I lived in LA county during the Rodney King riots. We were a couple miles from the curfew zone, and could see the smoke pyres from the burning buildings. That Saturday we went to the beach in Orange county, maybe 20 miles from our house. Folks there had no idea what was going on just up the road from them. So I think you are very right.
I recall the MLK riots in Washington. We could see smoke rising over the fires in the city from my suburban high school. A bunch of us decided to go downtown for a closer look, but were turned back by soldiers in jeeps posted at Chevy Chase Circle.
The brother of one of my classmates was in the National Guard and was shot in the boot by an arrow while patrolling on 14th Street. Go figure — those were interesting times.