79pmooney has it just right. That's how it is, even for wussies like me who rides geared bikes. A very simple thing the OP can do for a proof of concept is simply to bolt toe clips and straps on his current pedals - might have to switch to rat trap pedals if his don't have bolt holes for clips. They're fairly cheap, do exactly the same thing that clipless does and use ordinary shoes.
I'd been riding bikes for fun and transportation since I was 7. When I finally got my first road bike at college in 1963, in super-hilly rural NY, it had toe clips and straps. The first time I strapped my tennies into those pedals, I was a convert. I was blown away by what I could do with that bike. I had a turbine-powered rocket ship. I've had foot retention on every bike I've owned since then. Another thing that clipless or toe clips does which is really important is these things keep your feet attached to the pedals. You can just pedal your heart out at high rpms and never worry about getting injured should your foot slip off a pedal - and get injured even worse if that pedal is covered with spikes. For pedaling around the neighborhoods on the flat, flat pedals are fine.
Flats are sorta like Books saddles. Lots of people advocate same, but you go out riding, maybe 1 bike in 100 has a Brooks, and I've never seen an adult cyclist with flats. "Cyclist" means "rides for sport." "People on bicycles" ride in civvies, usually dark colors and don't run lights at night. Not to be an elitist or anything . . .It might make a difference that wherever on rides around here, it's uphill. Even our freeways have hills. One can ride an MTB in actual mountains.
I use SPD pedals with MTB shoes so I can walk around, enough to shop, do laundry on tour, that kind of thing. Most club riders around here use MTB shoes.
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