Originally Posted by
ThermionicScott
I'm of the mind that it's better to commit to SPD or platforms for a particular bike for commuting. If a pedal has SPD on one side and a flat surface on the other, you often have to deal with flipping a pedal to the correct side when taking off from a stop, and that's especially frustrating if you're new to the attachment system and there are impatient cars behind you waiting for you to get it together and go. With dedicated pedals (flat or clips on both sides), you just put your foot down, and it will work without having to look down or think about which side is up.
If I miss the binding on takeoff, not difficult to do when the traffic line gets moving, I just plant my shoe on the pedal and start pushing. When pedaling like this, the key is to let your clipped side do most of the work. When you get going, flip that thang over and turn the afterburners on.