I live in the largest city in a Midwestern state. To access amtrak (the only passenger rail in the us)I need to drive 3 hours to the nearest station.
The city is shaped like a lopsided clock. I live in the burbs around 1 o'clock. I work for a fortune 50 company headquartered at 10 o'clock. To take the bus to my job I need to take the bus downtown and wait for an out bound. This would take 90 minutes when I could drive in 25.
America has not made public transit a serious option unless you are in Chicago, NYC or DC.
If you are young and attractive and the only other context you have for sex is porn the belief is understandable. Its emotionally immature view that I'm glad she grew out of AND decided to write an article about to help others.
This is old though. Hollow world has been a thing since the 70s at least.