I was balled out by a black bus driver for not getting off his bus in the neighborhood were most of these shootings took place. He thought I was being prejudiced.
A month ago I was coming from visiting someone at the County Jail and was taking the bus to an el station, but was reading and missed my stop.
The driver said that another two miles down there was another el line that I could get on. When we pulled up, it was very dark, two of the corners were vacant lots, some of the buildings were bordered up, and the few people I did see were black, and I am a white and unfamiliar with the neighborhood.
The black driver assured me that I’d be safe, but I just couldn’t exit the bus, and he was very hurt and scolded me so all the other passengers - all black - could hear. I finally convinced him to let me ride with him to the end of the line and then back to my original stop.
You are here to relate the incident today so I would consider that hesitation to be a smart move.