I also wanted to try clipless, but was scared. So, I got a set of Shimano pedals that had clips on one side and a full flat pedal on the other side. The flat side also has nice grips on them.

I practiced in the park on the grass first. My biggest fear was other people... the stupid drivers who underestimate how fast I'm going and cut me off; the stupid pedestrians who look for cars but not bikes to cross the street. So, I was scared of needing to stop fast and not be able to get out of the clips.

I did go clipless a few times, but I'm sort of sad to say that I never did get over my fears. The good news is that having the dual kind of pedal gave me the option, and I don't feel like it's a wasted investment. One day I might be confident enough in my cycling that I will try the clipless again, but for now I'm happy on the flat side.

I will say that the biggest downside is that my proper bike shoes (I have 2 sets) both bounce off the flat side quite a bit. So, I end up just wearing my running shoes that have a softer sole which grips the pedal better.