]

Oxford Dictionary of Sociology (2005), 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press

StreetSceneRevolution.com (2010), Illegal Street Racing Dictionary - Glossary, Words, Phrases,

Terms, Lexicon [online], available:
http://www.evostreetracers.com/street_racing_terminology.html [accessed 11 Oct 2010]

Wartofsky, M.W. (1973) Models: Representation and scientific understanding [online], available
at: http://books.google.com/books?id=u7Tfb2eDxOcC&printsec=frontcover [accessed 11 Oct
2010]