What is the origin and significance of furry dice?

February 27, 2006 12:18 PM

What is the origin and significance of furry dice (or fuzzy dice), which some motorists hang from their rear-view mirror?
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane to Society & Culture (5 answers total)

I don't think they have any cultural significance. They were a popular 50s fad, and now they're kitschy. Here's what Wikipedia has to say.
posted by amro at 12:26 PM on February 27, 2006

Best answer: alt.folklore.urban posters have beat this one to death. Here's the most on-point and factual comment of a longish thread, including one of two references which can still be Googled. Who knew they dated back to the late 40's?
posted by mdevore at 12:42 PM on February 27, 2006

Best answer: In the UK they're associated with the stereotypical 'Essex Man' who drove a Ford Cortina or Ford Escort (which used to be made in Essex) with furry dice hanging from the mirror, and with an anti-glare strip across the top of the windshield that had the names of the Essex Man and Essex Girl in the driver's and passenger's seat. (And the names were always really 'naff' names like 'Wayne and Tracey' or 'Darren & Sharon').

Essex man has now moved on.
posted by essexjan at 1:05 PM on February 27, 2006

What I grind my molars at is the pair of 8 balls some hang from their mirror. Not clear on the concept! I mean, you generally need *two* dice, but...
posted by fish tick at 5:58 AM on February 28, 2006

Response by poster: Thanks for the input, guys.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 7:00 PM on February 28, 2006