Fort Pierce grim? Nah, Pahokee or Airglades - now that's grim! Pop in and say hello to the banjo player next time you're flying past. First time I visited Fort Pierce was about five years ago. The taxi driver was the perfect tour guide meeting me at the Greyhound Station and giving a running commentary as we swerved elegantly towards my motel. The stearing was shot to sh!t in this cab and it was pretty obvious the driver had been hitting it hard the night before. His introduction was perfect if rather un-PC:
"This is the bad part of town. This is where all the black people live. Drugs. Prosititution. Crime. Don't come near this part of town unless you're after trouble".
Best part came later that night when I went to that Jetty bikers bar I mentioned. Sitting at the bar supping the Bud and musing pleasantly on this an' that (as ya do), a nice hairy local tatooed gent informed me that because I was English and the fact it was getting late (1am) the chances of my ass getting hauled outside into the car park at gunpoint and being administered a sound thrashing were increasing ten fold with every ticking second but to not worry because his pals were looking out for me.*
Above moments aside - it ain't a particularly bad place (I've been to worse places) - you just have to learn how to carry yourself and not walk around with a bum bag and a posh accent. If you want to experience the real America by going to bars like the one mentioned here then it's perhaps prudent to go with friends unless you're good at talking your way out of bother.
VFE.
* = Note the bikers were great people.