You can still bail off the bike in an instant if the pedals are properly adjusted--see, for example, professional mountain bike riders. If cyclists aren't stopp

You can still bail off the bike in an instant if the pedals are properly adjusted--see, for example, professional mountain bike riders. If cyclists aren't stopping at red lights, it has nothing to do with their pedals. Clipless pedals (the terminology is a bit confusing; "clipless" are the pedals that can be "clipped into" using special cleats, as opposed to the toe-cage style "clips") do take a bit of getting used to, but they are no less safe once the transition has been made (should only take a week) and the benefits are enormous.