What you hate about St. Louis (Chesterfield, Kirkwood: appointed, crime, house)

[ehubb53]

Just wondering what you hate about St. Louis

[mklein49]

First off, I want to say I really love St. Louis. But, after living in Seattle for a few years, I really wish they would ban smoking in bars and restaurants.

[stlsmoore]

I really dislike the lack of diversity compared to other cities, it's pretty much a black and white town

[jskirwin]

Speaking of St. Louis County... Too many municipalities with their own police forces. These tend to be much less professional than the St. Louis County PD that patrols the unincorporated areas. There are more speed traps in St. Louis County than any other county I've lived in the USA. It's not that they nail people racing through their towns, but pulling people over for minor speeding just to pad their municipality's coffers. Worst offenders: #1 - St. George. They even made the national news with their cop's bullying. A close second is Bella Villa.

Every time I visit and drive from the airport on 170 it seems like St. Ann has someone pulled over. Where I live now it's illegal for any cop other than the highway patrol to run radar on interstates.

St. Louis has good cops; the County's are top notch. But Maplewood? Kirkwood? Valley Park? Sunset Hills? I'm sure there are decent cops on these police forces but if you have a small town with a large police budget, the only way to balance it is by running a speed trap. That's not about public safety - it's about extorting money from strangers who don't know the area.

One more thing I hate about St. Louis: the political division between county and city. This pretty much has strangled the city, and I don't see it as benefiting the county all that much either.

[ShadowCaver]

Hate - too strong of a word... disappointed, frustrated, saddened, disturbed - that be more of what I feel. In no order:

1. StL has a great history, wonderful people, cool geography, a rich culture - but its spit away too much, too often due to the inept so-called leaders of the city, county, and region. You have, for example, this mighty awesome river, and a rich historical landing area, even a modern stainless steel world-famous arch structure,,, yet, there is little, way too little 'life' to the downtown area that encompasses or adds to the river. I-55/70 ditch kills any interaction between the two. Besides the grounds of the Jefferson Expansion Memorial, no place to really sit on the banks of the Mighty Mississippi, enjoy an impromptu picnic.

2. The BS between the city and the county - that MUST end, otherwise this cruddy mess of little progress in the region will have so much harder time ending, if ever.

3. The Cardinals - yes, I love 'em, big fan, have admired many that have been associated w/ the team, from the Gas House Gang era to Stan the Man to Lou Brock to Whiteyball to Pujols, etc.... but good gosh, there is also a hockey team here [granted, they're currently hurting, have not made the playoffs since their first years, and are in midst of a rebuilding period (again - but this time in a much better plan/way,,, I hope )] and even when the Blues are in the playoffs, what is on the front mast of the Post-Disgrace paper? Cardinals - in spring training...

4. The sad state of affairs between the cities that share same name, looking across the river from each other. I was actually hopeful at one time years back, when EStL was doing some interesting work along their riverfront, but alas its backburnered, dead, forgotten, going nowhere it seems, at least to much extent...

5. The crime, the stupid waste of property and human lifes...

Off top of my noggin at the moment, those are some of the main items.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

Not much I hate about the city, but every city has pros and cons.

I hate the crime, but that happens in any city. I hate the crime in my little town also.

[AJohnston_STL]

I hate that our police force is so under staffed.

Other than that, I more hate citizens of St. Louis county who go off to Chicago, and come back talking about how St Louis has nothing going on so they want to move to Chicago...but they have lived in Chesterfield their entire life and have come to the city for nothing more than a Cardinals game.

[northbound74]

The street system seems a bit convoluted, but that is also a reason for some to like it I guess.
Crime and a lot of really bad, run down areas.. a sight too common in many cities around the region.
The Cardinals, and their goofy, forever red-clad fans who used to flock to KC to see what a real baseball stadium looks like. Now they flock to KC because it's easier to get tickets than at that new-fangled park in St. Louis. Well, now we're getting our own revamped-fangled park in KC, along with a slowly-but-surely improving team... then at some much-improved point, Royals fans will come out of the woodworks for sure, like they always do during the slightest signs of a winning streak. Good luck getting your tickets then.
Other than that, it's an okay town.

[zoomzoom3]

Winter.

They are horrible here. We don't get much snow, but the temperatures are only a little bit better than Minneapolis, Green Bay, Chicago, etc.

[oscottscotto]

Winter sucks here & too many structures are made out of brick.

Besides that, it ain't bad.