You really don't need toe clips and straps.
No, but I want them. As I said, I like to lift up on the backstroke, it gives a lot of necessary power on hills. Also, plain platforms are dangerous; I found that out the hard way after slipping off the front of my pedal and eating sh*t.
Toe clips are a pain. I guess you get used to flipping the pedals with your toe every time to get them in position
On the contrary, they're about as simple as it gets. I don't even think about it- I got used to them just like you get used to locking into your eggbeaters. And, since it inevitably turned into a discussion of pedal religion: I will never go clipless. I just want to hop on and off a bike in the shoes I'm in, and to be perfectly honest, I think dudes walking around in clipless shoes are super dorky.