That is spot on; here in NJ they are trying to sell people on public transportation, and it is falling flat. People always used it to get into NYC, but when they tried to get people to take trains into Newark to watch sporting events the response was underwhelming. People surrounding the city know it’s a zoo, and the worst panhandlers know where to shake down or assault the white people. A friend described Penn Station in Newark at dusk; it was reminiscent of those scenes in zombie flicks where they gradually encircle the compound and keep pressing for a way in. The battalions of police present during the day are quickly thinned out, and the zombies press inward quickly as they stand down.
Once the word is out, it is difficult to change public perception; burying the crime in the news doesn’t work in the “information age”...
Why would anyone want to go to Newark to watch sporting events ... regardless of the mode of transportation?