I don't see any reason why you would have a problem in city traffic with bar-ends, but I don't drive the same way when using them. I can shift like 5 times in 50 yards, if it in any way helps my cause. I shift constantly with my MTB fingertip shifters. I have only borrowed brifters, but I found them similar. All else being equal, easy shifting is a great deal. But all else isn't equal, so one has to decide.

I spent a lot of time on the top bar too when touring, or split finger on the hoods, or on the curve bewtween the two. Most of the time i would have had to move one hand to shift anyway, even with brifters.

Literally, at the end of the day, I don't think you will be one mile closer to your destination, or have travelled more safely or with greater comfort if you have brifters, so why spend the cash?