“YouTube has enough footage of Simba attacks on mass transit to basically set the whole “take the bus” concept back a whole generation.”
A white friend, a well-constructed man who wore a suit to work, lost the use of his car when something went wrong, and he couldn’t afford to fix it because of his wife’s cancer. So, he thought he’s simply ride the bus to work in Tallahassee. On his route practically the only other riders were blacks. He said he was treated badly and even when he wasn’t being treated badly he was being glared at. (Called “stink eye” in the south.) Being one of the nicest, friendliest men I knew I doubt it was something he brought on himself. He couldn’t wait to get his car back.
You can only do the things the people around you allow you to do. He was riding the bus during the Obama presidency which was probably the lowest racial relations had ever been during the post-sixties. But if there had been recent riots then using public transport anywhere would be potentially lethal for white women and lesser built white men.
The remote work accelerated by COVID dooms many places where workers had to rub shoulders with the violent permanent underclass.
I ride the bus everyday. I have learned to stick to the express from the park and ride. The locals have become housing for the homeless. I am also prepared to defend myself.