I love reading discussions like this, brings out MANY different perspectives for people to consider, the flaming I can live without.
The OP asked for information and guidance, well he's got a LOT of both and if like me is overwhelmed with information and opinion.
Many have made good an informative posts about the +/- of both systems and honestly from where I stand (sit) the deciding factor is intended use.
I for one do not subscribe that any tool is "safe", EVER and the only time one is "safer" than another is when one has a defect in design making it unsafe and the other tool does not. Safety is the RESPONSIBILITY of the operator in my world, PERIOD. I know people who drive 20,000 miles a year and have never had an accident in their life who are in the 50s and older. I also know younger people who drive a few thousand miles a year and get into an accident every year or more. Obviously that's not a design flaw of the tool, but a mental defect, I've got a few of those like most people.
My first tractor use was an old JD narrow front that I almost flipped going up hill plowing because I was inexperienced, not because of a defect in the tool.
HST is GREAT for a lot of things, as others have properly suggested most likely the best choice when you want full PTO power with variable ground speeds, it's the obvious choice in my book under those conditions. Also, mowing the turf, as in yard work they are better IMO than a gear model because you have fine control of ground speed and again want full PTO/mower power.
Gear tractors are superior for pulling and field work. They are NOT for users unfamiliar with a manual shift transmission and this is, IMO, the PRIMARY reason to go HST for most new owners. The prevalance of shift transmissions in cars and trucks has sropped from 60% to under 5% since the early 60's. People simply don't have good familiarity with manual shift transmissions. That's not wrong, just a BIG change.
My opinion and remember what you paid for it.