I visited St Louis to attend a conference some years ago. I had a free morning so I decided to visit the botanic garden (don’t miss it if you go there!). So my European mind made me look at public transportation: underground to bus station, bus station to destination.

I have to say it was completely safe and I didn’t feel threatened at any time. But I noticed something:

I was the only white guy in the bus. In both trips.

I insist, there was no danger. The rest of people were minding their own business and were mostly people going to work or going home. Some of them gave me weird looks, not menacing, more like ‘who is doing this guy here?’.

So maybe the problem is something that ends in -cism.

[–] ilinamorato@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

I will absolutely corroborate the St. Louis Botanical Gardens. Lovely place, especially in Autumn.

And I'll also corroborate that transit is seen as something that only "poor people" use, as well as the fact that people of color are almost always seen as "poor" regardless of how wealthy they actually are.