Yay, this has been super educational. I had absolutely no idea that flat-footed from the saddle is incorrect on a road bike until now. I will raise the seat and practice the toe stop. Glad to hear about the pubic bone vs the fleshy parts controversy; that's a good enough argument for me to not give up.

I stand comfortably over the top tube (there's a tiny bit of clearance but I haven't measured, probably less than half an inch). Basically if I bend my knees, my bike and I get intimate.

Besides biking, I think I'm just going to invest in some ballet classes and do more yoga. Looks like the lean-toe-stopping and dismounting are going to require more balance and flexibility so I can feel 100% comfortable.

Thanks everyone for helping me become comfortable with this and possibly saving me from many falls in front of angry LA drivers. I don't think I'd feel comfortable asking these questions with guys at the LBS (there's one female who works there but I never seem to catch her anymore).