Q for Left-tilters: Is LT really that much more beneficial than a RT
blade, or is it just a tad more safe?

Swingman's got it.

It's safer on a beveled rip cut. The primary benefit is that the offcut
is not trapped between the blade and the fence. If you put the fence to
the left of the blade you can get he same effect with a right tilt saw.

The beveled rip operation on an RT should be performed with the fence to
the left of the blade. Period.

There is no safy tradeoff if you put the fence in the correct position.

Therefore, the downside to RT is that bevel rip operations have less
capacity. Also, I find that ripping in this configuration is less eronomic
for me as a right-handed person; YMMV.

The upside to RT is that your fence scale will read accurately even with a
dado set loaded.

I have an RT and If I had to buy again, RT vs. LT would be pretty far down
on priority list for selecting a saw.

-Steve