Sitting beside women on public transport because one is forced to

Firstly: 

For men to
mix with women on public transport, at work or in school is haraam, because
it leads to great evils as is obvious. The evidence that mixing is haraam
has been discussed in the answer to question no.
1200. 

Secondly: 

If a person
has no other choice but to travel on mixed public transport, then he must
fear Allaah as much as he can, lower his gaze and not look at haraam things,
and avoid sitting beside women as much as he can, even if that means
standing, seeking thereby to please Allaah and avoid the fitnah that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) warned against:
“Beware of women, for the first fitnah among the Children of Israel was
because of women.” Narrated by Muslim (2742). 

And he said:
“I have not left behind me any fitnah more harmful to men than women.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5096)and Muslim (2742). 

A person can
avoid this by changing his seat and so on.  

“And
whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him
to get out (from every difficulty).

3. And He
will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts
his trust in Allaah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allaah will
accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allaah has set a measure for all things”

[al-Talaaq 65:2-3]

Thirdly: 

If a person
has no choice but to use public transit and he cannot change his place or
change vehicles, and he cannot stand because that is even more crowded and
brings even more contact with women, then there is no sin on him in that
case if he sits next to a woman, so long as he keeps away from her as much
as possible. 

If he fears
fitnah for himself and the shaytaan starts to whisper to him and divert his
thoughts, then he must get off as soon as he can, no matter how late that
may make him for work or school, because there is nothing more precious to a
man than his religious commitment, so he must protect it. 

We asked
Shaykh Ibn Jibreen about the ruling on sitting next to a woman on public
transport, and he said that it is permissible as much as it is necessary, if
there is no fear of temptation. 

And Allaah
knows best.