In Texas, attempting to come to terms with the US requirements for a motor glider license, one of the requirements was to do a dive start of the engine. That didn't suit me at all. Throwing height away just to start the engine? and it took a rather deep dive for the instructor to get the engine to start! Decided not to bother with a motor glider license, but be satisfied with the plain and simple power/ or glider, one or the other. Never did like motor gliders anyway.
In a glider, you are still hopefully scratching around over a town or other suitable feature right down to base turn for the chosen field, and 9 out of 10 you do manage to get away in the glider.