I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say anyone referring to the majority of the population as "riff-raff" is NOT middle class. Everyone wants to be middle class, but at some point people need to face the facts and admit they're rich.
Also, I'm going to reveal my complete lack of class here... Who CARES? There are people who have a list of socially acceptable transportation means? I mean, I could come up with a list of my preferred means of transport if you asked me, but off hand? I grew up on the west coast. Is this maybe an East coast thing? Or maybe just another example of me being clueless?
"Riff-raff" was a term that I was hung up on as well. When my coworker used the term, I reminded him that "riff-raff" is a condescending term that is completely stereotypical. Although I have a very good income, my childhood acquaintances and even my family tree have numerous folks in it who would fit that category from an economic sense (what he was referring to) but not necessarily from a criminal sense (what he was not referring to but implying). The list wasn't a hard and fast list he (and his wife) had memorized, but it was one he sketched out during our conversation. The entire time we were talking, I had to remember that he is an overall good guy. On the other hand, I think he and his wife have been so surrounded by college-educated, high earners over their lifetimes that they don't even know someone who makes an income closer to the median (and definitely not below). So their life experiences have conditioned them to subconsciously associate "lower economics" with "low class/criminal class/moocher class." And I assume that attitude will pass on to his children.
Re "East vs West Coast," I don't think stereotyping and labeling is confined to one side of the country or the other. The use of transportation as a "social class identifier" is just one of many that happens every day--which is a key reason people spend too much money on numerous items such as cars, clothing, electronics, housing, vacations, and restaurants. They want to identify with the pretty people.
