ORIGINAL: boxbeam
Runways are for takeoffs and landings not for groundhandling exercises while there is a hot prop in the air. When you have a deadstick and have to cross the field when someone is still above you, you are still nervous when retrieving your plane, why? Because it is dangerous. If the taxiing plane stalls out, there is always a chance of something going wrong while it is being retrieved especially if you have an excited little one who is with you and is part of the operation. If you want to practice on the ground, have at it in your back yard, or street or drive way or vacant store parking lot or when no one is in the air, run it up and down on the runway, but when someone is ready to fly, give them 100% use of all the field. Take the wing off so you don't lift off if you are concerned with that. We all have done that at some point or another but leave all runways open to those in the air for whatever situations may arise. No other acivity should be taking place on the forward side of the pilots station when there is taking off, flying or landing in progress.
No one likes it when someone has to run out in front of you to get their powerless plane and you are flying your usual stuff, nor does the person like going out to get it either. This point can be argued several different ways I suppose because some club rules and regulations may or may not specify on this particular matter, but overall, the safety of members and spectators should be the first priority and the second should be the property of all those present and nearby.
I have to disagree with you, if there is no one using the runway I think it is fine to use it for taxi practice, but the landing plane has right of way and if he calls out he is landing, the guy has to get off the field.
I question having a5 year old on the siticks, but who knows if it was just connected and the kid thought he was doing something, the the dad really controlling.
We have a standard set of rules, if you are not the only one out there, call out your intentions, landings, taxi, deadstick, take off, on the field ect, whoever is flying will acknowledge the request with a simple OK, if someone is on the field we fly high and easy over the field.
If someone is landing you stay on the flight line which is protected by a 4 foot high fence.
I think the right place to work on Taxing ect is at the club, not a local parking lot ect. The only real issue to me here is what kind of control did the kid have, and I would question the wisdom of giving a 5 year old the controls even on a box.