Originally Posted by
Nightshade
It helps to remember that bike shop mechanics are gear heads by nature and will flat lie to you to convince you to follow their advice. Clipless IS great for the race track or other competeive event but NEVER EVER ON THE STREET where you must not be tied to the bike. Only a crazy person will risk life and limb with clipless on the street.
While you can certainly ride flat pedals in regular shoes, which I do frequently, you are absolutely incorrect about properly set up clipless systems. I ride both ways and from first hand experience can tell you that riding clipless on the street is every bit as safe or safer than riding flat pedals.
I'm no competitive racer either, I'm a 50 year old recreational rider. The most serious fall I've ever had was while wearing regular shoes when my foot slipped off a wet pedal while crossing some broken pavement. Outside of a couple of zero mph tip overs when first using clipless (single release SPD), I've never encountered a circumstance where being clipped in decreased my safety. I currently use multi-release SPD cleats on pedals set for light retention. You are not "tied to the bike" as the cleats only prevent release directly to the front, back, or up. Stepping off sideways or even at a slight angle in any direction results in immediate release. Once I went to multi-release cleats, I have never had a failed clip-out, even when I forgot to intentionally step out at a stop (not that I'm actually admitting to having done that). In any accident, I very much doubt that I would remain attached to the bike.
Several of my friends are bike shop mechanics and I take exception to your characterization of them as lying gear heads who don't have the best interests and preferences of the customer in mind when making recommendations.