Not sure what you mean. I don’t believe I misspoke, unless “sketchy” is slang for something I’m not aware of. In my mind, it means intimidating or otherwise unsafe. It has nothing to do with color or race. White men dressed a certain way are every bit as sketchy as men of color.
I would like to clarify that I personally don’t make a habit of crossing the street in those situations. I was reacting to the idea that anyone who did was doing something inherently racist. I feel that crossing the street would probably draw more attention to myself and anyone wanting to do me harm is just as capable of crossing as I am. My usual strategy is to walk confidently and make a small non verbal greeting with a smile or nod if appropriate.
The one time I probably should have crossed the street was when a large man walked straight towards me holding out a huge knife. But I just stood there frozen like a deer in the headlights.