I'm pretty new to cycling (6 years) and so I have *only* ridden clipless pedals.

A friend who has been riding and racing waaaaay longer was reminiscing the other day about the "weekly crashes" caused by the old fashioned clips-n-straps. He pointed out that, if they were chinched down correctly, riders had to remember to slow when approaching an intersection, reach down, loosen the straps, THEN pull their feet out and back!!!!

Talk about that scary locked-in-feeling!

I'm a whimp and will take my clipless any day.