I don't like crowds as well, but it's not having so many people around me, per se, that stresses me. What stresses me more is the thought that my freedom of movement is being constrained.

As such, I really dread long queues, and especially, traffic. I go out of my way to avoid the rush, and take longer alternate routes to avoid traffic.

As a corollary to this thing about freedom of movement, I get really insecure when I don't have a ride, e.g., when my one and only car is being serviced. Having a car ready for me to use anytime gives me that extra peace of mind, especially since I live here in the suburbs with not-so-ready access to mass transportation.