99999 out of 100000 times nothing will happen on the subway and almost nothing will happen on the bus because the driver can call the cops in a heart beat. NYC is a safe city overall and shit will go down ONLY if you seek it.

If you are THAT paranoid, my tips are; check when your train is due to avoid staying in stations too long. Board the first car or the conductors car which is the middle of the train. If you see no people in the car you’re about to board, move to the next one over. Don’t make eye contact or stare at people, someone could take it the wrong way. And if you have headphones on, keep them at a volume where you can still hear your surroundings.

If you’re still paranoid past that point, well all I can say is moving to a new city on your own is scary enough. Otherwise stay close to home and make a living there.