When I visit New York all my friends always ask why I only take Cabs or hire a towncar. Forwarding the hell out of this.
I rode New York City's public transit for more than thirty years. Part of my ride each day was over Jamaica Bay, through the wildlife refuge and past JFK. I saw lots of interesting things but never a violent incident. I encountered stuff like this, and this, and this regularly.
Ya just have to get into the spirit of it all . . .
For the uninformed foreigners lurking - In 2008 there were 823 robberies, 3 rapes and 2 murders. Over 5 million people rode NYC's subways each day. Another 2 million rode the buses daily. That's more than 2½ billion rides per year and about 6 crimes a day. Most riders are just trying to get to work and then go home at the end of the day. Many air travelers ride the subway from JFK airport to Midtown Manhattan. It’s quick and convenient.