I take off, climb to my minimum altitude to turn, hit HDG and dial in the heading. Yea, it's a little more work when you've got both engines...but when you go single engine and start deviating from clearances (i.e. now you would rather go straight out to get some altitude and speed on your side before yankin' and bankin') it's an easy. Hit HDG and you're good to go without having the lateral mode stuck in TO.

My preference could also be swayed by the fact that on the 145, 9 times outta 10 you're blasting off in HDG mode and have to have the heading bug pointed down the runway, otherwise the FD is going to turn you somewhere you don't want to go yet. There is no "TO" lateral mode on that thing. The closest thing to it is ROL and I don't know of any company that wants you blasting around in that mode, CRJ or ERJ operator.