Funny thing Mick, I always try to grab the blade and bring it down to head height to highlight the point!
So what's safer. Pilot sitting in helicopter waiting for the blades to stop, while god knows who, is wandering around, or pilot getting out of the helicopter to ensure that no one walks into the blades?
Being from NZ, ag/utility ops, we are constantly in and out of the helicopter with the blades running, so don't think anything is wrong with it. Obviously other countries, and different types of operations have different views.