Many of us live in very rural areas with limited public transportation and really no safe or practical way to bike anywhere except within the confines of the small rural village/city. I drive 10 miles to work each day and back (20 miles total). There is no way I could do a bike even if I were younger and not disabled.
When I was young my small village had a couple of markets where you could buy basic food and supplies. Those have all disappeared and we have to drive 10 - 20 minutes each way to get to a decent grocery store (aside from a couple gas station options).
The system has been collapsing for years. I hate it.
As an American, you are statistically more likely to be struck by lightning than randomly shot.
I am 65 years old and have lived in multiple states. Never been shot at, never shot a gun (except in the US Navy), never experienced any gun violence in my personal life.
As a child welfare worker I have experienced a few cases of gun violence in my professional life of nearly 30 years.
The situation of gun violence is extremely serious but also highly dramatized by media leading to the possibility of miscalculating risk.
Be careful and situationally aware is all the advice I can provide.
That cowboy look would be very difficult to stomach in a law enforcement official on the job.
Unless it was during a parade and they just had to walk in a crowd behind cars waving at people.