Speedplays are awesome if the cleats are kept clean, a little bit of mud would make them hard to clip in and out of.
I don't think they would be great commuting pedals as the cleats need to be clean for smooth entry/exit and walking on them will just wear it out faster. The dual-sided platform is nice when it comes to clipping in on the fly, however; many mtb pedals offer the dual-sided entry.