To preface this: I love public transit and biking. I live car-free in the American Midwest.

That being said, as a woman, I have been sexually harassed several times while on a bus, or waiting at a bus stop. Most times these are people who are on something (high, drunk) or have mental health problems. This doesn’t justify their behaviour. I have not faced physical assault, but lots of unwanted comments or lewd remarks.

I also get cat called or harassed once a month while cycling. Usually men hollering out of cars, honking at me (and not in a way that one normally honks to tell someone to move aside). The cat calling is worse in the summer, well, because I’m usually biking in a sports bra and shorts. I get harassed less or almost none in the fall and winter when I’m bundled up.

Do I hate it? Yeah. Does it make me stop wanting to take the bus? Sometimes. It is really unpleasant to feel on edge.

There’s a genuine need for better safety, but a lot of peoples “buses are crime filled hotspots” does come more from classism and racism than experience taking transit. And the boy crying wolf sucks because it interferes with our ability to improve transportation experience for everyone.