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Are clumping bamboos really safe to plant? In other words are you sure they will not get out of hand? I love the look and usefulness of bamboo but I'm really afraid to plant it in my yard. I have seen the damage a running bamboo can do to a yard and I don't want that.

If you are afraid of planting a running bamboo (monopodial) because they tend to take over then clumping bamboos (sympodial) are the choice for you. They are shallow rooted and each rhizome produced by a clumping bamboo develops into a single pole. Clumping bamboos are not invasive. Depending on the species you plant, it's eventual size and shape can be estimated with proper knowledge of the species.
Running bamboo can be very invasive. Once a stand of runners has been established it can be very time consuming and expensive to control. I don't want to give runners a bad name...they can be really beautiful and have many uses if planted in a controlled environment or by someone who is willing to invest the amount of work needed to control them with manual labor. I suggest you not plant runners unless you are absolutely committed to keeping them contained. To see some beautiful pictures of clumping bamboos you can google the website for the botanical gardens in Gainesville, FL. Better yet, try to visit them. It will give you a great idea for what full grown clumping bamboos look like in the landscape. Another good source for information and pictures is a book by Victor Cusack, titled Bamboo World. Let me know if this info was helpful to you and be sure to research whatever species you decide to plant...some can be expensive and it would be a shame to lose one due to the climate or some other factor in your location.

Clumping bamboos slowly grow outward. This can be controlled by removing new culms as they appear on the outer edge or by root pruning around the grove. Of course you could go to the extreme and plant bamboo barrier. There's a grower in Tampa, Florida that contains his clumping bamboo simply by placing 12x12 patio blocks in the area where he doesn't want it to grow. I'll be trying this with my Mutabilis and Gracilis.