I put a set of those "Power Grip" pedals on a fixed gear I have and they work great. That might end up being a good compromise. FWIW, I commuted about 1800 miles last year with SPDs with no problem. Plenty of hills (Chattanooga) and plenty of stop and go. Thing is, I started with clipless pedals when I returned to cycling in 2005 but didn't commute until last year. The more time (miles) you have with them, the more clipping in/out will become second nature.
RC