If I'm playing a good aligned character, and I just can't live without whatever it is that neutral mob has, I ask them for it. Naturally this initiates combat, and frees me up from any obligation to not kill them because, hey, all I did was asked the guy for his bracer/cape/random item, and he attacked me. Do I know beforehand this will happen? As a player, sure. My character on the other hand, doesn't see anything wrong with seeing something I'd like, and asking the person for it. RP is satisfied, and I get what I need. It's really not that hard a thing to do, and it DOES piss me off to see people just walking up to harmless neutral mobs and attacking them outright.