What would you do about public transportation security?
Our story today talks about violent attacks that have occurred around several MetroLink stations caused by roving bands of teens and young adults.
There have been at least three attacks — including an assault by a group of at least 20 on a family near the Forest Park MetroLink station.
And later in the story…
Metro officials said they believe the attacks at the Forest Park and Delmar stations were related, but St. Louis police said they had not connected them. In the Delmar incident, two or three youths were attacked by a large group on the westbound platform at 11:36 p.m. Security tapes show a large group of youths surrounding the victims as they sat on a bench.
One week later, on Saturday night, an employee of the Pi pizza parlor at 6144 Delmar Boulevard was assaulted and robbed of his cell phone at a parking lot across the street near the Pageant theater, police said. Later, a group of youths attacked a restaurant employee near the outdoor dining area.
Police are stepping up security. What would you do about it? Few enough people can use Metro. Does this affect how much use it will get? Would you be dissuaded from using public transportation because of reports like this?
Kurt is the director of social media for the Post-Dispatch, where he has worked since August 2002. He's been a journalist since 1982, covering municipal government, courts, education and two hurricanes as a reporter before becoming an editor. 
I’ve been taking a bus and then the metrolink to work for about a year. In the morning and back home at rushhour.
I see all types of people use the train - Asians, Latinos, Blacks, Whites, the elderly, children - and all types of proffesions. Tie-wearers, chefs, resteraunt waorkers, maintenance workers, hospital workers, university employees, students, etc. Some talk loudly on their cellphones, a few listen to their music too loud, and some carry on animated conversations. But most read or enjoy the ride.
I’ve never once seen a fight, a robbery, an assault, or any major disturbance of any kind. I expect to someday.
I’ve seen the security guards ask smokers to extinguish their smokes on the platforms, and escort a few off the train for failing to have a ticket. Every morning they ask to see my pass, and every evening as well.
I did see a woman leave her bag on the platform once, after she boarded the train - a few men quickly shouted, and one ran toward the train with it to give it to her. Right as she realized what was going on, the doors shut. Someone sitting near the driver alerted her, and she radioded the security guard. He would hold her bag until she got off came back on the opposite train.
All three of the men who shouted, and the one who dashed to get her bag to her where young, black males.
Been a city resident for years now. Just started using mass transit, and I love it - clean, mostly on time, and always interesting.
What i spend on fuel is about the same, maybe a little less, as I did when I drove to work everyday.