In North America

What you are saying here is not true of Europe.

This is a cultural problem, and says a lot about American culture. Racism, excessive individualism, and status seeking.

I remember being shocked when I first visited suburban Atlanta for work. Atlanta is a lot like the greater Toronto area (where I live[d]) -- big giant sprawl. But unlike the Toronto area, people in the suburbs were actively campaigning _against_ the extension of rail into their area, because they didn't want the undesirables from downtown coming into their prosperous sprawl.