Just a different perspective from me in England......

I grew up in a rural part of the country and didn't know what a subway was until my mid 20s. I went to university in a big city and spent most of my time scared and sticking to the same safe spaces. That was a good 30 years ago. I've moved back to where I grew up and when I used to travel a lot, including London, I always used to sit next to people. I am an introvert and value my own space and time, but being close or nearer people made me feel safer. Where I live (and feel the most comfortable), a 3 storey building is considered tall. Skyscrapers freak me out. The volume of people and traffic freak me out. People rushing everywhere freaks me out. In my home town, everyone talks to everyone, even strangers, just to say hello, how are you. Some people still don't lock their front doors. Kids play on the street and most people know eachother's families, going back many generations. I used to try and chat to people too, on the underground (subway) until I learnt that city people don't do that. So sometimes people do things because they just don't know, or are scared, and being near you or talking to you makes them feel better. Cities are scary places for country mice like me........