Despite low levels of recorded crime on public transport, levels of fear are high. This may at least in part be because so many things that do happen do not get reported to staff or the police, and so do not appear in the statistics, but do contribute to people's perceptions. In common with fear of crime in general, women passengers report higher levels of fear than do men. And while women tend to fear an encounter with a lone man, men are more likely to fear groups or gangs of other men. This is probably related to their knowledge that in wider society women face a higher risk of being a victim of a sexual offence committed by a man alone, while men are more likely to be the victim of violence from other men.
Fear is much greater at night on public transport, for both men and women.
This is partly a feature of darkness, partly because there are likely to be fewer people about, and partly because of the greater likelihood of encountering people who have been drinking and who will be travelling in rowdy groups or gangs. Black and ethnic minorities express significantly higher levels of fear on public transport than do white people, a fact that may be attributable to higher levels of harassment experienced more widely by them. Young people have similar fears to adults while using public transport, with the added fact that they are most likely to be victimised, by other young people and by adults. And young people and people with learning difficulties appear to be influenced by their parents and carers, with the result that some are 'protected' from using public transport. This has implications for future travel patterns, in that a generation of people with learned fears may be emerging, who are more likely to be dependent on the private car.