The problem with that situation is this. It only takes one assult, if you're a woman, to screw up your whole life.
Yes, mass transit seems like a good idea. I just think women particularly are playing Russian Roulette by using it.
They may ride 250 times without a single incident. Then one day a guy gets on who's drunk, very unkempt and has mental problems to boot.
I watched this happen one day. There was a nice attractive twenty-something woman in a business suit. She was approached by a really seedy looking guy who wouldn't leave her alone. By the time she had firmly rejected him, he was getting quite upset. I had my eye on him about ready to move in. While it didn't escalate to the point that I had to jump in, it was on the verge of getting there.
I just don't recommend this to women, or even men who don't want to take their health into their own hands on a public conveyance.
How is that any different from walking in the streets?
And it doesn't really apply to me. I'm a big guy. People don't bother me. I said what I would do if I lived in the Atlanta area. I didn't say everybody should do what I would do.
But mass transit can be utilized to offset the higher cost of gas by reducing the frequency and distance in which you drive your car. Assuming that you live reasonably close to a station or stop, trips into heavily congested areas can be reduced by mass transit.
While you have valid points as to the safety concerns when using mass transit, for some it is a viable way to reduce consumption of gasoline, and parking fees.
Concealed carry is mandatory in my books for public transit.
Your mass transit story reminds me of what horrible things that could have happened to my children and myself a few years back. We were on our way to a homeschool group meeting in a park. We had to transfer buses. While waiting for the second bus a man started snoking, so I moved to the other side of the stop. A creepy looking guy did the same, but I thought nothing of it. After all, he probably didn't want to breathe in smoke either. My children and I got on the bus without incident. When we got off I was leaning over to buckle the baby into his stroller and felt a presence behind me. Same guy. My children and I started walking. He kept following. It was a busy street, so I turned to face him on the sidewalk. He asked where I was going. If I was going to meet with a brother or something. I turned an abruptly kept walking. Told the children not to question. Just hold onto the stroller and keep up. At first my oldest son (who was about 6 or 7 at the time) tried to question why we were going toward the mall instead of the park. But, he soon stopped. (probably realizing how serious I was) We tried to catch up with a couple of people, but they weren't close enough. So, we still heading through the mall parking lot. Whichever direction we went this guy would follow. We tried weaving and making sharp turns. Up until we got to the Dillard's. He followed us into the Dillard's. I went to the nearest counter. I had been so determined to keep us safe that I did not realize how scared I was until a customer said, "You look like you've seen a ghost." When I mentioned what was happening, she suggested mall security. The idea of going through the mall with tha guy following us terrified me. Thankfully, the cashier back just then. She called mall security herself. He had been circling the area the whole time, so mall security got him quickly. There was no indication we should stick around, so we left to the homeschool group. I was so freaked out that when we were on the bus on the return trip home, I was a little nervous about a fellow trying to make friendly conversation, until I realized he was someone I had previously spoken to on other occasions.
She gave a good imitation of an epileptic seizure and scared the man almost to death! (My sister is a quick thinker).
The guy who accosted me was threatened with immediate physical violence. He believed me, luckily he did not call my bluff (I'm not as quick a thinker as my sister, but I'm bigger and look scarier.)
But my conclusion is that public transportation in Atlanta at any rate is not a good idea for unaccompanied women, at least at off-peak hours.