I agree with the idea of going with what everyone in your area is flying.

I fly Mode 1 here in the States. My instructor learned to fly in Mexico. They generally fly Mode 1 there, and he taught me what he had learned.

I truly believe that there are some advantages to flying Mode 1. First, it puts the Aileron and Elevator functions on separate thumbs. These are the most used functions. So, the case of making a slight slip and putting a bit of Elevator in where only Aileron is wanted, and vice versa is eliminated. Second, by necessity, in Mode 1 you learn to use both thumbs. This makes the use of Rudder a very natural function.

Now, flying Mode 1 hasn't been a real limitation to me. In my club I am an instructor pilot. I always ask my students which mode they want to learn. So far, they have all said Mode 2. I can take a trainer plane and fly it in Mode 2 with no problems. So as a result, I have trained quite a few RC pilots over the years.

My only regret for my students is that they are missing the joy of flying Mode 1.