I live in a city with good public transport systems (Prague) and subway (metro) is pretty enjoyable except for maybe very late evening hours. Buses brake super hard and are crowded (which subways often are too but there it is more bearable than in a bus because Prague subway lines are relatively spacious and the trains are quite large as well unlike for example in London). Car you don't need to share, but you're definitely sharing the traffic jam as you are in a bus. Prague subway is not perfect, but it is definitely workable and at least for me would be more enjoyable than driving to work (if I didn't work from my home office).

... but using transportation which requires little to no mental exertion or fear of getting into a violent car wreck.

For many, the fear of being harmed by someone on public transportation has a much greater effect on the mind than the risk of getting in a car accident, even if the latter is more likely.

Probably just a person to person thing, but I used to commute on the tube, and I loved tunnels. Way more than riding bus through some parts of London.

You don’t have to drive the subway.

I would take a subway over a bus any day. Shoot I would even take a car over a bus. In general I think a subway is more convenient than a bus. They don't have the same traffic problems a bus does. They tend to run more often. Buses are slow, don't run very often. And generally transfers take up too much time