B767 Captain laments the cavalier attitude of ground personnel walking into the safety zone during the self parking operation.

Narrative

During taxi into the gate; the clear zone was clear of all obstacles and personnel; as required by safety procedures when parking using the self-park system. All ground crew personnel were standing behind the clear zone lines. However; as I entered the 15 FT to go point; I noticed that one of the ground crewmen walked into the clear zone from left to right directly in front of the aircraft. I had to stop the aircraft to prevent from losing sight of him under the nose. My First Officer looked out his window to confirm the ground man was out of the way of the nose of the aircraft and out of the clear zone on right. Satisfied the clear zone was once again sterile I continued to taxi into parking. However; with about two feet to go before stopping the aircraft; my Relief Pilot noticed that the forward cargo door light had illuminated. I had already stopped the aircraft at the proper point when I comprehended what the Relief Pilot had stated about the cargo door opening. I am very concerned about the very unsafe practice of any ground crewman violating the clear zone while the aircraft self parks. There is no excuse for the ground crew to enter the clear zone until the aircraft has come to a complete stop. Especially troubling is that from the cockpit we cannot see under the nose if any ground crewman walks into the clear zone within about 10 FT prior to the stop point. If a ground crewman stumbles or falls while the aircraft taxis in then he is subject to being run over by the nose wheel. It is imperative that all gate ground crew personnel respect the clear zone of any aircraft taxiing during self parking operations. Only when the aircraft has come to a complete stop at the designated parking point should anyone enter the clear zone to open cargo doors or attach electrical power cords or air hoses.