Assuming I was headed to or from work with something of a schedule to keep to, I wouldn't stop. I have nothing against classical music or virtuoso violinists, but I'm just not actively into it. If there was someone handing out free tickets to see a famous violin virtuoso (but with the caveat that it was starting immediately and I had to head to the concert hall immediately), I also wouldn't go. This doesn't really say anything about people not liking or appreciating classical music, or even people's ability to recognize a skillful musician.
As a test of whether the public at large can recognize quality musicianship (is the public uncultured, or is the diff between good to great musicians just not significant?) I think playing in the afternoon would have been a better time.
The lesson I draw from this is that this music, and more so its minor celebrity performers and instruments are just not relevant and fascinating to the commuters in the DC metro when they're trying to get to work. Even if they don't listen to classical music at all it doesn't mean they have no taste or should be looked down on.
