The relevant part about your first statement about "stopping". Hovering at altitude (outside ground effect) needs good visual references, full concentration with both hands on the controls, and considerably more power than slow flight. It's seldom done in good weather, let alone poor visibility, if flying from A to B. Police or other observation aircraft excepted, they need to stay in one place for over-riding reasons of the task in hand.
now, i'm no rotor wing pilot shy torque and your input is valauble
i would hazard a guess, from my knowledge in fixed wing, that an airmass in which a heli is in hover can also be moving.. so while 'stationary' in the air it can be moving relative to the ground. hence the need for
visual cues relative to the surrounding area.